 | Moreton Bay Fig Tree |
| Santa Barbara, CA Print Leave a comment |
Description
Though not in a very nice area of Santa Barbara, behind the train station on lower State Street, and a few feet from a busy stretch of freeway, the Moreton Bay Fig Tree is an impressive tree to visit! It is the largest tree of its kind in the U.S., a 130-year-old tree, which provides 16,000 sq feet of shade! The story of its life is a romantic one. A Santa Barbara girl was given the tiny Moreton Bay Fig tree seedling in a pot by an Australian sailor and planted it in 1876. It was transplanted several blocks down the road and survived. It's a shame that some people have carved graffiti into such a rare precious tree and that it hasn't been protected more.
If you are taking a ride on the Pacific Surfliner from Santa Barbara Station, make sure you stop and take a look at the tree.
Nearby, walk down State Street to the pier for an icecream, or take a stroll down the Cabrillo Bike Path, a gorgeous palm-lined boardwalk that follows the beach to the east. West Beach Boardwalk, a continuation of the boardwalk to the west, is also nice for a stroll.
Directions
Moreton Bay Fig Tree is located at the train station at Montecito St and Chapala St, Santa Barbara CA 93101.
Exit Highway 101 at Castillo Street and turn towards the ocean. At the end, turn left on Cabrillo Blvd. Turn left on State Street, and turn left into the parking lot for the train station. The parking is free for the first 75 minutes and then $1.50 an hour. The tree is behind the train station.
This is an interactive map, you can zoom and move it.
Visitor Ratings
Overall Visitor Rating: 
gigi 10/24/2009 15:43 | inspiring | |
Ray 10/06/2009 13:48 | Yay! Wish Emily and I could be there. Weekend train trips up to Santa Barbara- so fun. |