Westmont College

Westmont College, a residential college which moved to Santa Barbara in 1945, sits on a hill amongst woods. You have to be fit to walk around the campus! As you drive to campus you pass massive Montecito mansions. You are in the realm of the elite. Once at campus you find yourself amongst oaks and eucalyptus broken by majestic lawns and formal gardens. Stairs, stone bridges, and winding trails are everywhere- nothing is linear. The lawn with rose garden and statues just east of Kerrwood Hall is my favorite spot. Students sit here beneath the huge pine trees to study and I can't think of a better way to spend an hour.

Emerson Hall is perched high above campus and enjoys great views. Behind the post office is a patio where you can open your mail amongst a redwood grove.
Kerrwood Hall is a regal building. Walk through the pretty ironwork gate and delight in the Spanish fountain. The formal garden in the center of campus is bounded by tall trees and a herb garden. A leafy archway opens up to another leafy archway over stone steps. It's a peaceful spot to sit and commune with nature. The dining hall nearby is raised up on a hill and the outdoor seating features wooden tables and chairs on an open patio surrounded by tall trees. See the white dome of the observatory where a 24-inch telescope is the focal point of a summer astronomy program for high school students.
The two main strips in Montecito are Coast Village Rd and Upper Montecito Village. Montecito is a serious town where people are guarded- it doesn't have a fun college atmosphere because most of its residents are wealthy and elderly. Beautiful beaches to check out are Butterfly Beach by the Biltmore Hotel and Miramar Beach where a path overgrown with flowers leads to Hammonds Beach.

Directions

Westmont College is located at 955 La Paz Rd, Santa Barbara CA 93108, in the suburb of Montecito, call (805) 565-6000.
Exit Highway 101 southbound on a left-side exit (yes, it feels really weird to exit on the left) at Coast Village Rd. Turn left at the exit and then left on Hot Springs Rd. Follow the signs to Westmont College. You will turn left on Sycamore Canyon Rd and then go straight at the four-way stop. After 1.3 miles on Sycamore Canyon Rd, turn right on Cold Springs Rd. Take the left fork so that you are on La Paz Rd and the main entrance to Westmont College will be on your left. There is a parking lot there. Print out the campus map before you come so you can find the nice spots. When leaving Westmont, be careful to drive back the exact way you came (go straight through the four-way stop) or else you will be miserably lost in Montecito with no freeway signs to lead you out!

From Highway 101 northbound, take the Olive Mill Rd exit. Turn right on Olive Mill Rd and drive half a mile. Turn left on Hot Springs Rd. Follow the signs to Westmont College. You will turn right on Sycamore Canyon Rd and then go straight at the four-way stop. After 1.3 miles on Sycamore Canyon Rd, turn right on Cold Springs Rd. Take the left fork so that you are on La Paz Rd and the main entrance to Westmont College will be on your left. There is a parking lot there. Print out the campus map before you come so you can find the nice spots. When leaving Westmont, be careful to drive back the exact way you came (go straight through the four-way stop) or else you will be miserably lost in Montecito with no freeway signs to lead you out!

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