Tattoo Tourism in Santa Barbara
A double rainbow over Santa Barbara on a rare cloudy day.
Santa Barbara is a beach town, world famous for beautiful scenery and eccentric inhabitants.
The studio, Tattoo Santa Barbara, is located at 2007 State Street, a couple of doors up from the corner of State and Mission Streets. 100 years ago, the same site was home to Flying A Movie Studios.
The front of Tattoo Santa Barbara and LuckyFish, Inc.
Unfortunately the local sign commission has forced me to remove the TATTOO sign, the OPEN sign, the LED rope lights, and even my signature. But you can find my now very discrete studio easily on the main street of town by looking for the 2007 address and the Pictish spiral wrought iron on the door.
The studio is very easy to drive to. From Highway 101, North or South, exit at Mission Street and turn toward the mountains. Follow Mission over to State. We are a couple of doors up State from the corner. There is no customer parking lot at this location, so you will need to park on the street. Be aware that some street parking is time limited. Click this link to download a pdf Parking Map
This is a lovely seaside resort town well worth a leisurely visit. It is 2 hours North of Los Angeles on the coast of Southern California.
It is a good idea to have your lodging arranged before you get here. There are tons of hotels, everything from youth hostels to five star rated resorts. Take your pick, something for every budget.
Please visit http://www.santabarbara.com to find out about Santa Barbara's many tourist attractions and hotels.
Because this is a town that survives on tourism, and being a get-away for the Jet-Set and second-home site for the elite of the film industry, we have lots of great places to send your significant others and kids away to while you undergo your transformation. I personally insist that all my out-of-town house guests see The Big Fig and the blue whale skeleton at the Natural History Museum. They are a MUST!
In fact, I will say I am proud of my ability to show my guests a really unique insider's view on their visits.
I have made a page of my favorite tourist attractions, the things I would insist on taking you to if I were in charge of your visit. Please check out the Advanced Tourism Destinations page.
Sending your significant other to a day spa for a make-over might be a great investment in marital harmony, or take the whole family whale-watching in the morning before your appointment.
Where State Street meets the ocean, 20 blocks downhill from my studio, you will find The Friendship Fountain by Bud Bottoms. The big dolphin is Flipper!
If you fly in you can arrange to have Santa Barbara Airbus bring you all the way from LAX. The city is very tiny, so if you are flying in just for a day or two you will not need a car if you get a hotel in the downtown. If you want to tour the area there is a trolley, and you can go on wine tours or sunset cruises in the channel...... plus we have a marvelous Natural History Museum, Historical Museum, Art Museum and a Sea Center Museum and a zoo.
Just like a theme park, except people live here!
If you REALLY want to see a spectacle come for Fiesta in August, when the whole town cuts loose for the Mexican version of Mardi Gras. You can be sure we all have our costumes ready for that week of festivities.
But any time you come you are likely to experience mild climate, pleasant natives, and a slower pace of life. I am fortunate that my clients can come from all over the world and have a destination filled with opportunities.
Finally, if you arrive at the studio early, there is Garrett's Old Fashion Restaurant on the corner, just a few doors down. They serve good American diner fare for breakfast and lunch (until 2pm). If you stop in, tell them we sent you! And be sure to check out the photos of Charlie Chaplin and his crew on the walls, making movies on this spot 100 years ago at the Flying A Studios.
Murphy the Irish Wolfhound says enjoy your visit. You owe it to yourself to explore around and see for yourself why this is considered a world class tourism destination. Plan a little extra time here so your experience isn't just about the tattoo.