Santa Barbara is a great get-away for Los Angeles-residents.
It's an upscale beach town with UC Santa Barbara, sitting like a crown jewel up the main road with Pacific Ocean vistas.
Felice and I spent eight hours in Santa Barbara. I was in town to interview for an adjunct teaching job at UC Santa Barbara. 
It was hot and humid, pollens trapped in heavy moisture. Felice and I alternately coughed and sneezed our way toward U.C. Santa Barbara where I interviewed for the job. I'll save you the details, let's just say, the so-called job that may, or may not have funding for the fall, was not for me. Lucky for me, though, Felice is a dream traveling companion. Here's Felice's famous smile under the red umbrella. 
Felice and I experienced serious smog along the 101 on our way to Santa Barbara. Most people think that Santa Barbara has clean air. It's cleaner than Los Angeles, by far but...
Summers are always smog challenged throughout Southern California.
The American Lung Association http://www.lungusa.org gave Santa Barbara an F for ozone pollution. And many homes in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties have higher than normal radon levels, so if you live there, or may buy, it's a good idea to have your place tested.
According to a ALA press release: Ozone acts as a powerful respiratory irritant at the levels frequently found in most of the nation's urban areas during summer months. Ozone exposure may lead to:
premature death
shortness of breath
chest pain when inhaling deeply, and wheezing and coughing
A few miles before we reached S.B. in nearby Ventura, the smog covered the mountains. Not as bad as LA., but close. We're having very hot days and this contributes to the problem.
At the UC Santa Barbara campus I noted this recycle bin.
