New State Street Visitor Center opens in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA, Calif - A new visitor center opened on State Street in Santa Barbara Thursday. Visit Santa Barbara and the Chamber of the Santa Barbara Region held a ribbon cutting ceremony at the new center located at 120 State St., Ste. F, in the Hotel Californian property

The new facility's design is intended to represent the beauty and sophistication of the Santa Barbara South Coast, according to a news release.

The space features a welcome desk, a retail section featuring locally sourced Santa Barbara- and California-themed items and travel necessities available for purchase, communal tables with iPads and charging stations, as well as a lounge area and a photo booth for creating fun photo strips.

The new center gives local businesses and attractions opportunities to reach Santa Barbara visitors.

The Santa Barbara-area visitor center welcomes nearly 20,000 visitors each year, according to the news release.

The new center has been in the making for the past 30 years, said Stephanie Armstrong, interim executive director of The Chamber of the Santa Barbara Region