Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone
tourists wine tasting at Kunin Wines, Funk Zone, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
Few people think of Santa Barbara and funk zone in the same thought, but as Santa Barbara’s industrial area continues to disappear, the “Funk Zone” becomes more obvious. Unlike most coastal tourist destinations, the city’s industrial yards and storage areas have always been located down near the beachfront. With a mix of old brick structures and corrugated tin buildings, the Funk Zone has little in common with Santa Barbara’s pristine Mediterranean style architecture, yet it is starting to draw large numbers of visitors with its tasting rooms, restaurants, shops and even a surf museum.
tourists beer tasting at Corks and Crowns Tasting Room, Funk Zone, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
tourists wine tasting at Corks and Crowns Tasting Room, Funk Zone, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
tourists wine tasting at Corks and Crowns Tasting Room, Funk Zone, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
sign for wine tasting choices, Corks and Crowns Tasting Room, Funk Zone, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
Favorite Wine: Nick Morello’s Pinot Noir at Corks n Crowns
tourists beer and wine tasting at Corks and Crowns Tasting Room, Funk Zone, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
Even after living in Santa Barbara for many years, I knew very little about the area until we were contacted by Rosa Rojas from American Airlines in-flight magazine Latitude. They were covering the Funk Zone and needed material. Although the assignment came in during the Christmas Holidays, the article was scheduled for the March/April issue, so no Holiday decorations.
The Fizz sparkling wine is poured for tasting, Municipal Winemakers, Funk Zone, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
couple tasting wine at Municipal Winemakers, Funk Zone, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
The shoot list included everything from an unusual surf museum to wine and surfboards. The tasting rooms occupied such locations as an old tire shop, a converted dive shop and other buildings whose previous life was a mystery. Each had it’s own unique style and character, however, and the wines were uniformly excellent.
old surfboards at the Santa Barbara Surf Museum, Funk Zone, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
Santa Barbara Surf Museum, Funk Zone, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
ukelele collection, Santa Barbara Surf Museum, Funk Zone, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
The surf museum was jam packed with nostalgia, including album covers from the heyday of surf music in the 60s. Old, gigantic surfboards lined the walls along with props from movies, a ukelele collection and a million other surf-related items.
Santa Barbara Surf Museum, Funk Zone, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
album covers of surf music, Santa Barbara Surf Museum, Funk Zone, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
tiki god and surfboard in front of the Santa Barbara Surf Museum, Funk Zone, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
I ran into some old friends, made some new ones and even stumbled on to what is now my favorite bottle of local pinot noir.
gyro sandwich with pickled tomatoes and a soda, Metropulos Fine Food Merchants, Funk Zone, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
outdoor patio, Metropulos Fine Food Merchants, Funk Zone, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
Mermaid's Chest Antique Shop door, Funk Zone, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
surfboards and famous surfboard ceiling at Channel Islands Surfboards, Oreana Winery, Funk Zone, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
If you visit Santa Barbara and don’t have time to make the drive over to the Santa Ynez Valley for some wine tasting, try the tasting rooms located a block off the beach in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone. The area is worth a visit all on its own.
