Santa Maria, California
Santa Maria is a city of 110,462 people in Santa Barbara County, California, founded in 1874.
Why visit Santa Maria
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 53 parks and trails, 163 places to eat, 12 places to stay and 6 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Edwards Santa Maria 10, Edwards Santa Maria Stadium 14 & RPX, Santa Maria Museum of Flight and Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Museum.
September is the warmest month, with average highs of 75°F; December lows average 40°F.
Weather in Santa Maria
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Santa Maria
Santa Maria (Spanish for "St. Mary") is a city in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Located on the Central Coast of California, it is approximately 65 miles (105 km) northwest of Santa Barbara and 150 miles (240 km) northwest of Los Angeles. Its population was 109,707 at the 2020 census. The city is notable for its wine industry and Santa Maria–style barbecue.
From the Wikipedia article Santa Maria, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do6
Edwards Santa Maria Stadium 14 & RPX
Cinema and theater · 1.3 mi
Hi-Way Drive In
Cinema and theater · 2.3 mi
3085 Santa Maria Way, Santa Maria
Museums and landmarks6
Parks, trails and playgrounds53
41 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes163
SizzlinGogi
Restaurant · Korean, Barbecue · 0.6 mi
1841 South Broadway, Santa Maria
Mo-Th 11:30-20:30; Fr 11:30-21:00; Sa 12:00-21:00; Su 12:00-20:30
Starbucks
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 2.1 mi
1301 East Main Street, Santa Maria
Mo-Th 04:30-21:00; Fr 04:30-21:30; Sa-Su 05:00-21:30
Nite Creamery
Ice cream · 0.9 mi
2003 South Miller Street, Santa Maria
Mo-Fr 16:30-22:00; Sa-Su 13:00-22:00
151 more on the map.
History
The Santa Maria Valley, stretching from the Sierra Madre (California) Mountains toward the Pacific Ocean, was the homeland of the Chumash people for several thousand years. The Native Americans made their homes on the slopes of the surrounding hills among the oaks, on the banks of the Santa Maria River among the sycamores, and along the coast. They had unique plank-built boats, called Tomol, which they used for ocean fishing.
In 1769, the Portolá Expedition passed through the Santa Maria Valley during the first Spanish land exploration up the coast of Las Californias Province. Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa was established just north of the valley in 1772, and Mission La Purísima Concepción was established near present-day Lompoc in 1787. Rather than rich soil, white settlers were attracted here by the possibility of free land. In 1821, after the Mexican War of Independence, the mission lands in Santa Maria Valley were made available for private ownership under a Mexican land grant called Rancho Punta de Laguna. At the end of the Mexican War in 1848, California was ceded to the United States, and was granted statehood with the Compromise of 1850.
From the History section of Santa Maria, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay12
Churches and places of worship52
Shopping44
Gas and EV charging24
Schools, colleges and libraries76
Roberto and Dr. Francisco Jiménez Elementary School
School · 0.7 mi
1970 Biscayne Street, Santa Maria
Santa Maria Public Library
Library · 1.2 mi
421 South McClelland Street, Santa Maria
Arellanes (Don Juan Bautista) Elementary
School · 3.4 mi
1890 Sandalwood Dr., Santa Maria
Battles (Washington) Elementary
School · 0.9 mi
605 East Battles Rd., Santa Maria
Healthcare8
Map of Santa Maria
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65°F | 41°F | 2.7 in |
| Feb | 65°F | 42°F | 2.9 in |
| Mar | 66°F | 44°F | 2.6 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 45°F | 0.9 in |
| May | 69°F | 49°F | 0.4 in |
| Jun | 71°F | 52°F | 0.1 in |
| Jul | 73°F | 55°F | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 74°F | 55°F | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 54°F | 0.1 in |
| Oct | 75°F | 50°F | 0.5 in |
| Nov | 70°F | 44°F | 1.1 in |
| Dec | 64°F | 40°F | 2.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Santa Maria Public Ap 72394 (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Santa Barbara County has had 29 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2024-04-13: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-03-10: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-14: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-09: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2021-10-13: Alisal Fire (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.
- Orcutt 5 mi south, about 7 min by car
- Nipomo 7 mi northwest, about 12 min by car
- Guadalupe 8 mi west, about 12 min by car
- Woodlands 9 mi northwest, about 15 min by car
- Callender 11 mi northwest, about 18 min by car
- Arroyo Grande 15 mi northwest, about 25 min by car
- Oceano 15 mi northwest, about 24 min by car
- Vandenberg AFB 15 mi south, about 24 min by car
- Vandenberg Village 15 mi south, about 25 min by car
- Grover Beach 16 mi northwest, about 26 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- 11 Ethel Pope Aud front, Talledega, Public domain
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