Old Mission Santa Barbara

This Franciscan mission was founded in 1786 but still offers Mass today. A grisly if not interesting bit of trivia: Santa Barbara is named for Saint Barbara who (according to legend) was beheaded by her father for following the Christian faith. For around ten bucks you can take the self-guided tour or you can take the pay a little more for a docent. The mission is usually open seven days a week during normal business hours, but check the website for the most current information.

(Submitted by Guillermo Arce)