The next morning, before starting towards Los Angeles, we visited the Santa Barbara Mission aka the "Queen of Missions".

The mission was founded in December 1786 and is really historic. It is well worth a visit, also for the tiny museum and the interior gardens.

The interior gardens provide a peaceful place for those who want to get some rest.

Malibu Beach. On summer days, it is even more packed than this picture may suggest.

Santa Monica sports a nice shopping center at the 3rd street. In the middle of the street, where only foot traffic is allowed, you will find "dinosaur art" of the different kind. :-)

When in Santa Monica, you have to visit the beach promenade...

...which will give you excellent views of Santa Monica Pier with its amusement park.

The next stop maybe Beverly Hills, where everything is clean, tidy and in an excellent condition. With a little luck, you may even see a celebrity driving his/her Porsche along. Whew - that's a nice place to live!

Sunset Boulevard is just a few miles away from Beverly Hills. It's not as tidy here, but the perfect place to explore Hollywood, which is just a short walk away.