Isla Vista

Isla Vista is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Santa Barbara County, California in the United States. As of 2020 census, the community had a population of 15,500. The majority of residents are college students at University of California, Santa Barbara or at Santa Barbara City College. The beachside community of Isla Vista lies on a flat plateau about 30 feet in elevation, separated from the beach by a bluff.

Isla Vista enjoys a Mediterranean climate and often has slightly less precipitation than either Santa Barbara or Goleta. Isla Vista is located on a south-facing portion of the Santa Barbara County coast, between Coal Oil Point and Campus Point in view of the Channel Islands. During El Niño years, precipitation in Isla Vista can be excessive and potentially dangerous.