10) Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is a nearly perfect city in southern California that features the best of geographical elements in the Golden State. Kissing the Pacific coast, Santa Barbara is situated at the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains and is bedazzled with Spanish-influenced architecture comprised of stucco and adobe. The city is covered in palm trees and ends the day with some of the best sunsets you can find in California. While the city is rather expensive to live in, temporary stay at area hotels is surprisingly affordable and of above average quality. The streets are seemingly littered with Motel 6 locations, which are all listed for around $66 per night. While it may require a short commute, most budget hotels are only minutes from the lively downtown strip known as State Street, which leads to the regionally famous Santa Barbara Pier.
