WHERE: Santa Barbara, Calif. — It's easy to see why Santa Barbara draws visitors. The mountains, the sea, the red tile-roofed, Spanish-style architecture; the near perfect weather and casual, but sophisticated lifestyle that's drawn high-profile celebs to the area (and driven property prices into the stratosphere). In 1974, Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy bought a 688-acre ranch off a narrow twisting road 30 miles north of the city center. They christened the property Rancho del Cielo (Ranch of the Sky), and from then until Reagan's last visit in 1995, the ranch became their haven from the pressures of public life. The ranch is not open to the public but the Reagan Presidential Library and Museum at 40 Presidential Dr. in Simi Valley has photos and exhibits that give visitors a feel for the Reagans' life on the ranch and why it was such a special place (800-410-8354, www.reaganlibrary.com).

John and Jackie Kennedy spent their honeymoon at the San Ysidro Ranch in the foothills of Montecito, one of Santa Barbara's toniest neighborhoods. The 500-acre resort has been receiving guests since the turn of the last century. For the presidential experience, check into the 1,800-square-foot Kennedy Cottage, at $3,000 a night, you'll need a chief executive's expense account.