Bel Air

This month I spent two afternoons exploring Bel Air Knolls. It is not the Bel Air
The Fresh Prince Will Smith referred to in the 90s. Riding along the side of  Las

Positas road is a quaint community perched upon a Knoll (British name that
refers to a small natural hill). This neighborhood is conveniently close to
downtown Santa Barbara, upper state street, and around the corner from
The Mesa.

Bel Air Knolls comprises mostly single-family residences with a few
condominiums. Most homes in this neighborhood have between three to five
bedrooms. Bel Air has 490 residential dwellings spread out across 480 acres.
Most of the homes in this community can be categorized as Spanish craftsman
and mid-century modern styles. Most homeowners have access to mountain,
city, or ocean views. In the past year, the most expensive home sold in the
neighborhood was $4,400,00. On the other side of the spectrum, the least
expensive was $1,080,000.

Bel Air drive is the street that runs through the neighborhood. There are a few
twists and turns on this road, as well as steep inclines/declines. This
neighborhood is adjacent to Elings Park, which is Santa Barbara’s largest
recreational area. This is where you will find sports fields, dog areas, playgrounds, event space, picnic tables, and hiking trails. When I spoke with neighbors in the community, a few common themes kept coming up. All the neighbors mentioned Bel Air was safe, quiet, and located right next to all that Santa Barbara has to offer.