<p>what do yyall think? I'm planning to dorm so i dont think i will need it that often. and how much does a parking permit cost?</p>
<p>It's a tough question to answer. I don't have a car, but there are a few people on my floor that do it can be quite convenient to use. There's a huge shopping center about 2 miles from campus that has many major stores (Costco, Staples, Albertsons, CompUSA, Home Depot, etc). I've taken the bus there before, but a car can be much more convenient if you're planning on buying a bunch of things. </p>
<p>Usually you get by as long as you know people with cars. If you're the one that brings a car, prepare to make lots of friends :)</p>
<p>I believe the pricing varies depending on what type of permit you buy. I paid (I think) $310 per year, though I know they offer quarterly permits as well. Be prepared that no matter what permit you buy, you're probably going to have quite a walk to your car everytime you want to go somewhere. It's a good ten minute walk from where I live to my car, though luckily students can park closer on nights and weekends (for no extra chrage). I'd check the TPS (Transportation and Parking Services) website for more info on that, or you might just want to call them since their site can be kind of confusing.</p>
<p>It certaily is nice to have a car, but like rc251 said, you're going to make lots of friends that want rides places. Then again, it's awesome if you want to go home for a weekend or go somewhere in particular; you don't have to rely on the bus (or other people). I don't think I would be able to handle it here without my car, though. Some people love staying on campus, I personally prefer seeing what's outside of the UCSB area; even what's outside of Santa Barbara itself. It's all preference though.</p>
<p>I would really think about how often you're going to need a car, because parking is a ***** and the campus is totally bike-friendly. I don't know where you're coming from but the train can take you down south or up north when heading home, and there is the airport right here (kinda expensive though). I would say if you plan ahead and stock up on items you know you will need, you shouldn't be needing to go to kmart every week, ya know? You can find everything you need in Isla Vista or at the campus bookstore pretty much. And think about the fact that if you have a car, people will want rides, or to borrow it....</p>
<p>Quite frankly, I would not bring the car unless it's absolutely essential due to frequent travel that is not accessible by train.</p>
<p>The parking permit is expensive, you will have to park far, far away from the residence halls, and you will be tempted to go places instead of immersing yourself in UCSB.</p>
<p>Bikes rule here, literally-my dad described the campus as a "Biketopia." See <a href="http://archive.geog.ucsb.edu/photos/images_photos/bicycles1.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://archive.geog.ucsb.edu/photos/images_photos/bicycles1.jpg</a> for just an example of an average day.</p>
<p>The bus system here is very good. You can take it anywhere you'd need to go.</p>