Sunset in Santa Barbara |
Getting there
On my first trip, I flew in and out of LAX and drove to Santa Barbara. Driving from LAX to Santa Barbara takes about an hour and a half on a good day. If you have been to Southern California, you know that good days don't come along that often.
We took the scenic route up the Pacific Coast Highway through Santa Monica, Malibu and Oxnard. There are lots of great little places to stop and have lunch on the way like Gladstones and Duke's but on this trip we stopped at Paradise Cove. It's your garden variety beachfront restaurant where you can get a cold beer and put your feet in the sand. It seems to be just as popular with the seagulls through so if you order something you really like, watch out because they are aggressive.
It's good to be a dog in SoCal |
Unfortunately,I learned one very important lesson on this trip. If your flight to LAX is delayed and you miss your connection, you are screwed. American Eagle flies smaller planes on this popular route which means it is often overbooked. So instead of lunch with the girls, I spent five hours in the LAX airport (actually the trailer that AA calls it's "satellite terminal") waiting to get on a plane.
Santa Barbara is less than 100 miles from LA so I could have driven there and back in the time I spent at the airport. You may ask "Well, why didn't you just rent a car and drive" but I was in a no win situation. If you don't travel much or make many connections, you may not realize that if you cancel or don't show up for one leg of your travel plans, the airline will typically cancel the rest of your itinerary. If you actually do the right thing and call them to let them know you are not going to make a certain flight, they will charge you a change fee which is usually around $150 depending on the airline.
Where We Stayed
The Four Seasons
On the first trip, we stayed at the Four Seasons the night before the conference began and it lived up to every bit of its reputation. It is really in Montecito and the hotel is located across the street from the water. There is a beach club and restaurant located on the water. The hotel is comprised mainly of cottages and the walkways that wind around the property instill a sense of complete privacy.
The main building and the bar are Spanish inspired and are very warm and inviting. There is an outside area with a view of the water where you can enjoy cocktails on the veranda. They also have bikes you can rent to ride into Montecito or down to the waterfront of Santa Barbara.
Bacara
We stayed at Bacara for both the conference and the girls trip so it was interesting to experience it from two different perspectives. It is a beautiful property that truly feels like a resort. The buildings are set on rolling hills so you definitely get your exercise walking back and forth from the pool to the restaurants to your room.
There are several pools to choose from. The main pool is where all of the families congregate and it can be difficult to find a chair on the weekend. Also, don't sit right next to the pool unless you mind being the recipient of the "cannonball splash". You aren't in the south so good manners by kids or their parents are not as prevalent. Up one level is the area where the cabanas are and is a little more reserved. If you are looking for true peace and quiet your best bet is the pool at the spa at the top of the resort. The only downside (and it's a big one!) is that there is no drink or food service at the spa pool.
The spa is nice and offers some great treatments. It had all of the things you usually find in a spa; steam room, sauna, hot tub, etc. There is also an upstairs sun deck where you can relax as well as a spacious interior area. Overall, it's a bit smaller than I would have thought so I would have to rate it a B+.
Things We Did
A few things I would recommend during a visit to Santa Barbara.
Check out the Old Mission Santa Barbara. It is a five minute ride into the hills above downtown and is beautiful. It also does not take long to see and enjoy.
Visit the Santa Barbara Courthouse (voluntarily of course...please don't ruin a perfectly good trip by getting arrested). There are some amazing murals and tile work that you would not expect to find in a courthouse.
Wine Country |
Wine, wine, wine. There are some great wineries located within an hour of downtown. Hwy. 154 is the scenic route which takes you high up into the mountains and offers some spectacular views. The roads wind around and are narrow at times so it is definitely advisable to take this route before you start tasting the wines!
We visited the following:
- Fess Parker - yes, of Davey Crockett fame. While the tasting room is somewhat commercial, the wines were surprisingly good
- Foley Estates - they are known mainly for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
- Zaca Mesa - they have lots of picnic tables and outdoor areas in case you want to take a picnic
Foley Estates |
Good friends + good wine = Good Times! |
There are lots of cute towns to stop in as you wind your way through the different wineries. If you don't have time to go to the wineries, there are also several tasting rooms in Santa Barbara which you can visit.
Take Highway 101 (Pacific Coast Highway) for your trip back into town. It's a straight shot and will get you back to the resort in time for cocktails at sunset. Better yet, hire a driver and enjoy cocktails on your way back!
These are just some suggestions on things to do. Downtown Santa Barbara spans several blocks and has a lot of mainstream and independent stores to visit. The marina is also beautiful and worth taking a walk around. From what I saw, you really can't go wrong with any of it.
Having held a place on my "bucket list" for many years, Santa Barbara does not disappoint and I look forward to returning soon.