From the PCH we took a detour to Ojai and then drove back for a short nights stop in Santa Barbara. First stop en route we decided to visit The Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens which conserves Californian native plants and habitats for the health and well-being of people and the planet, mainly because they had a brilliant childrens playhouse and den trail. It was well worth an hour or two. The kids even managed to do a whole nature photoshoot with their new Maileg mice they bought in Ojai.

We then went straight to our hotel for an afternoon of chilling out. Santa Barbara is a beachside town with rolling hills and bridges and the longest strip of South facing coastline along the West Coast. It’s surrounded by the most striking backdrop of the Santa Ynez mountains. It was decribed to me as a smaller more laidback walking version of Los Angeles with a slower pace. There’s so much to do here i’d love to come back and explore more. Our friends had recommended staying near Montecito as the beach in that area was meant to be a great spot and it’s a slightly more Preppy Californian feel, but I found a beautiful hotel called The Californian that I was desperate to check out. We ended up here downtown in the Centre, just a short walk to the beach and main shopping on State Street. Up to now we’d spent a lot of time on the road so we hit up the pool for the afternoon.

The Californian, is a monochrome majesty split into two parts. We checked into one building with its lavish velvet and tile interior and walked across the road to the building where our room was. The family double had ample room for all 5 of us including a large marble bathroom and a small balcony. They left warm cookies and chocolate milk for the kids and 3 mini robes and slippers which was a first for us this trip. It’s definitely an adult’s luxury hotel but one where kids are welcome too.

The rooftop pool was exactly what we needed. Our first experience of true lounging. It was a small hub of activity, cocktails and people. We chatted with families from around the world including a family from England who recommended the restaurant next door to eat in called Finney’s where we found ourself hanging out later. We hadn’t booked and had to wait at the bar which gave us the impression of a kind of ‘Cheers’ vibe from the 1980’s sitcom. Didn’t take long for some great food - American dining with a bit of a twist. Our new Engligh friends and their kids came in to join us for drinks and then took us to their favourite ice cream shop McConnells which is open late. The queue outside told us we’d come to the right place.

Next morning we took a stroll around checking out the shopping streets, street art in the area and hiring our family car bike from Wheel Fun Rentals to cruise up and down the beachfront as far as the pathway goes. Last stop was lunch at Goat Tree before heading to Hollywood!

Where We Stayed

Hotel Californian - 36 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. The 121 room monochrome dazzler is apparently a hot spot for the Hollywood elite. And us as it seems. We parked a short walk from the hotel in a public carpark for a very reasonable price. Parking is restricted in the Centre and this was 2 minutes away from the hotel lobby.

Cost - £386 via Booking.com for a large family room that sleeps 4 very comfortably, 5 if you like to squeeze like us!

Highlights

The Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens - 1212 Mission Canyon Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. Phone: (805) 682-4726 - From here its a great drive into the Centre giving you a really great feel of the outer areas and neighbourhoods.

Finney’s - 35 State Street, Suite A Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Phone: (805) 845-3100 . Family owned and operated American Tavern that serves craft beer on tap and excellent American dining.

McConnells Ice Cream - 728 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. The queues tell you its good but the ice cream itself shows you why! The finest available, from Central Coast, grass-grazed milk & cream to organic, cage-free eggs. No stabilizers, preservatives or fillers (natural or otherwise).

Goat Tree - State Street (Opposite The hotel Californian). Casual all day dining with a moroccan twist and an excellent all day brunch menu. I recommend the Kale Caesar.

Wheel Fun Rentals - 24 East Mason Street. Offering bike rentals of all types that seat up to 5 people, including electric bikes and tours.

Paseo Nuevo Outdoor Shopping Centre - a boutique experience walking through this shopping hub with restaurants, cafes and shops all surrounded in Spanish influenced architecture.

Funk Zone - an arty district, which spans the area between the ocean and Highway 101 and is adjacent to the Amtrak station, featuring cafes, boutiques, graffiti murals and contemporary art galleries.

Next Stop …LA Baby!

I’ve always wanted to say I was riding the PCH . Translated as driving on the Pacific Coast Highway. That stretch of over 600 miles of road that clings to the most coastal areas and offers some othe best scenery in the whole of California. It’s the kind of road that you drive just for fun.

We started our road trip in San Francisco (the start of the PCH) but then ventured inland for Sonoma, Lake Tahoe and Yosemite so venturing down after leaving Carmel was our first real view at what this road had to offer. There are so many stops you can make and although you can drive the whole thing in under 10 hours without stopping, where’s the fun in that?

THE BIG SUR. My research had told me that the Big Sur - one of the longest and most scenic stretches of the road, where the Santa Lucia mountains hit the Pacific Ocean, was not to be underappreciated. The famous Bixby Bridge is a great marker that you’ve arrived in this area and it’s probably worth parking up to fully take in the experience. We decided that past Bixby Bridge was a good place to rest and relax for a beautiful lunch. Nepenthe Restaurant is a legend in this area. The views are divine. We were a table of 10 and so we called ahead when leaving Carmel to let them know we were coming. The drive from Carmel took around 1hour and 40 minutes and we were happy we reserved a table as the waiting times here can be crazy. I think this has to be one of my favourite restaurants on the whole trip. Not just for the ambience or the view but the food and staff. The Ambrosia burger is amazing! The only issue is it’s up a steep hillside and might not be suitable for anyone with mobility problems.

CAMBRIA. We arrived in Cambria after another hour of driving and headed straight for our accomodation at Oceanpoint Ranch. I found this little gem after searching for accomodation that had a design aesthetic and we were not disappointed. It’s situated a short stroll to Moonstone Beach. A wild and beautiful stretch of rocks and sand in Cambria, but also was home to a games room, outdoor pool, restaurant, stunning design and this was the place that introduced us to the s’mores life and outdoor gaming. Cornhole, firepits and garden games which enticed all the guests to come and connect of an evening.

Can you spot my trend? America is so good at having two Queen beds in a room and it’s so good for families. This boutique hotel had everything we needed and more. We loved it so much we didn’t have much time to check out the town itself but i’ve been told we missed out not visiting Linn’s for a pie that has made the town famous. Next time for sure! We met some lovely travellers here including some Spanish families our children played with even through the language barrier and a Chinese couple who shared their birthday cake and celebrations with us. You really couldn’t ask much more from a one night stop along the Pacific Coast Highway.

Riding the PCH . Don’t forget to stop around Bixby Bridge and The Big Sur for photos and life appreciation.

Where we ate - Nepenthe - 48510 Highway One - Big Sur. A sunny platform restaurant carved into the rock with brightly coloured umbrellas and a 180 degree walk around view to appreciate. Great food, staff and location. Just watch all the steps. The parking is also tight and we ended up parking on the road below. Other things to look out for are McWay Falls and the Elephant Seal Vista Point.

Cambria

Where we stayed - Oceanpoint Ranch - 7200 Moonstone Beach Drive. Cost. We paid £250 for the 5 of us in one room with free parking via booking.com. This boutique hotel has so much to offer and is perfect for anyone wanting a beautiful pit stop en route.

Don’t miss - a walk to Moonstone Beach and a trip into town to sample one of Linn’s famous pies! If you fancy a trip to Hearst Castle, the 56 bedroom design marvel of William Randall Hearst, you are only a few miles away! In it’s heyday this was visited by many 1920’s and 30’s movie stars of Hollywood and even had its own exotic zoo. You can still see the zebras from the highway!

After leaving Cambria the list of stops are endless. You can move onto Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, Avila Beach, Pismo Beach or straight onto Santa Barbara. We headed to Santa Barbara and the town of Ojai for the most magical stay in The Caravan Outpost, an airstream lovers dream. Come back on Friday for all of the magic of these special places.