Santa Barbara - A Californian Summer - Part Six

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!