Santa Barbara: the American Riviera
Santa Barbara has long been a refuge for the rich and famous. The influx began when Charlie Chaplin arrived in this stunning seaside town in the early 1900s to make movies at what was then the world's largest motion picture studio, American Film Company's Flying A Studio. Since that time, multimillionaires and Hollywood's elite have vacationed, married, honeymooned, partied and bought homes in the elegant Spanish-style resort town. For instance, today, among many other celebrities, Steve Martin, John Travolta, and media mogul Oprah Winfrey call Santa Barbara home.
But the lush town -- hugged by calm, sandy beaches and rugged mountains -- is not just a hideaway and playground for wealthy icons. The central California city (that is a day's drive from Reno and 90 minutes from Los Angeles) also is a top vacation spot for the active set. Santa Barbara's topography and mild climate offer diverse scenery brimming with recreational opportunities ranging from cycling, rock climbing and inline skating to golfing, horseback riding and kayaking. The scenic city (dubbed the American Riviera) has most angles covered for every type of vacationer, and adventurous tourists have much to do.
1. Take the plunge. Views are spectacular from the seat of a kayak. There's an outline of the Channel Islands in the distance, a pretty boat-filled harbor nearby, and red-tile-roofed buildings tucked into the city's mountains. All around is deep blue ocean and kayakers often drift on a sunny California day.
Paddle a mile out from the harbor, and you'll spy sea lions basking on a buoy and floating in the smooth water with their flippers out to collect the sun's rays. Brown pelicans fly past, slick cormorants swim nearby and curious harbor seals pop their heads out of the glassy water. You might spot activity near the breakwater wall. That's often where a pod of dolphins feeds in the nutrient-rich water. Kayakers can glide toward them and rest in the kelp bed to watch the 8-foot-long animals breach and then dive under the kayak.
Santa Barbara Adventure Company, a friendly and knowledgeable guide service, is where many tourists turn to book a kayaking tour. The company (Sbadventureco.com) also offers tours and lessons in surfing, mountain biking, rock climbing, horseback riding and hiking, as well as sunset boat cruises.
Visitors can go the self-guided route and rent a kayak from Paddle Sports of Santa Barbara (kayaksb.com) in the harbor. If kayaking isn't your preferred sport, Santa Barbara's waterways can be explored by SCUBA diving, sportfishing, whale watching, sailing, surfing, windsurfing and parasailing. For resources, visit santabarbaraca.com. For an interesting tour experience, check out The Land Shark, a vehicle that offers an out-of-the-ordinary cruise on both land and water. For details, visit out2seesb.com.
2. Wheels in motion. If biking is more your pleasure, you can rent a bike for the day or the week at Open Air Bicycles (openairbicycles.com) and cruise along a paved path on the waterfront and Andree Clark Bird Refuge. For hardcore road riders, steer toward Gibralter Road or Old San Marcos Pass Road. If you're a fat-tire enthusiast, there are plenty of fire roads and single tracks to roll on in Santa Barbara. For a map of rides, visit Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition at sbbike.org.
Another great bike riding adventure is just over the hill in the Santa Ynez Valley. Drive about 40 minutes over San Marcos Pass to explore Santa Barbara wine country by bike. You'll find more than 130 wineries in the area, made popular by the movie "Sideways." Rent a bike from Wine Country Cycling (winecountrycycling.com), and get a wine map at Sbcountywines.com. Once in the area, be sure to stop by the towns of Los Olivos (posh galleries, nice restaurants) and Solvang (a kitschy Danish town). If you visit in February, you can watch the Amgen Tour of California cycling race (tourofcalifornia.com), where the world's top professional cyclists participate in time trials on Feb. 22 in Solvang, and race along the Santa Barbara waterfront for the Stage 6 start on Feb. 23.
3. Take a hike. Lace up the boots and head for the hills. The Santa Ynez Mountains provide everything from technical, rocky terrain to flat, forgiving routes. After just a 10-minute drive from downtown, you can be up at the San Ysidro Trail, Romero Canyon Trail, Tunnel Trail, Hot Springs Trail or Rattlesnake Trail. For hiking maps and trail information, visit santabarbarahikes.com.
4. Horse country. Santa Barbara meets the needs of horse enthusiasts as well. There are polo games (sbpolo.com), trail riding and rodeo events in town. To do a bit of trail riding, visit Rancho Oso Riding Stables (rancho-oso.com) near Cachuma Lake (about 30 minutes northeast of Santa Barbara). Another choice is Circle Bar B Guest Ranch (circlebarb.com) in Goleta (just north of downtown) where visitors can hop on a group or private ride and even stay in luxurious cabins or the cozy new lodge. Another option is Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort (alisal.com), which has an equestrian center with 100 quarter horses for guest use and 10,000 acres to explore.
5. Fore! To improve your swing and take in the views, check out Santa Barbara's impressive lineup of public golf courses. They include oceanfront Sandpiper Golf Course in Goleta (north of the city), Glen Annie Golf Club on a hillside in Goleta, Santa Barbara Golf Club on a hillside in town, the Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed Rancho San Marcos Golf Course in Santa Ynez Valley, La Purisima Golf Course near Lompoc and two world-class courses at Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort in Solvang.
6. Take a walk. If you're feeling like more leisurely exercise, there are tons of local spots to trek. For instance, flora fans can enjoy more than 1,000 California plant species while meandering along trails at The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (Sbbg.org) set on 65 acres on a foothill above the city. In town, there's Alice Keck Memorial Garden, a city block filled with gorgeous gardens, a stream, and pond with koi and turtles. Another botanical wonder is Lotusland (lotusland.org), a
37-acre estate and botanic garden in Montecito, southeast of the city. It features meticulously manicured spaces filled with cycads, bromeliads, water plants, cacti and topiary.
Walking around the 35-acre Santa Barbara Zoo (santabarbarazoo.org) can provide visitors with a mild workout as well. There are
160 species of mammals, reptiles, birds and insects to saunter past. Be sure to see the giraffes, which you can feed on a raised platform from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.
You can walk through the historic Mission Santa Barbara compound (established in 1786) or down Santa Barbara's main drag (State Street) to power shop and dine. You'll find interesting stores, bars and restaurants on State Street. Check out Paseo Nuevo, a center anchored by Nordstrom and Macy's. For a bit of Spanish history, wind through El Paseo, Santa Barbara's first mall that features gift shops, jewelry stores, art galleries and restaurants.
Or, just take a walk on one of Santa Barbara's many beaches. Favorite coastal spots are Butterfly Beach across from the Four Seasons Resort's Biltmore and Miramar Beach (at the end of San Ysidro Road), both in Montecito. Other lovely shores are Hendry's on Cliff Drive and Leadbetter on Cabrillo Boulevard. During low tide, you'll find lots of treasures in the rocks (including starfish, sea anemone, sea urchins, and baby octopuses) and sandpipers running after sand crabs at the surf break.
For an exhilarating vacation in a stellar setting, Santa Barbara is a coastal California gem.
Source:- rgj.com
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