Santa Barbara | California

Santa Barbara is one of those places in California that I was sad to say I knew very little about.  Born and raised in California, I’ve never lived anywhere else. (Well, except for a short stint in the early ’90s following Pearl Jam to Seattle, that’s another post altogether!) But essentially, I have only lived in California and take being a Californian quite seriously.  When Santa Barbara showed up on our travel radar recently I realized that I had not been there since my early 20s (a long long time ago) and couldn’t wait to head back with my family.

So in true Matthews family tradition, we packed our bags and made the road trip south to explore a part of California’s coastline that we couldn’t wait to be better acquainted.  We made the 5 hr. drive south of San Francisco via highway 101.  It was such a welcome departure from our typical blast down Interstate 5 trying to get through the middle of the state as quickly as possible.  This time, we unplugged the kids for much of it, insisted they help us count Mission Bells, and talked of Junipero Serra and the mission trails dotted all along our route. The hillsides were perfectly green for what seemed like the first time in recent years. I could not stop enough to snap photographs of my beautiful home state.

We were graciously hosted by The Four Seasons Biltmore Santa Barbara for our stay in Montecito, just south of downtown Santa Barbara. The architecture has been tastefully and authentically restored in true 1920s California Mission style.  I could envision old Hollywood coming here to get away from fast paced L.A. life and rejuvenate along what’s been known as America’s Riviera. The weather was as perfect as could be for any summer day only it was February and we knew it, gratitude abounded.

The grounds of the hotel were simply gorgeous.  My husband and I got up early each morning to start the day just as the sun was rising, laying a glow on the new morning.  Walking toward the front of the property you can smell the ocean, hear the waves and feel the warmth of the day waking.  I loved this time for just the two of us to walk for miles along the coastline talking about life.  This is one aspect of vacation I’d love to bring home with us.  The path in front of the hotel takes you into downtown Santa Barbara along some gorgeous beaches, around the zoo and past a beachfront café.

What to Do

• Butterfly Beach, Montecito – just in front of the hotel, boogie board and body surf your heart’s delight
• Leadbetter Beach, Santa Barbara – just north of town, wonderful family beach with volleyball courts
• Rincon Beach, Ventura – world-renowned surf spot with excellent beach front camping
• Carpinteria Beach, Ventura – state park with a long stretch of a beach where I first rode a surfboard as a child.

Where to Eat

• Blenders – juice bar
• Jeannine’s – breakfast in Montecito
• Cava – latin inspired menu
• Panino – perfect for a picnic
• Los Arroyos – family Mexican
• Tre Luna – classic upscale Italian
• Mc Connell’s – ice cream shop founded in Santa Barbara in 1949

Where to Shop

• Billabong – all three of our kids are obsessed
• Industry Home – locally designed and curated home goods collection
• Paseo Nuevo – outdoor shopping area
• Jenni Kayne – women’s apparel and home goods

And if you are anything like me, you’ll take a million photos of your kids in the brilliance of the afternoon sun. Simply because the light is just too good to go undocumented.  These were shot from a quiet stretch of beach we found at Rincon Beach. We had the long stretch of famous surf spot Rincon and every wave to ourselves all afternoon.  Not able to pull myself from the shore on our last evening in Santa Barbara, I hoped to capture some of the glitter and warmth as our day came to a close.

Thank you Four Seasons Biltmore Santa Barbara for helping to make this a wonderful few days together. Known to be #1 in guest services and the best hotels around for taking care of families, it exceeded its reputation. The attention to detail was superb. I really appreciated the early morning coffee station in the lobby and the kids loved having quality boogies boards for their use during our stay. Not to mention carefully appointed rooms, a wonderful oceanside restaurant and unparalleled guest service. We can’t wait to go back.

Thank you each for supporting partners that support The Simple Proof. It allows us to shares our travel experiences around the world with our readers in hopes to inspire your own family’s adventures at home and abroad. Read more about our favorite coastal road trips like Big Sur, California and Ruby Beach, Washington.