But sometimes, even us sun-soaked San Diegans need a getaway of our own. Fortunately, unforgettable experiences abound, around the world and in our own backyard.

This guide will help you pick the perfect summer escape. Want even more ideas? Check out the Central Coast’s tourism guide here.

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VENTURA HARBOR VILLAGE

Relax and unwind at Ventura’s seaside Ventura Harbor Village for waterfront treats, fresh seafood, patio dining, coastal shops, artisans, pampering, dive trips, live music, and fun rentals on the water! Walk from Ventura Harbor hotels to scenic beaches, Ventura Harbor Village, and Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center. SEA you SEAside! venturaharborvillage.com

Solvang

SOLVANG

Solvang’s walkable village is brimming with wine tasting rooms and bars, museums, galleries, independently owned shops, and restaurants helmed by Michelin-level chefs. Architecture reminiscent of Northern Europe frames Danish-pastry-filled itineraries. Spot the Little Mermaid, chase windmills, brush up on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales— then live one of your own. What’s your Solvang story? Solvangusa.com

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STAY COOL IN GILROY

The super-splashy Water Oasis in Gilroy Gardens is the coolest place to play in Gilroy—but there’s lots more to see and do in the Garlic Capital of the World. Enjoy wine tasting, outlet shopping, golfing, hiking, and more. Visitgilroy.com

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VENTURA

Ventura is your portal to life-changing adventure. The closest of the five islands of Channel Islands National Park are just a 70-minute boat ride from Ventura Harbor, and they offer the wild glory you’d expect from one of America’s least visited national parks. “The Galapagos of North America”? Better. visitventura.com

Paso Robles

PASO ROBLES

Escape to the majestic vineyards, oak-dotted hills, and small-town charm of Paso Robles. It’s where world-class food and wine meet small-town cowboy charm, and it boasts endless lodging options, from historic inns and luxury resorts to rustic vineyard escapes. Recently named a “must-visit region” by the New York Times. travelpaso.com

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PISMO BEACH

It’s all here waiting for you—a gentle climate, where sand, sun, sea, and sky converge to create the ideal getaway. California’s golden past is alive and well in Pismo Beach. Visit experiencepismobeach.com to book your stay. experiencepismobeach.com

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MONTEREY COUNTY

Escape to an inspiring place with striking coastline, secluded redwood forests, and a culinary scene as diverse as the landscape. Now is the moment to embrace the unexpected adventures and natural beauty of Monterey County. Why wait? Plan your trip and join us here. Seemonterey.com

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SANTA BARBARA

Discover a gentle crescent of California coast where the sea and mountains meet, the sun feels more golden, and the valleys overflow with a bounty of color. Santa Barbara offers exhilarating outdoor adventure, fascinating arts and culture, an incredible variety of local food and wine, and more. santabarbaraca.com

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BUELLTON

#SkipTheBigCities and head to Buellton, nestled in the Sta. Rita Hills wine region, where you’ll also enjoy feeding an ostrich, horseback riding, taking a stroll through the botanic garden, or enjoying the collection at Mendenhall’s Museum of Gasoline Pumps and Petroliana. You’ll find accommodations for all budgets, including “glamping.” discoverbuellton.com

The post 9 Destinations on the California Coast You Should Visit This Summer appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Santa Barbara – Sunset Sail

Stay

Check into the Mar Monte Hotel, which is right across from scenic East Beach and Cabrillo Pavilion, the city’s nearly century-old oceanfront events venue, for a relaxing seaside retreat. Mar Monte was recently renovated and is now a Hyatt property, yet it has the feel of a cozy beachside condo instead of a corporate hotel. It’s also in a peaceful location that’s close to the restaurants, bars, and shops on State Street. Book one of the oceanfront rooms with a balcony to let the sea breeze in, and you’re welcome to bring your dog along on your getaway (with a deposit). Over by West Beach, the Hotel Californian is a staple for its Spanish Revival architecture, rooftop pool, and Moroccan-inspired spa, Majorelle. If you’d rather be downtown, Kimpton Canary is a couple blocks from the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and steps away from restaurants and bars.

Mar Monte Hotel

Wine and Dine

The restaurant scene here is big on farm-to-table since Santa Barbara County has more than 1,400 farms, and you’ll find that even casual eateries serve top-notch wines by the glass—no surprise since the region is also famous for its vineyards and was immortalized in the film Sideways. State Street, the city’s main artery, is the place to get your bearings and start exploring. As an added bonus, a ten-block section of it is closed to vehicular traffic. The downtown district is packed with open-air dining, craft breweries, and lounges, and there’s a farmers’ market every Tuesday afternoon.

Start at D’Angelo Bakery on East Gutierrez Street with an espresso and one of a dozen egg dishes, like the smoked salmon Benedict or huevos rancheros, then stroll north toward the end of the promenade at East Sola Street. For lunch and dinner, popular spots include State & Fig for California cuisine and wine, Santa Barbara Craft Ramen for comforting noodle soups, and Bibi Ji for contemporary Indian cuisine. Bouchon Santa Barbara has been a neighborhood staple for over 20 years, serving French bistro fare in an inviting atmosphere. If you want to splurge, arrange to tour the farmers’ market with chef Greg Murphy, then sit down to a three-course dinner with wine pairings.

Loquita

Seafood lovers will find plenty of options at Santa Barbara Shellfish Company, a casual shack perched on Stearns Wharf, the oldest working wharf in California and one of the city’s most visited landmarks. You can drive over the wharf’s wooden planks and park near the restaurant, then dig into clam chowder, oyster shooters, and local rock crab and spiny lobster when they’re in season. Loquita is a popular restaurant that was just added to the California Michelin guide this August: Their tapas, three styles of paella, and unique gin and tonics will transport you to Spain. Don’t skip the crispy patatas bravas and beef carpaccio, and book ahead in advance since tables fill up quickly.

Costa

One of the newer eateries in town is Costa Restaurant at Mar Monte, where chef Nathan Lingle is cooking up flavorful Mediterranean dishes with California influences. Get several plates to share, such as the housemade sourdough flatbread with muhammara (red bell pepper dip), lamb scaloppine with mint salad and charred feta, and one of the seasonal crudos with fish from the local market (and save room for the California olive oil cake for dessert). For something casual, hit up East Beach Tacos for grilled shrimp and báhn mì (pulled pork) tacos, and La Super-Rica, which was noted to be one of Julia Child’s favorite restaurants. Want a meal fit for royalty? One of the few places where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been sighted since they moved to the area is Lucky’s Steakhouse in nearby Montecito.

You can get a good sample of the area’s wines without leaving the city by heading to the Funk Zone, a neighborhood made up of former warehouses that have been converted into boutique tasting rooms, galleries, and shops—it’s easy to sip your way through more than a dozen tasting rooms while enjoying art installations and murals. A good first stop is Santa Barbara Wine Collective, which offers flights of different varietals from a handful of local vineyards. Head to the patio at Paradise Springs Winery for a charcuterie plate and a glass of their Pink Ash rosé, which was developed as a fundraiser for victims of the Thomas Fire in 2017. Actor Billy Zane painted the artwork for the label. If you prefer bubbly, Riverbench specializes in flights of sparkling wines. Beer lovers don’t have to worry, as there are several taprooms in the area, like Captain Fatty’s, The Bier Garten, and Lama Dog.

Explore

Santa Barbara – Old Mission

Carve out some time to visit Old Mission Santa Barbara, a national historic landmark that’s been nicknamed “the queen of missions” in California. It dates back to 1786 and is the only mission in the state that’s been under the care of Franciscan friars ever since its founding. It hosts services every Sunday and is home to a museum and a picturesque rose garden and park. Admire the artwork in the chapel, then take a pause in the central courtyard’s cemetery to look for the plaque dedicated to Juana Maria. Juana Maria was the last surviving member of the Nicoleño tribe, and in 1853 she was found living alone on San Nicolas Island and brought to the mission—her life story inspired Scott O’Dell’s novel Island of the Blue Dolphins.

A courthouse may not typically make the cut on a vacation itinerary, but the Santa Barbara County Courthouse in downtown’s El Pueblo Viejo district is worth a stop. Its 1920s Spanish-Moorish architecture, murals, and sunken garden make for a photogenic wedding and event venue, and you can ride an elevator to the top of the 85-foot clock tower for a photo op.

If you’re a fan of spa treatments and salt lamps, you may want to check out Salt Cave Santa Barbara. At street level, it’s a small boutique that sells body scrubs, bath salts, and lotions, but below it houses what’s claimed to be the largest underground salt cave in North America. Book a session to rest your legs in a zero-gravity chair right in the salt cave, or sign up for a traditional massage or facial.

Complete your tour of the American Riviera with a leisurely sunset sail. Santa Barbara Sailing Center offers a daily two-hour cruise that gives you a clear view of the city and the Santa Ynez mountains. They also have two-day (or even longer) excursions to Channel Islands National Park and Marine Sanctuary, or stand-up paddleboards or kayaks for hourly and daily rentals so you can explore the harbor on your own Santa Barbara is relaxing year-round, but now through spring is an even better time to visit to escape the crowds.

The post An Essential Guide to Visiting Santa Barbara appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

We couldn’t take it anymore. Wandering around the house between Zoom meetings, half-dressed from the waist down, ingesting our body weight in snack foods daily. Our regularly heavy travel schedules zapped from 60 to 0 in a nanosecond. The kids were climbing the walls, and so were we.

It was time to venture out, so I started researching places within reasonable driving distance of San Diego. A road trip made the most sense—transferring our family bubble from home to another place with minimal risk. Santa Barbara popped up as a top contender, and after looking into its safety protocols and hospitality management in this new world, we chose it as our home away from home from a few days.

A Geographically Gifted Destination

Santa Barbara sits in a unique spot along Highway 101, just a three-hour drive north from San Diego on freeways devoid of regular traffic. This quaint burg enjoys a position far enough from the LA sprawl to be isolated, and is surrounded by mountains on one side and beaches on the other. To the south and north, miles of highway hug the coastline with little room for more than the road itself. It’s a rareified vacation spot in good times, and during not-so-good times those same advantages contribute to a safe shelter.

Santa Barbara County had consistently reported a low number of infections. News reports indicated residents were treating the pandemic seriously by adhering to state guidelines for cleanliness, distancing, and of course, mask wearing.

A guest suite at the Hideaway Santa Barbara

Jon Bailey

Lodging as Safe Harbor

The next task was to find lodging where we would feel our health was protected. Two places recommended by Visit Santa Barbara passed the smell test when we reviewed their websites. Not fully satisfied, I contacted both to inquire directly.

The Hideaway Santa Barbara is located near downtown, just blocks from the beach and wharf. Quaint and picturesque, this new hotel contains just nine rooms, each set in a different floor plan. The hotel’s stated cleaning procedures checked out, and we felt comfortable choosing to stay here.

We also looked into the Ritz-Carlton Bacara, perched cliffside on the north end of town in the suburb of Goleta. Their cleaning and safety regulations were voluminous and detailed beyond our expectations. Even still, we decided we would decline housekeeping service at both properties and keep the Do Not Disturb sign on our doorknob 24/7.

Did I bring our own cleaning supplies in the car with us? You bet I did. I carried the bag of sanitizers, deodorizers, bleaches, and germ-killers into our rooms at each hotel. Not once did I feel the need to actually use them, but having them there made me feel less vulnerable.

Settling into Santa Barbara

So off we went, departing San Diego on a sunny morning with the kids firmly ensconced in the backseat with Starbucks in one hand and TikTok in the other. As we rolled north, I never once took my foot off the gas pedal. While passing LAX, I made everyone look up from their screens to note that our passage was free of slowing down or braking at all. Historic!

Upon arrival in Santa Barbara we made the obligatory pilgrimage to La Super Rica for our favorite chorizo and melted cheese on warm handmade corn tortillas. From there we did one of our new favorite pandemic activities: driving through neighborhoods and ogling at beautiful houses, nestled into canyonsides and crevices on what Visit Santa Barbara calls the American Riviera. As we pointed out favorites and appreciated different architectural and landscaping styles, Triton kept a running report from Zillow on the value of each home. Some were surprisingly affordable, considering their million-dollar views of downtown, the harbor, and the deep blue ocean beyond.

Off to the hotel for check-in and my obsessive sanitation inspections, while we plotted our course for the next few days.

Artwork in the Funk Zone

Jon Bailey

Exploring the Surrounds

We’d heard that the city’s main thoroughfare, State Street, had been converted into a pedestrian promenade, eliminating the interruption of through-traffic. Restaurants spilled out into the streets like a more genteel version of our own Little Italy and Gaslamp neighborhoods. But were there other outdoor activities we could enjoy as a family while avoiding crowds? Turns out there are plenty.

Located downtown between Highway 101 and the beach, several square blocks of a former warehouse district have been revitalized as the “Funk Zone.” We left our teens to their own devices (literally) and walked a couple blocks from The Hideaway to explore what makes this neighborhood so funky. Turns out it’s a great collection of artist’s galleries, winery tasting rooms, boutiques, and fun restaurants. We stopped into Margerum Wine Company for a spectacular tasting experience on their outdoor patio, planning our next few steps with a refreshing wine flight and charcuterie board.

Also Check Out:

Wheel Fun Rentals

Grab a bike or trolley rental and scoot along the beaches for a breezy open-air tour.

Santa Barbara Wine Collective

An industrial-chic space with outdoor patios and wine flights featuring local vineyards.

The Blue Door

Like a cross between an art gallery and a high-end thrift store, this place fascinated us longer than we anticipated.

Loveworn

Funky fresh clothing and art makes for a fun and colorful experience.

Field + Fort

Jon Bailey

A Short Drive to Summerland

Summerland is a once-sleepy beach village a few miles south of Santa Barbara, now reborn with an upscale vibe. Old standbys like the Nugget Bar & Grill are still pumping out great burgers (pick-up and delivery only right now), and we ventured down the block for a delicious lunch under the sycamore trees at Field + Fort.

Worth a Visit:

Field + Fort

A sweet little café with a delicious menu, combined with a sophisticated design boutique and an impressive collection of furniture, art, and gifts.

The Well Summerland

A garden shop with amazing outdoor furnishings, fountains, and accents.

The Sacred Space

A unique garden and home shop with very Zen-like displays of merchandise sourced from around the world.

The lotus pond at Ganna Walska Lotusland in Montecito

Jon Bailey

Green Spaces and Great Views

Santa Barbara is blessed with good weather just like San Diego, but it’s a bit cooler in the winter. This allows for plants and flowers that do not grow happily in our arid climate to flourish, and it’s fun to see what is in blossom here throughout the year.

Ganna Walska Lotusland in Montecito

This 39-acre park is a wonderful collection of gardens featuring plants imported from around the world. It was the brainchild of an eccentric Polish opera singer turned philanthropist.

Santa Barbara Mission Rose Garden

Bring a picnic to this rolling lawn and rose garden area just in front of the iconic mission, with peaceful views and incredible fragrances.

Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden

Occupying a whole city block near State Street in the Garden District, this park features a pond with turtles and ducks, a gazebo, and meandering pathways full of plants and flowers.

The Labyrinth at University of California, Santa Barbara

This cliff-top labyrinth of stones tucked away on the USCB campus generates tranquility among the coastal sage and wildflowers, and has an outstanding ocean view.

East Beach in Downtown Santa Barbara

Jon Bailey

Oh, and There are Beaches, Too

Santa Barbara wouldn’t be Santa Barbara without its devastatingly gorgeous beaches. There are more Instagrammable backdrops here than can be listed in any one story, but we did manage to jot down our favorites:

East Beach in Downtown Santa Barbara

Home of volleyball tournaments, rows and rows of palm trees, and postcard-perfect views, East Beach is one of the widest and cleanest in the area.

Summerland Beach in Summerland

This beach is family friendly and walkable for quite a way south at low tide. It’s right below the grassy views of the Channel Islands and quaint picnic tables at Lookout Park

Hendry’s Beach/Arroyo Burro Beach in Santa Barbara

Hendry’s is the place to play frisbee, make a sandcastle, and watch the dogs dive into the surf while playing fetch.

Haskell’s Beach in Goleta

Directly below the stunning Ritz-Carlton Bacara Resort, Haskell’s is fantastic at low tide, when a walk north yields solitude, ocean breeze, and warm sun on your face.

Jon Bailey writes the travel blog 2dadswithbaggage.com.

Santa Barbara Harbor

Shutterstock

The post Road Tripping, Santa Barbara–Style appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Ojai, CA

Gaszton Gal

Joshua Tree

Palm Springs

Picasa

Las Vegas

Photographer: Alina Solovyova-Vi

Borrego Springs

Los Angeles

Santa Barbara

Adrian Houston

Paso Robles

Lake Tahoe

Joy Strotz

Guadalupe Valley

Todos Santos

San Francisco

Portland, Oregon

Isaac Koval

The post Weekend Getaways appeared first on San Diego Magazine.