Where to Travel Spring 2014:
Waterfront Getaways in the U.S.A.
In Search of… Grown-Up SoCal Beach Town
Santa Barbara, CA
Chill and picturesque surf town meets wine haven
Stand-up paddleboarding in the Pacific.
Photo by Kevin Steele/Aurora+/Getty Images
Vibe: California, as a concept, will always hold a particular sway over us Northerners: Who are these chosen people who live with 12 months of 70o and sunny? This town, especially, wraps up all we want in a West Coast vacation—canyons and a sandy beach cove, small surfer town and world-class wineries, and phenomenal food to be had in flip-flops.
Stay: You’ll remember the small stuff from a stay at El Encanto—lanterns strewn across the property that illuminate the brick walkways; private porches off the bungalows; stationery and pillows that are monogrammed for each guest. The hotel reopened last spring after a massive renovation, which maintained the property’s historical elements and maximized its celestial hilltop location. Inside, bungalows and suites are as picture-perfect as a Pottery Barn catalog. Rooms start at $525 a night. 805-845-5800.
Eat: The hotel’s chef takes local to a new level with cheese made from an on-site cow, and homemade beer. On a clear day, you can see the Channel Islands from the restaurant’s balcony. On weekend nights in the lounge, a Frank Sinatra-
esque heartthrob croons tunes. In town, no-frills Lilly’s Taqueria serves up one item—delicious tacos, for $1.60 a pop.
Be a tourist: Grab one of the hotel’s electric bikes and cruise toward State Street, Santa Barbara’s main shopping boulevard, to find shops, bars, eateries and palm-lined sidewalks. (You’ll appreciate the bike’s pedal power on the uphill return ride.)
Be a local: Santa Barbara County produces some of the state’s best foodstuffs. Find them at the farmers’ market, which operates six days a week all year long.
Water time: The Santa Barbara Adventure Company offers a great package for stand-up paddleboarding, with a lesson, a wet suit and a wildlife tour.
Another option: Go north to Sonoma County and stay at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa. It’s a Zen resort in a hip town that also has amazing wines. —Caroline Horstmann
Time to Wine
Go tasting, your way
Wineries abound in Santa Barbara County.
Photo by Santa Barbara Visitor’s Bureau.
Create your own: Don’t care about grape grafting or the terroir? The Urban Wine Trail leads you through the many tasting rooms that local wineries have downtown. It’s sort of like a walking progressive dinner—you know, without the food.
Roll Alfresco: Hop in an open-air Hummer and take the road less traveled to some of the area’s best wineries (or breweries). Santa Barbara Backroads provides the vehicle, driver, agenda and lunch.
Go Geeky: Wine Edventures leads educational tours that
give you all the right cocktail-party talking points on viticulture and the production process—and let you sip on more than two dozen wines.
