ROAD TRIPPING: SANTA BARBARA, THE AMERICAN RIVIERA

Wandering around the beautiful Santa Barbara County Courthouse

Wandering around the beautiful Santa Barbara County Courthouse

When it comes to bucket list road trips, driving up PCH has been at the top of mine for years. I have been to California many times to visit my older sister, but we usually end up staying in Los Angeles where she lives. Don’t get me wrong, Los Angeles has so much to offer and I love going there to visit my family, but there is no denying that California has so many other amazing cities to discover as well. That is why when I found out that I had to go to Anaheim for a work conference, tacking on a couple extra days for a little 48-hour road trip to Santa Barbara with my sister was an easy decision.

There is something special about driving along a windy ocean coastline, the salty wind in your hair, listening to your favourite tunes that can make any stress you are feeling completely fade away. At least that’s how I started to feel as we approached downtown Santa Barbara, a small costal city cradled by the Santa Ynez Valley that is known for its So-Cal lifestyle, surf culture, and of course amazing wines. In anticipation for this trip I had put together a jam-packed itinerary that was going to be so much fun my sister and I could not wait to kickoff our little ‘sister bonding getaway’!

GENERAL WEATHER FOR SANTA BARBARA

The weather in Santa Barbara is generally very pleasent and mlld thanks to the breeze that comes off the ocean. June to September are definitely the warmest months with highs of 25 celcius (77 fahrenheit) and lows of 15 (53 fahrenheit) ! June is said to be a bit foggy but generally still very enjoyable, and December to February can be rainy with lows of of 8 (45 fahrenheit) and highs of 19 (66 fahrenheit)!

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35 WEEK BUMPDATE! 🤰🏼 Entering the final stretch of my pregnancy and I’m beginning to slow down 😅 Hormones are raging, feet are swollen, daily naps are a must and my need to nest is in full force. Luckily we are almost done the basement un
🍋 Our last trip to Italy together vs our first trip to Italy together 🇮🇹 It might be the pregnancy hormones but I’m feeling very sentimental today and I cant believe it’s already been more than seven months since we tied the knot. Tu
Hanging out in the lobby of the Kimpton Goodland Hotel just outside Santa Barbara

Hanging out in the lobby of the Kimpton Goodland Hotel just outside Santa Barbara

BOUTIQUE HOTEL IN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY

During my research I came across so many cute hotel properties in Santa Barbara.  Ultimately, and after much debate, my sister and I ended up settling on the Kimpton Goodland* in Goleta, a small town just 10 minutes from downtown Santa Barbara. The hotel looked very trendy, the kind of trendy that would be appealing to millennials looking for a not-so-fussy, yet hip and comfortable place to stay while in town. The property used to be an old motel that the Kimpton brand took over and revamped, and I loved the nod to surf culture and its So-Cal aesthetic. Our room was small but cozy for two and we ended up spending most of our time hanging around the pool, enjoying complimentary wine and appetizers in the lobby (6PM daily), and making s’mores around the hotel’s fire pit. Even though we only stayed there for one night we really enjoyed ourselves and would totally stay there again!

*Since my stay, the Kimpton Goodland has been purchased by AWH Partners and has changed it’s name to ‘The Leta Hotel’ (a nod to the city of Goleta). It still has all the beloved elements associated with the property like the fire pits, pool, air stream and restaurants, however enhancements have been made to their hi-speed Wi-Fi, streaming services, bedding quality and lobby area.

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WINE TASTING IN SANTA BARBARA

Being a huge wino, visiting wine country while in Santa Barbara was a must! The Santa Ynez valley is known for producing numerous varietals thanks to its varying micro climates – a very unusual thing. Further, one of the reasons why Santa Barbara County produces such flavourful wines is because the Santa Ynez valley actually runs east-west as oppose to the typical north-south. This means that vineyards and crops have more hours of daylight and therefore produce more flavourful fruits and vegetables. Naturally the first thing we planned to do when we got to Santa Barbara was hop on a tour with Santa Barbara Wine Country Tours. Shortly after checking into our hotel the van arrived to pick us up and within 40 minutes we were sitting in the heart of the Santa Ynez valley sipping on a delicious glass of Rosé. Our driver Paco was very knowledgeable and told us all about the wineries and the history of the area. A picnic lunch was arranged as part of our tour and Paco had made sure to reserve an area on the outdoor patio overlooking the vineyard from where to enjoy it. Paco wanted to make sure we had time to fully absorb the experience and made sure we stayed on schedule and had enough time at each winery in Santa Barbara. To sweeten the experience he also provided complimentary waters and snacks for us to enjoy while on the bus between wineries, leaving us to sit back, relax and really enjoy the experience.

RESTAURANTS IN DOWNTOWN SANTA BARBARA

After our amazing day with Santa Barbara Wine Country Tours, my sister and I made our way into downtown Santa Barbara for dinner at a new food hall that had recently opened downtown. Cubaneo, a California inspired Cuban restaurant; Shaker Mill, a Cuban inspired craft cocktail bar; and Modern Times, a soon-to-be opened brewery, share a casual indoor and outdoor eatery space dubbed Kim’s Service Department. My sister and I both love food and we both know when travelling to unfamiliar cities it’s easy to blow a lot of money on expensive dinners at well-known restaurants. What we were after though was finding those smaller, cheap and cheerful spots that only locals go to and Kim’s Service Department was just that. Menu prices were extremely reasonable and both my sister and I found something on the menu to enjoy. Being a Cuban restaurant, I went for the ‘Number One’, a  gluttonous pork loin sandwich with caramelized onions, pickled Fresno chilis, cilantro, garlic aioli, and little gem lettuce on a toasted baguette. The combination of flavours was incredible and I loved how the toasted baguette ended up soaked up all the juices and flavors to help you get the full impact of each ingredient. Paired with delicious fruity craft cocktails from Shaker Mill, this made for the perfect end to our first day in Santa Barbara.

Breakfast in bed at the Kimpton Goodland Hotel just outside Santa Barbara

Breakfast in bed at the Kimpton Goodland Hotel just outside Santa Barbara

THE FUNK ZONE SANTA BARBARA

The next day, while enjoying breakfast in bed, my sister and I decided that after checking out and before heading back to Los Angeles, we would drive to check out the Funk Zone in Santa Barbara. My sister, who is a fantastic artist, really wanted to wander through the numerous artist studios, galleries, home good stores, cafes and shops that make up the Funk Zone and I was happy to oblige. The Santa Barbara Funk Zone, once considered an undesirable part of town, has been gentrifying in recent years. Converted warehouse spaces now house a variety of interesting businesses, breweries, restaurants, and market spaces. Murals and contemporary art pieces are scattered throughout the neighbourhood as well as over two dozen wine tasting rooms - all within blocks of each other. That’s right, you don’t even need to leave downtown Santa Barbara to experience a wine tasting in Santa Barbara

Before heading back to Los Angeles we decided to grab a quick lunch at Tyger Tyger, a Southeast Asian food cart inspired restaurant in the Funk Zone Santa Barbara. The building is hard to miss with its giant, white tiger mural painted on its facade. Inside, neon pink lanterns lining the ceiling add further charm to its trendy Asian aesthetic. Once again, we weren’t looking for anything too fancy and Tyger Tyger’s quick, counter service setup was the perfect combo of price point and deliciousness. Starving, we ended up ordering way more than our stomachs could handle, but we both loved the exotic flavours that came with each dish. My favourite was definitely the Vietnamese crepes and the Shrimp Summer rolls, while my sister was more drawn to the Pulled Chicken Salad – all great options if you ask me.

So many amazing food options to choose from at Tyger Tyger

Although short and sweet our road trip to Santa Barbara was packed full of fun activities and things to do, and definitely only made my desire to see more of California even stronger. If you ever find yourself doing a PCH road trip or are in the Los Angeles area for an extended amount of time, I definitely recommend doing the 90-minute drive to Santa Barbara and experiencing the beautiful city for yourself. You don’t necessarily even have to stay overnight, but one thing is for sure, it’s definitely a city that can’t be missed!

OTHER FUN ACTIVITIES & THINGS TO DO IN SANTA BARBARA

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS FROM MY TRIP TO SANTA BARBARA

That’s it! If you have any questions about downtown Santa Barbara, The Funk Zone Santa Barbara, Wine Tasting in Santa Barbara or comments/recommendations for the best restaurants in Santa Barbara, please feel free to hit me up in the comments section below, otherwise I hope you have a beautiful trip to Santa Barbara!

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PUNTA MITA, MEXICO

I recently (as you may of already noticed via my Instagram) went on a week long vacation to Punta Mita, a small village located 10 miles north of Puerto Vallarta. In the last 10 years Punta Mita has seen a lot of economic growth especially due to a huge private development that houses numerous estates, clubhouses, private restaurants, beach clubs, a medical centre and two luxury hotels. Although it may take me light years till I can afford to own a house there, Punta Mita is probably as close to heaven as I have ever been. Except in this case only those who own a house, know someone who does or are a guest at one of the two luxury hotels can pass St Peter’s pearly white gates. Even the hotel accommodations come at quiet a hefty price tag of $1,000+ USD a night for the smallest casita. This place could not be more luxurious – the Prime Minister of Mexico goes on vacation there for heaven sake!

While most of us could only dream about going to a place like this, I miraculously was invited to come explore the private compound and share my experience with you. So here we go >>>----->

ACCOMMODATIONS

The St Regis is probably the most expensive hotel I have ever come across with rooms starting at over $5,000+ USD in high season. I cannot imagine what kind of top notch, heavenly services you get for that price tag however from my first impression of visiting and dinning there it is probably pretty spectacular. The hotel itself is gorgeous and you can tell no expense was spared when they designed it. The hotels signature restaurant Carolina offers a fine dining experience of the very best in contemporary Mexican cuisine. Using fresh local ingredients and uncompromised cooking techniques Carolina captures the hearts and souls (should I drop the heaven thing yet lol) of all who eat there. With signature dishes like ceviche, suckling pig, and quail tacos there is something for everyone’s palate.

The Four Seasons in Punta Mita is actually owned by Bill Gates. This Mexican oasis is absolutely picture perfect and exactly how you would imagine a beachfront hotel. With white-sand beaches and turquoise waters there is no wonder that the area features some of the best snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, surfing and golf in the world.  Although I did not stay at The Four Season I did get to eat there! The Aramara restaurant in The Four Season features exquisite contemporary Asian cuisine made from the freshest product and seafood caught daily right off the shores of Punta Mita. With indoor and outdoor dining options Aramara offers zen-like touches to a wonderful dining experience. Get the crispy shrimp! They are unreal!

ACTIVITIES

The recently renovated Kupuri Beach Club is one of three intimate resident beach clubs that offers additional socializing, relaxation, and dining experiences for resident members and their guests. With valet parking, a concierge, spa services, an infinity pool, beach bar, water and fitness activities and of course lots of beach front – an afternoon at this beach club is an afternoon well spent.

Vista Paraiso offers a wide range of activities including ziplining, horseback riding and ATV tours. It is located about a 15-20 minute drive from Punta Mita. I went on a horseback riding tour through the small Mexican village of Higuera Blanca onto a small jungle trail and along a sunny beach. The ride lasted about an hour and a half and the horses were very well behaved. The ride is led by the ranch vaquero (that’s Mexican for cowboy – I say Mexican because I don’t think this is a word used in Spain) and is well documented by the resident ‘paparazzi’ who will print your photo at the end of the ride for a price.  I enjoyed myself at the ranch and everyone was very friendly however I would of probably preferred something a little more high pace like ATVing – ok I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie, DON’T JUDGE!

Golfing in the Punta Mita estates is unreal! I may not be a very experienced golfer but the people I played with were and they were just as impressed by the 36 holes - Jack Nicklaus golf course as I was. The golf course and clubhouse is open to the residence of the estates and their guest as well as the St. Regis and The Four Season guests. Don’t get distracted by the ocean views and picturesque manicured landscapes because this course gets quiet difficult even for those well seasoned golfers. Check out this hole below!

The Pacífico, with eight holes directly facing or playing alongside the Pacific Ocean, features the “Tail of the Whale”, an optional par-three hole with the largest natural island green in the world.

I will admit that I am much more familiar with Tennis then I am golf which is why it is no surprise I found myself drawn to the Tennis Center in the Punta Mita estates. Nestled into a grove of palm trees the Tennis Center offers hard and soft sand filled synthetic grass courts to suit your preference and also features complimentary use of balls and shoes. Additionally, ice water and chilled hand towels that have a hint of lemon freshness are placed courtside to help you cool off after a game. Now that is classy! Rackets are available to rent for $8 so no need to lug yours all the way to Mexico!

If you win the lottery or are looking for a great luxury vacation Punta Mita is the perfect destination for you. The area is very safe and family friendly and offers tons of activities including great surfing (I wanted to surf so bad but there wasn’t enough time). If you’re in the market to purchase a vacation home or apartment I would urge you to consider looking at this development! The St. Regis and Four Seasons do maintain and rent properties in the compound on behalf of the owners when they are not occupied so there are also potential income benefits available to investing in paradise! So what are you waiting for? GO!

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