Have a special birthday coming up? An anniversary? Or maybe even a honeymoon? Well, I have two incredible places for you to visit on the California coast. In fact, you could visit both of them during the same trip – that’s what I recently did.
Santa Barbara
Either by flight or by car, Santa Barbara is for certain a destination to be enjoyed by all. And thanks to its southern California location, the weather is particularly comfortable year-round. Its beautiful coastline is blanketed with beaches. However, there is only one hotel that is situated right on the beach; Bacara Resort & Spa.
The amenities at this resort range from beach combing, to paddle boarding, to wine tasting, to spa pampering, to golfing. It’s not only for couples (although it’s ideal for adults); the expansive property is suitable for children, too. Listening to the waves crash at night can soothe any baby to sleep.
The spa is considered one of the largest in the country and the restaurants in the hotel and in Santa Barbara proper are captivating, as well. I suggest eating breakfast at Jeannine’s in Montecito (who knows, you might see Oprah!), a casual harbor side lunch at Brophy Brothers in Santa Barbara and a picnic dinner on the Bacara beach at sunset.
Nestled in my picnic basket on my last trip were some newly purchased bright orange luncheon-size napkins (disposable!) that caught my attention in Montecito at a luxury home goods store called Hudson Grace. The fun part of that shopping spree was that I met some of the owners who were as sweet as could be. They even have a storefront in San Francisco on Sacramento Street. We simply stumbled upon this store and it was a true find. I love exploring!
Since our means of transportation was a car (and highly recommended!) our next spot on this amazing trip was to drive back up along the coast to Big Sur.
Big Sur
Yes, sir! Big Sur is on the top of my list because of its’ extraordinary beauty and rugged coastline. I cannot get enough of the Pacific Ocean and the steep rocky cliffs along this 120-mile coastal drive. I highly recommend staying at Post Ranch Inn.
This place is for adults only (sorry kids!). They have two infinity pools, a highly acclaimed restaurant called Sierra Mar, and a no-frills spa (because the rooms are already filled with frills!). If you can splurge and reserve a coastal view room, start saving your pennies now because it’s truly worth it. But each and every room (or tree house) is extraordinary in every sense with every amenity you can think of. And the service? Impeccable. Incredible. They did not miss a beat.
At night, the stars were so bright that we could even see the Milky Way in all its glory. What a way to end our magnificent trip!
I highly recommend a Santa Barbara/Big Sur getaway any time of year. Need help planning one? Just Ask!
