Wander. Sing. Cheer.: Quick Getaway

I visited Santa Barbara for the first time this April with my sister and friends. And although it's only 4 hour hours away from my home in the Bay Area, it definitely felt like we were in another world... Known as the Mediterranean of the Pacific, Santa Barbara has gorgeous beaches, wineries, shopping, hiking trails, history, and night life. It is truly a place where anyone could find something they enjoy!

Our first day in Santa Barbara we checked into the Fess Parker's Doubletree Hotel. The hotel itself was gorgeous, very large and right across the street from the beach. They had bike rentals (which my sister and I took advantage of) along with other activities and rentals available on site. They had a nice pool and pool grill, although the bar and grill were closed due to lack of heat which we weren't too happy about, although it wasn't very warm, the sun was shining and a drink out by the pool would have been nice. Back to checking in... the man at the front desk was a little snotty instead of helpful and got us two rooms close together, in the very back of the hotel, facing the parking lot, and the construction. I tend to be a very easy going traveler but I was not happy. I had to call back to the front desk to be moved to a better location, my thinking is, why weren't we put in these rooms in the first place? Now with all of that said, I would go back to the Doubletree in Santa Barbara. A few loops are always bound to happen when you travel and for the most part we did have a good experience here. The rooms were large, suite style, clean and it was in walking distance to everything!

One promising thing about this hotel, the photos on the hotel website are really what you are going to arrive to!

Okay, now on to the many activities... One of the first things we did was hit the "Urban Wine Trail." What's great about this wine trail is, it is right in downtown and you can walk the whole thing! Although I always enjoy the scenery of the grape vines and large tasting rooms, this was still an amazing tasting experience and a way to get to know the locals. Two particular wineries that I remember are Kalyra and Municipal Winemakers. Kalyra's tasting room is a blend of an islander feel and the Australian Outback, definitely a unique experience! And Municipal Winemakers had an open beam ceiling, Christmas lights hanging throughout, and pourers in their causal tee shirts. We definitely felt like locals there.

Santa Barbara also boasts one of the most famous California Missions, the Old Mission Santa Barbara. You can visit this Mission and many other historic spots in Santa Barbara by following their Red Tile Walking Tour. You'll visit the Spanish style Public Library, the Museum of Art, the Plaza De la Guerra where first city council met in 1850 and many more sites. You can easily find a map of the wine or walking tour just by "googling" it.

One of our last trips in Santa Barbara was to the Cold Springs Trail. After a beautiful drive through the hills and mansions of Santa Barbara, you will have to hunt down this spot. There is really no obvious sign. Once you are on the trail, you'll also need a map to make sure your turning on the right forks. It is all worth it though, the trail winds up and down through trees, creeks, rivers, waterfalls, and other scenery. You can find more information and trails at http://www.santabarbarahikes.com/.