California Diary No.3: Santa Barbara
I grew up in SoCal, but for some reason or other, had never spent any time in Santa Barbara. This trip was the first time, and I cannot tell you how much I fell in love with this city. The weather was perfect, the people were friendly, there were endless places to go, shop, eat, etc. I’m already trying to figure out how I can get back there before the end of my time out here, I just loved it that much.
I picked up my rental car, and it was a 3 hour drive to Santa Barbara from Oak Glen. It was my first time really driving extensively in SoCal, but it could not have gone smoother. I was nervous about the fast speeds, narrow lanes, and abundance of other drivers on the road…but my fears quickly melted away as I began my drive. I hardly hit traffic, a miracle in itself in California, and arrived in beautiful Santa Barbara for sunset. I already feel like a pro at driving here, and don’t know what I was worried about; it really isn’t bad at all.
I met up with my aunt and cousins for this trip, and our first full day there was spent high in the mountains above the city, at the beautiful Reagan Ranch. While the ranch isn’t usually open to the public, my cousins were going to a conference, which included a tour of the Rancho Del Cielo, and I was able to go with them! It was such a cool experience.
Reagan, being a former movie star, and then governor, and then president…you sort of expect his ranch home to be grand and sprawling. This could not be further from the truth. It was a tiny 2 bed 2 bath house, as simple as can be, with a living room, sitting room, and kitchen for the living spaces. It couldn’t have been more than 1200 square feet, and was as down to earth as anything. I loved it.
The grandest part of the property was the land itself. Rolling hillsides of fields and trees, a pond, small olive groves, and a stable up behind the house. Everything about it made me want to set up a life goal of someday owning land somewhere. It just felt so peaceful and so freeing to be there. The secret service bunker was also open for a tour, and there we heard that while Reagan was president, whenever he would come to the ranch, Russia would park a submarine off the coast, with a missile that could reach the ranch in 10 minutes. The secret service could get Reagan out in 8. Pretty wild, eh!?
We had lunch on the grass under a large, shade giving tree, with the Reagans planted and knew only when it was a young, tiny twig. It was special to think if they could see it now, how proud they would be of the beauty and shade it provided the lawn with. It was a truly special experience that I will remember the rest of my life, and I am so grateful that I was invited along for that fun day.
The next day we spent wandering the city. We headed over to the Santa Barbara Mission, which was pink and gorgeous! They have the most immaculate rose garden planted in the lawn just in from of the Mission, which is well worth a stroll through for a good smell.
After the Mission we enjoyed walking up and down State Street for food and shopping. We ate a wonderfully french breakfast at Renaud’s Patisserie, which had the best pressed french orange juice I’ve had outside of Europe. So good!
Another favorite stop that day was The Andersen, a little dutch and danish bakery, which was too cute for words! From the incredible pastries in the case, to the adorable European decor, to the Dutch cocoa, to the happy, smiling staff, it was my favorite stop in town, by far! I already want to go back to Santa Barbara just to visit that shop, it was just that amazing.
We left all too soon, but what an incredible stay at such a beautiful place! I highly recommend visiting Santa Barbara to everyone, because there is something there for everyone to enjoy, and no one can possibly leave disappointed!
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