Please check out this place. Thanks to this resident that the zoo and the bird refuge exists…read more https://www.bellosguardo.org https://linktr.ee/bellosguardo

Beautiful tour of an estate with stunning views and history of the property and Santa Barbara.read more

Hidden up in the hills above Santa Barbara lies a sandstone cave used by the Chumash for possibly…read moreup to 1000 years. Now part of the California State Park system, it holds artwork created by the Chumash to depict important cultural concepts and themes. Protected by a gate, the Painted Cave can be visited dawn to dusk. Admission is free. Very limited parking on the narrow, curvy, mountainous road. Definitely worth the trip to see this beautiful site.

We stopped here on the way to the Cold Springs Tavern. The GPS takes you to a turn out where you…read morecan safely park and then walk up the hill. Painted Cave road is very narrow so if you pull over in front of the cave you will block others. There's a short climb to the cave which is behind a fence to protect it from vandalism. You can take lots of pictures through the fence. Since it's such a short hike you may want to combine this with a trip to Knapp Castle about a mile up the road. Very beautiful historical site.

Cute little stop , faucet of fresh mineral water and a corral with chairs to sit and take pictures…read more Something different and quirky

I'm not sure how I feel yet about the water itself. I do appreciate and love that the water has…read morebeen made available to anyone wanting it. I just recently stopped by and got some water only to realize that there is lots of debris in the water floating around when I shake it. Has anyone else seen this? I tried it when I first got there dumped out my mountain valley spring water bottle and filled it up and immediately checked and it had debris in it. Got home tried a different clear glass bottle, washed out clean and still debris in the water. If you have, does it not bother you at all?? Are we supposed to filter the water when we get home? I'm not sure if that's just all part of it being natural spring water. But anyways- just a heads up that it does have small debris particles in the water!

I like walking down State Street when in Santa Barbara. They block a large portion to vehicle…read moretraffic which is nice for pedestrians. State Street has just about any cuisine you may be looking for. They also have lots of cute shops. This is a nice place to spend the day.

Love the Old Town Santa Barbara! With its Spanish architecture and nice Mediterranean vibe! It's a…read moreperfect mix between a smaller town with a relaxed vibe and a place that has many activities to offer: lots of museums, shopping activities, a great restaurant theme, various street fairs and festivals, check out their calendar when you plan a visit! Perfect place for a day trip or a nice weekend getaway from LA! The beach is close, lots of new breweries and spots great for wine tasting! Things changed here as well over the years, some not for the best, but I always enjoy walking the streets of Old Town, discovering new places, feeling far away, yet close enough. Santa Barbara is always a great idea, lots of fun things to do and the charm of the Old Town is hard to beat!

What a lovely day walking the trails in Ojai. The town has a special feel and we so enjoyed the…read morescenic beauty and serene environment. We also looked at property and visited an open house along our trail wandering. The weather was perfect, people so kind and the scenery and natural surroundings were therapeutic. Highly recommended

I just really love and adore Ojai. It's the perfect getaway destination or easy access for those of…read moreus that live in county to feel like we are "getting away" yet from Ventura it's under a 30 minute drive. The city is charming and so are the stores. Shopping is plentiful and they have great unique stores in this town. From clothing, to art, home goods and mystical finds - there is something for everyone. The stores vary, some are reasonably priced and some more expensive to reflect the higher end vacationers but that's any city for the most part. I love the restaurant scene here as it's growing and they've got some pretty wonderful restaurants and bakery's in this town. If you like beer they've got Topa Topa and for wine there are many many options. Some of my personal favs are Ojai Roots and the Ojai Wine Company. If you aren't here to shop or dine, this is an active community with beautiful hiking and recreation areas. Plenty of places to have a more rigorous hike or simple shaded areas and parks in the town that are kid friendly. Ojai is known for its sound baths, day spas, and meditation mountain. There is really so much to do here and see for a long weekend. I get why so many people come here, it's a magical little town away from the big cities with beautiful nature and weather. I'm happy that this town is accessible to me from where I live and I love bringing people here for the day.

Was a fun roadtrip got there a bit late and it was cloudy unfortunately but it was still a…read morebeautiful sight and relaxing to sit and view with your significant other

Given it being Valentine's Day Eve, it seems quite appropriate to review a Santa Barbara gem. The…read morelocals--particularly UCSB students--know it as "Kissing Point." You don't need to use your imagination why: Simply venture here at sunrise/sunset and you'll be macking with whomever is closest to you due to the natural romance in the Californian air. It also helps that the temperature is sometimes +10* warmer since it is in the mountains. ;) History: Kissing Point is about a third of the way up (or three-quarters of the way down depending on your route) Old San Marcos Road. This was the original stagecoach route to cross over the mountains prior to the current San Marcos Pass/Route 154 between 1861 and 1901. There are a few weathered historical markers along the way but anyone will easily be impressed by the hard work put into carving out the road. How to get here?: The easiest route to reach Kissing Point is by exiting off the 101 Freeway at Patterson Rd and going toward the mountains, turn right on Cathedral Oaks, then turn left when you've reached San Marcos Rd. Kissing Point consists of only two unmarked dirt pull-offs (one now with bollards due to erosion). There is also a third and fourth pull-off much further up hill but with very limited space. What do I see?: The views are from the Santa Ynez Foothills down into Santa Barbara and Goleta Valley with easy landmarks being the Santa Barbara Airport, University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB), Old Town Goleta, the Pacific Ocean's Santa Barbara Channel, and almost all of the Channel Islands in the distance on a clear day (from north to south: San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz--the most obviously, and Anacapa Islands). I am spoiled to have this scenic drive only minutes from my house since it offers not only some of the best aerial views (ie particularly from Kissing Point) but also a backroad option to access Route 154 that goes over the Santa Ynez Mountains toward popular destinations including Lake Cachuma, Santa Ynez Valley Wine Country, and Solvang. A few tips: - I have included the precise location on the Yelp map, in addition to GPS coordinates, in the Quick Tips. - Check out my video of the drive down this twisty road with views for days: https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select_video=OgU4LsTKlJ7Eqyh60KKdcA&userid=4DyMRBKrokax6d8LCI3GAw. - People love to drive extremely fast up and down (including myself). Be cautious of mountain bikers and motorcycles, particularly around the two hairpin U-turns toward the top. - As the signs heed, put on your headlights during the night AND day. - Please clean up after yourself. Unfortunately there is plenty of trash and glass bottles left behind. Don't be this person.

Naval Base Ventura County was created in 2000 bu combining Naval Air Station Point Mugu and Naval…read moreConstruction Battalion Center Port Hueneme into one combined base. It also controls Naval Outlying Landing Field San Nicolas Island and is home to multiple units and commands. Most notably it is also the home to the famed Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 30 aka VX-30 "The Blood Hounds" Located on the coast, the base is generally off limits unless you have business there. However, it is a fantastic place to plane spot and does have a missile / aircraft park that is just outside of the base boundary that is open to all.

Naval Base Ventura County hosts the Point Mugu Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC), which is home to…read morethe vaunted VX-30 flight test squadron. The cutting edge of naval aviation lives and flies here. If it's the newest and greatest, it's being flown here. You can often see aircraft coming and going, but to get in on the action requires years of training and innate talent. Some of the finest aviators in the world can be found here.

City of Santa Barbara brings back one special vivid memory. I went looking for my college roommate…read more I had the address and I was living in Berkeley at the time. I didn't know she may have been keeping her life secretive. The early 70's were strange times. I was innocent. I thought the overall atmosphere of the city was quiet and quaint. After that one day I never returned. I was told she didn't live there. I'd like to go back just to enjoy the city. I'm recommending. It's a clean city too.

I have been to Santa Barbara a few times, but I have to admit that I hadn't appreciated it as much…read moreas I did on my most recent trip! Hubby & I came to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We really played tourist and had a great time! It's a great city for walking around! We stayed at the ocean front Harbor View Inn and we scored a partial ocean view room! Great place to stay! When in Santa Barbara, you must and probably will go to Stearns Wharf! We went three times during this visit! If you get the chance, eat at the Santa Barbara Shellfish Company. It's so good! We also visited the Santa Barbara Museum Of Natural History | Sea Center. Admission was $17 per adult. Be sure to go to the Train Station. There is a humongous tree there which I'm sure you've seen from afar! You need to see it in person. It's the Moreton Bay Fig Tree from Australia. It was was from a cutting and planted in 1877. I saw it in 2020 when it was not as overgrown as it is today. There was no chain link fence, just the smaller black one. We walked up State Street to Old Town (downtown) Santa Barbara. We used the State Street Undercrossing. Improvements made to it were finished last year. State Street in Old Town is closed off to vehicular traffic. It's mostly a safe place for pedestrians. Just be alert and wary of e-Bikes and cyclists. There's lots of restaurants and bars in this area. We also drove around Santa Barbara. We went to Hook & Press Donuts. Very good donuts! Give them a try! This shop is located in the La Arcada Plaza. While here, go explore! There are lots of sculptures and cute shops. If you like art, the Museum of Art is around the corner. We took The Land Shark Tour. It was a blast! I found it online and they still had reservations available, so I booked it. Our captain and tour guide were awesome! This tour will take you into town and into the Pacific Ocean! Just do it!! I want to take the Trolley next time I'm here. Yes, I will be back!