California dreaming
In December 2018 we decided to include a couple of days pre-Christmas in Santa Barbara, by trying the Pacific Surfliner train (running from San Diego to San Luis Obispo) - a trundling one-track service taking 2 hours 30 minutes from Los Angeles. Snaking through Simi Valley, Ventura and then hugging the coastline to our destination, it was such a refreshing change to escape congested freeway traffic, sit back and watch surfers lining up and the odd dolphin-leap from the cabin window. One of the attractions to the area is the wine industry but I simply love its almost perfect climate and sedate beach community vibe. A little tip would be to take a taxi to Montecito for breakfast at Jeannine’s (you may just bump into Oprah!) and then walk back to Santa Barbara harbour (about an hour) taking in the waterfront and the palm tree lined East Beach. Santa Barbara makes for a perfect stop within an extended tour of the Pacific Coast but equally just one night away as our specific itinerary allowed. Another little tip is to book a train out of town to coincide with capturing the most magnificent ocean sunset en route back to the city.
We then ‘dropped anchor’ with family for a few days, enjoying some of my favourite things in LA. Shopping at the Original Farmer’s Market (always starting with coffee and a honey wheat ring at Bob’s Doughnuts!), a hike through Runyon Canyon (in my view some of the best panoramic views of downtown, West Hollywood and the Santa Monica mountains), lunch at Eataly (Westfield Century City) with great views of the Hollywood Hills and a basketball match at the Staples Centre. No visit to California is complete without a trip to In-N-Out Burger too - ask for ‘animal style’ - you’ll thank me!
The final part to this trip was a return visit to Palm Springs - travelling mid December was a perfect time to enjoy the town. There’s a lull in tourists until the festive check-ins arrive and the daytime temperature generally hovers around 70 degrees. We stayed at the Kimpton Rowan - a modern, stylish 153-room hotel with incredible views of the San Jacinto mountains. Alternatively, to immerse yourself in the Rat Park era there are plenty of “mid-Century chic” retro boutique hotels. Take the aerial tramway and explore the piney highlands of Chino Canyon or drive out to the Joshua Tree National Park - the most beautiful natural terrain I have ever seen!
California has something for everyone; ski, surf, hiking, beaches, national parks, lakes, theme parks, movie locations, a thriving arts scene, incredible burger joints (!), celeb-spotting, road trips & great shopping! I have planned too many Cali itineraries to count and just thoroughly enjoy sharing my love for this fantastic state. Contact me for further help & advice.