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.

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.

I went to Santa Barbara with my BFF and we decided to venture out from the city to do something…read moredifferent. We drove the narrow roads to come and see this, and not sure if I would come again. Located on a one way road through a mountainous residential neighborhood, you will easily miss this "park". It's basically one rock with a nearby trail. Once you see the sign, try parking along the side of the road to take the steps up to see it. We missed it and had to do a three point turn at the mailboxes by the next switchback to make our way back. There is space for 2 cars, and you will spend about 5 minutes here to view the cave paintings. There is a steep trail if you want to do a hike (we went when it was a bit rainy so the trail was pretty muddy and we only had running shoes on). We ventured across the street down to the creek where we scrambled on rocks and enjoyed the creek for a bit. It would actually be a really nice place to picnic if the weather was better.

Two friends recommended a stop to stretch the legs on a road trip at Nojoqui Falls. I'll…read morerecommending you do the same. Pulled in around 1pm on a Sunday and was able to secure parking in the shade. Lots of good signage marking the way, many advising caution, but it's an easy hike. There were a fair amount of people enjoying the space. I'd love to comeback early in the morning after the rain and just hold space in solitude with the falls. It seems like a very sacred space and would love the silence of just the falls and the song of the wind dancing through the trees as it meanders through the canyon. Great vibes, everyone in a good mood, dog friendly! A+++++

My husband usually finds hiking spots when we're on getaways and he stumbled upon this area while…read moreresearching. It's a pretty easy hike and mostly flat terrain and minimal incline. Other hikers were there too but it wasn't crowded which is a plus. The falls wasn't huge but still a good amount of running water. It was beautiful and relaxing soaking in some mother nature. Keep an eye out on the entrance from the road, we missed it the first time and had to back track. Other than that, once you enter from the road, it's for the most part straight forward to the entrance of the hike.

These short and easy trails are a quick way to see it all. You'll start off by walking through a…read morecoastal forest, here you can stop to see the monarch butterflies, then continue walking through the dry prairies, and reach the cliff over looking the ocean. If you want you can even continue down the bluff/cliff to the beach! Overall, this is mostly flat and not too difficult. We had a bob stroller and it was fine. We were here in early January and saw dozens of butterflies around the trees. We didn't notice them the first time we walked through the trees. But when we were on our way back my husband and I stopped to bicker about which trail would take us back to the car and we started noticing the butterflies. That shut us up! Hah! So stay still, look up, and you might see them!

Just Winging It We…read morethought we had a pretty good handle on all the major Monarch butterfly stopovers from Pacific Grove to Pismo, but somehow this place eluded us until we saw a display on it at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. The Coronado Butterfly Preserve is ±9.3 acres of protected open space and--more importantly--a Monarch butterfly overwintering site. It is located in the City of Goleta and sits adjacent to Santa Barbara Shores Park. The Good: * Free to visit * Trails are flat and in great shape. They can get a bit muddy after a rain, but it wasn't terrible. * Trails lead into Santa Barbara Shores Park. * Beach access. The Meh: * Butterfly viewing can be very hit-or-miss here, as we only saw a small handful floating about. The Ugly: * Street parking in neighborhoods, which isn't my favorite, but it is what it is. Conclusion: Nice place to visit regardless of the butterfly count.

Great view, free. Not two things that go together much in an expensive place like SB. Definitely…read moreworth the little drive up.

We drove up the winding road to this park to take in the view of Santa Barbara below last week when…read morewe were visiting the area. It was a pretty view but not the best we saw in the city. I did see some people picnicking, and that seemed like the best way to enjoy the park. I did appreciate that they had reasonably clean public bathrooms! A nice park with nice views, but I wouldn't say it's a place you must visit in Santa Barbara. Nice if close to where you're visiting.

This is our all time Favorite Hike, a little bit of everything! Waterfalls, rocks, lots of lizards…read moreand beautiful views

This was a mid/challenging hike depending if there is a lot of mud after the rain. When we came…read morethere were streams that we had to cross over via rock steps. If you're not careful you can easily fall in. Also there was a recent rock slide that occurred but you can easily navigate around. After the 1.75 miles journey up, the view was breathtaking and worth. You can enjoy the great view Santa Barbara and the ocean. Total 3.5-4 mile hike dependent on where you parked. Parking is right at the entrance on the side of street. Luckily it was empty because I went on a Monday but I assume it could be filled up on weekends so probably come early.

Great quality and quantity fish shrimp and oysters service good great value with family meals. Our…read morego to place for fried fish

I have been catching incredible sunsets here for years. My husband finally experienced Ojai's "pink…read moremoment" for the first time last month. December and January are the best months to catch a spectacular sunset. Highway 150 is one of the most scenic drives in Ventura County, and this viewpoint is a must no matter what time of day. Ojai lies below, surrounded by mountains protected within nature preserves.

We've been meaning to plan a horseback riding excursion for the past five years during our…read moreThanksgiving weekends at Cachuma Lake Campground. This year, we finally made it happen--and it was everything we hoped for and more. After searching Yelp for nearby stables, this ranch stood out with the best reviews by far, (now I see why), so our hopes were high. I'm so glad we decided to trust the reviews and drive the extra 15-20 minutes to this place. I was tempted by the value of the half-day ride, but since it had been several years since either of us had been on horseback, we decided to go conservative and chose the 1.5-hour trail ride instead. Upon arrival, we were greeted by Jack, who checked us in and handled the paperwork. He was funny, friendly, and efficient--such a great start to the experience. I grew up riding English, with all the rules drilled into me from childhood, so being told (for only the second time in my life!) that I didn't have to wear a helmet felt almost rebellious. Yes, I know safety matters, and yes, my daughter was smart enough to wear one--but I have to admit, it felt wonderfully freeing. Russell was fantastic as well. Our horses were fully tacked and waiting, ready for us to hop on. As someone accustomed to doing much of the prep work myself, it felt strange--and a bit indulgent--to have mounting steps and a completely ready-to-go horse. My old riding instructors would be ashamed and shaking their heads at me. Though I felt a little "spoonfed," I know this is a huge perk for beginners or anyone unfamiliar with horses. Personally, I would've enjoyed grooming or prepping my horse, but that's not the norm for organized trail rides like this. After the ride, Russell was right there to help us dismount, cracking jokes and keeping us laughing the whole time. I had to laugh when he said, "You're just like me--good looking and short on legs!" Our trail guide, Elrich (Elrick?6, was excellent. Our group was small--just my daughter and me, plus one other couple. My daughter and I are both experienced English riders, while the other couple had never ridden before. Elrich struck the perfect balance, giving the beginners enough guidance without making the ride dull for the rest of us. While I always love a bit more trotting and cantering, I know that's not typical for these types of outings, and honestly, I had an absolute blast just being on a horse again. I've missed it so much. My daughter and I are already planning to return next year for the 2.5-hour ride. The trail itself? Absolutely breathtaking. I've been riding since childhood--now over 60--and have been on countless trail rides. This is, truly the most beautiful trail I've ever experienced. Waterfalls, streams, a few ocean views and stunning mountain scenery... it was spectacular from start to finish. If you're choosing between this ranch and nearby stables, I highly recommend trying this one first. You won't be disappointed, It's a wonderful experience, a gorgeous trail, and a fantastic way to spend the day.

This Ranch is so beautiful the pictures don't do justice! I've been on many horse back rides all…read moreover the US and the guide from Montana that does the tours is phenomenal! He loves what he does, is very knowledgeable, pleasant to talk to and shared a lot of nice stories about the outdoors. He is definitely an asset to Circle Bar Stables. For anyone booking try to go on his tour!! The nice gentleman that answers the phones is very sweet, I had to call several times to change my tour and he was so helpful I can tell he has been with the Stables a long time and loves being there. When I arrived I was the only one and he told me to go walk around while I was waiting I guess he read my mind. I had to take off 2 stars because of the Gentleman from Texas that works there. He honestly seems like he hates his job, he asked me several times if I was on a horse before and I told him give me any horse I'll be fine. He chose AXE and while he was bringing him over to me AXE was being a little stubborn and didn't want to come not because he didn't go on the trail but he was uncomfortable with the Texan. What bothered me most was he said "AXE STOP BEING A JERK" which made me really upset and uncomfortable. I don't like it when people wok with animals and call them derogatory names.

All Trails rates this hike as moderate by I say it's more towards hard. It is a steady steep…read moreincline for 3+ miles. All trails also says it's only 3.5 miles, that is one way! So your looking at 7 miles round trip. It's rocky but with shade the first 2 miles. After that bye bye shade and hello dry and dusty trail. You will want to wear hiking boots has it's very easy to loose gripping on the rocks and roll your ankle. I called it quits at 3 miles and went back down the trail. I was exhausted from the steady climb. I am not the most in shape person right now but I am fairly active. I just hiked 5 miles last week too. So unless you are in decent shape, be prepared to not make it all the way to the top. Bring plenty of water. As someone else said, walking through the private property portion until hitting the split off of the McMenemy trail is filled with dog poop and abandoned dog poop bags. It seems people don't take their dogs on the San Ysidro as I no longer says dog poop or bags unless they just kick it off the cliff side. On my way back down I saw a Gardner snake just off of the trail path. We started at 10:45 am and arrived back at the car at 1:42 pm.

Favorite hike in the region. Shaded, cool breeze up the ravine even though we were there in heat…read morewave during our visit. Moderate to easy hike. Loved the creek to put feet in at end and cool down with splash of water. Plenty of little critters, water striders, and other insects to entertain our kiddoes.

How do you not love this place. A very cute Hallmark movie town but with a major punch of cuteness…read more It's alway quite busy during the weekend so parking can be a tight squeeze but there's plenty if you just drive around. The town square isn't that big as everything is centered right in the middle. Loads of cute boutique and gifts shops. And of course all the amazing shops and tasting room. One after the other which makes it nice so you don't have to drive anywhere. Besides the tasting room, there's a couple breweries with great beer on tap. Perfect for an afternoon on the patio and just people watching and enjoying the day. Most places will have some kind of live music during the weekend. There's also an olive oil tasting room. But if you're looking for dining, loads of amazing places for an excellent meal. From something fast and easy with the cafes to fine dining. Bar le cote and Nellas kitchen are a favorite of mine. If you're looking for some places for a nice night cap or a drink, there's always The Tavern at Maddie's Inn. There's something for everyone. A cute town that is tucked in wine country that most people will drive by and not even know about it.

No toilets in any restaurant or wine tasting rooms? Very inconvenient for customers and un…read moresanitary. Will not visit a town that encourages food and wine tasting and then expect customers to use disgusting dirty port a Jon's.