Talia has helped my daughter become a confident, happy, safe! lil swimmer. We are so grateful for…read moreher fun yet firm approach.

I started taking a training class over the summer to prepare for the She Is Beautiful 5k and this…read moregroup motivated me to get back to working out! After a long day at work and not wanting to do anything, just simply jumping in the pool and having instructors and owners, Bre and Travis, lead a workout changes my mood! I love the bootcamp and wave maker series. The workouts are about 45 minutes and easy sign ups on the Mind Body app. Come join us for a class!

In the 90's I used to take water aerobics classes regularly at the Red Lion and later, The Plunge…read more Both were in outdoor pools, which I prefer, but alas, water aerobics classes are no longer offered in those two pools and to my knowledge there is no outdoor pool near downtown that offers water aerobics. The Y on Hitchcock feels crowded and hot. The pool bottom at Vista del Monte is seriously slanted, so I always slide into the deep end. So, it's been 2 decades since I've taken a water fitness class in town and had given up on finding a water-based workout for myself in Santa Barbara. Cut to last month, when I was having lunch with a friend and she mentioned her Wavemakers class at Anderson Aquatics. I knew about Anderson Aquatics, which was purchased by the Andersons, a nice young couple. I remembered the pool from the early 80's, when I got certified for SCUBA in that pool. My memory of the pool was that it was dark and kinda dank... okay for a short course in dive certification, but not where I'd want to go for a regular fitness class. My friend spoke very highly of the class and pool though, as well as the Andersons, who own the business and teach the classes, and she invited me to a Wavemakers class. So, I went and the remodeled pool at Anderson Aquatics is great!!! It's super clean and is so light and airy, it feels larger than I remembered the Diver's Den pool. Maybe it's because the roof admits light, so the whole pool environment, while indoors, feels fresh and open. The temperature of the pool is 92, making it easy to step into on a cold December day. At the same time, it doesn't ever feel too hot when you're working hard. I totally enjoyed my first class and immediately signed up for more by buying a pack of 10 classes for $180! It's easy to buy passes and book classes through the MindBody app on your phone. The process is to reserve a spot in a class through the app in advance, since some classes can fill up. Cancellations must be within 24 hours to avoid being charged for the class. The next thing to figure out is where to park! If you're going to be a regular, the trick is to buy an annual waterfront parking pass through the city's waterfront department. For $145 you buy a waterfront parking permit for the year that lets you park in 9 waterfront lots, including the Garden Street lot, which is right next to Anderson Aquatics. Passes are good from the time of purchase through December 31 of each year. So far, I've only taken classes from Travis and they've been a solidly good workout and fun. He hasn't repeated any workouts. Nothing has felt too easy, formulaic or routine. He's also changed up the music for each class, playing lots of old rock and funk. (I love the funk!) The Wavemakers class is senior friendly. Even so, my Apple watch finds the class to be a good workout, logging about 275-300 moves (calories) and 45 minutes of exercise per Wavemakers class. Having lost over 120 pounds in the last 2 years, I monitor my Apple Fitness rings closely, and the Wavemakers class certainly meets my fitness goals. There are some other classes that I haven't tried yet. Water yoga and one called S'WET, that sounds like a tougher workout. All the different classes and their different prices are described on the Anderon Aquatics website. The owners, Travis and Breanna, are super nice and the other participants are friendly. Participants have brought persimmons, avocados and cookies to share with the class! It's a welcoming vibe throughout. The pool and pool area are both very clean and organized. The classes are fun and challenging and usually end in some friendly competition with blow-up balls. There are cubbies by the pool area where you can store your personal items. There are also 2 showers by the pool. Each shower has a door and private changing area. The restrooms also have an accessible shower. On a side note, hubby and I have really enjoyed having a waterfront parking pass in the few weeks since I bought it. The pass has substantially changed our walking workouts with the dog. We used to go to Shoreline or try to score a free spot at Leadbetter and then walk from there. Now, we can go all the way down to the skatepark or the Harbor and walk from there. The first day with the pass, we parked at the Harbor and walked to the end of the wharf, where we grabbed some chowder before walking back. It was such a nice walk, we wondered why it's been decades since we bought an annual waterfront pass. I realized it was because I had stopped taking water fitness classes! I'm so thankful my friend invited me to a class, and set me in motion to get back into water fitness classes, which I love so much. I expect to be a regular at Anderson Aquatics for some time to come! Come join us!

I visit SB regularly, and this is where I choose to spend an hour every day I'm here. Great staff,…read moreaffordable public lap swim, and of course the location can't be beat.

Amazing pool, with it being outdoor it was the perfect pastime for our 2-month stay in Santa…read moreBarbara this year. Hubby swam nearly every day. Locker room and showers were nice and clean. Bike parking out front...he opted to not pay and just bike there. Swim time availability was reasonable, with slow lanes up to fast lanes.

Our youngest daughter has danced at this studio for years. Recently, I witnessed her father…read morebringing recording equipment to rehearsals and filming full performances of other dancers from behind. I documented this and reported it to the studio. Their response? It was "just a parent" filming, and they saw no need to take further action--even refusing to ask parents to only record their own children. In today's world, where recordings of young girls can end up misused online, I expected more awareness and safeguards from the management. A simple policy or announcement would go a long way, but instead, they offered a vague, dismissive response. I find this lack of action concerning and irresponsible. If your priority is your child's safety, I recommend finding a studio that takes it seriously and sets clear boundaries around filming.

We LOVE this dance studio so much! It has such a positive culture that encourages strong girls (and…read moreboys), healthy body image and teamwork. The instructors are encouraging and professional. I love that when I call the studio there is always a staff person I can talk to and they are so helpful. They also want to work with your financial situation and have payment plans or volunteer trades to make it feasible. My daughter dances here 5 days a week and is in company and she's loves it so much!

Our child spent some time here this summer during the closure of our home school. It was such a…read morewonderful experience! Even though Luca was here for a short time, the staff took the time to learn about him in advance so he was set up for success on day one. They went out of their way to accommodate his nutritional needs. He participated in a lot of fun activities and we got updates and pictures so we knew what he as up to which was both fun and reassuring. And he came home happy every day! If we lived in Santa Barbara we would feel lucky yo bring him here every day, and we cannot wait to come back. Thanks to Dominique, Diego, Dava, and Tamara!!!

Hope 4 Kids is an exceptional school and Teresa (program director) and Cherie (the head of school)…read morehave built something amazing in Santa Barbara. We had to spend three months in Santa Barbara in 2019 for family reasons, and wanted to take advantage of the time there to let our 19 month old get socialized in a pre-school. We live in LA, so naturally compared Hope 4 Kids to some of the places we've looked at in LA, like CEE, Christopher Robin, and numerous other really nice, 'fancy' pre-schools. Hope 4 Kids is nicer than them all, and provides an amazing foundation for kids to learn. The 'outdoor education project' approach of the school has led the school to build an incredible outdoor classroom, and the kids are always engaged and having fun while learning, mostly in the outdoors. Teresa's enthusiasm for this outdoor classroom initiative is contagious, and from the moment we were introduced to the school we were certain that it was a great choice for our son. The faculty/student ratio is really low, and every teacher and teacher's aide we met was highly engaged and held to a really high standard of care for the kids and professionalism. We love this school and were so sad to leave Santa Barbara and H4K. It's an amazing place. (please also note that we are not particularly religious - this school is affiliated with a church, but operates on basic human principles of a respect for others and the beautiful world around us)

My son started at SCM at 3 months old and he is now almost 1year. As a new mom, of course I was…read morenervous but I turned out to be the best decision ever for him and our family. Itzy and the teachers assistants are excellent. They have helped my son with lots of seamless transitions such as daycare routine, naps, bottles, and solid foods. He is so happy and well adjusted. He has learned to happily play independently. He loves seeing the other kids in his class. He loves the stimulating and educational toys and the activities they do there. He always has a smile on his face when we drop him off and when we pick him up. The classroom and drop off area is calm, clean, and orderly. The teachers have given me great advice for at home too. They are helpful, educated, and nonjudgmental. They also often send the most adorable pictures and videos of my son throughout the day which is the highlight of my workday! Unlike many daycares/schools, the holiday schedule is quite reasonable. They offer "camp" where they can take care of your child during weeklong holiday breaks which are about 4 times a year. Can't say enough good things. Highly recommend.

My family has been part of South Coast Montessori since my daughter was 18 months old; she is now 6…read moreand we're excited to continue into the elementary program. SCM has been where she learned to potty train, dress herself, read, and build early math skills. She's learned practical skills like sewing, and the school has nurtured the artist inside her while encouraging her natural curiosity about the world. The teachers and administration are genuinely invested in each child's success. I appreciate how collaborative the environment is -- there's far more access to teachers than you typically find in a traditional public school, and staff communicate thoughtfully with families. As a parent, I've always felt supported and included in my daughter's learning journey. SCM follows a traditional Montessori approach, and I'm consistently impressed by the classroom dynamics: up to 20 children working independently yet not in chaos, but in a calm, productive rhythm. The school fosters independence, confidence, and a love of learning. I wholeheartedly recommend South Coast Montessori to families seeking a warm, well-run Montessori school where children are encouraged to grow academically, creatively, and socially.

I'm so happy my daughter got into this school! She's been coming here since she was 6 months in the…read moreinfant room and now she is in preschool about to graduate in June. The teachers here are so caring and nice! She loves going to school. Julie is also very understanding and is so kind. My daughter has learned and grown so much from coming here. Location is great too. I recommend this daycare for anyone with a child.

The teachers are carring and and great people but the school is a rippoff it's expensive and on…read morepizza day they charge every kid four dollars for little ceasers pizza a whole pizza from little ceasers is five dollars a pizza just one more dollar and each kid should get a whole pizza to them selfs where is all this pizza going or our money we are paying them for one dollar short from a whole pizza my kid never came home with leftovers somthing is very fishie about this I feel like I'm getting rippedoff

We love Montessori school. Our son is been going there…read moresince 18th months old. Is been an amazing experience to see how he grow so happy and full of joy. Already have life skills as small as they are and learning the basic of Maria Montessori! Great teachers, great staff.

I can't say enough good things about MCS and the community it fosters. It was our lifeline during…read morethe covid pandemic. I can't work from home, so zoom school wasn't an option for us. We started with MCS for that reason (one of the few, if not only, schools offering in-person instruction and childcare). But we have stayed for elementary school because our experience was so wonderful. Not only are the teachers at MCS warm, caring, and nurturing, but they are incredibly communicative (as is the leadership/administration). If I have a question or concern, it is responded to almost immediately. Everything is very well organized and I can focus on work each day knowing that my son is happy, surrounded by friends, and growing in a nurturing environment. MCS has fostered my son's learning and confidence. He regularly works in class with children from other grades and has developed wonderful friendships across the ages. Assignments, homework, and projects are appropriately challenging. It's been awesome watching him grow and develop in this environment. I am not sure what we will do after sixth grade -- I just wish MCS continued through grade 12! - but this certainly is an incredible place for us now.