We took our kids to our happy place last week and it was magical. Ever since we visited Santa Barbara when I was pregnant with Charlie 5 years ago, it has become the destination Eric and I love traveling to most. From it’s dreamy beaches, perfect weather, and abundance of activities, we were determined to experience a week out there with our children.
This was the first trip we have taken with our kids that wasn’t to visit a relative. We had to put a little more research into finding a house rental that felt comfortable with toddlers and babies while also hoping to have good proximity to the beach and other activities. Eric was able to find the perfect spot that was just a short walk to the beach and a mile drive from town (and the ZOO)! Not only that but it was a one story home (no stairs for Jack to climb!) and had a beautiful backyard for our kids to play.
Eric’s mom and stepdad met us for the first half of the trip and my parents met us for the second. It was perfect because we wanted to experience our favorite place with our parents but also it was nice to have an extra set of hands if one person wanted to go to the wharf or one needed to run into town, etc.
We rented a car with car seats to make our lives easier and stayed one night in LA to break up our travel. I can’t believe how often Eric and I traveled with our heavy carseats and 2 pack n’ plays. We rented baby gear from Baby Quip and were able to get a high chair, baby bouncer, double stroller, pack n’ play, and toys delivered to the house. Sarah Boggs was our gal and she was AMAZING! If you’re traveling with your kids, most likely there is a baby equipment delivery company in your area. I highly recommend looking into it because it makes the travel day and your packing experience so much easier! I wish I had thought of this when the older two were babies.
At home, we put our kids in a lot of morning summer camps so we thought if we found one out there, it would be the perfect way to get a great activity in for the kids while also granting us a little freedom to do our own thing! Enter ZOO Camp, the most magical experience for Charlie and McKenna! Every morning from 9-12, the kids got to feed giraffes, explore the zoo, and ride a train! (There is a 9-3 option but that felt too long for us). After zoo camp, the kids would nap (literally, my 4 year old napped EVERY day), and then we’d head to the beach. It was perfect.
There is a really neat children’s museum in town called The Moxi. The kids LOVED it. From racing cars, crafting in their creativity room, pushing cloth balls up tubes to be shot in the air, the kids were mesmerized!
There are tons of parks everywhere in Santa Barbara and my two favorites were the above “Shipwreck Playground” and East Beach Park which is a playground literally on the beach!
Butterfly Beach is our favorite beach with the prettiest floral walk along the coast and were lucky enough to be able to do that every day. The beach is one of my favorite parts of SB. Our kids felt so refreshed and recharged by the ocean air. They slept SO well out there (which honestly rarely happens on our trips). We walked to the beach every day.
While the older two were in camp, we took Jack over to The Mission. It was my first time actually going into the building and taking a tour and learning it’s history. It’s the last Mission that is still in operation and serves as a parish church.
We also did fun things with our parents. We walked downtown on State Street and explored our favorite home store Rooms & Gardens. We walked along the pier and visited my dad’s oldtime favorite Cold Springs Tavern. My dad’s grandparents lived in Santa Barbara so he came out here quite a few times with his family.
We took Eric’s parents to a fun spot in Montecito called Honor Bar. The food was delicious. We also stopped by San Ysidro Ranch for a drink and explored the gardens which is something we do every time we visit. It’s the most beautiful spot and was even where JFK and Jackie Kennedy took their honeymoon!
We went back a few days later to have dinner there with my parents. I should mention that I found a great babysitter in town which allowed us to do these things. The rest of the trip we spent cooking in and it was so relaxing to sip a glass of wine, make s’mores with the kids, and just enjoy the picture perfect patio weather.
I’m so grateful for this trip and hope to continue to make it a family destination!
santa barbara with kids traveling with kids
