I recently had a friend message me to tell me I had to check out the new Old Town Coffee for a mama hangout location. I loved it!
Santa Barbara is not lacking in places for "Mom Playdates" (as my 8 year old calls them now). The SB Zoo, Natural History Museum, MOXI and plethora of parks are always great. But sometimes you just want to sit and let your kids play and enjoy lunch or a cup of coffee without being interrupted 17 times.
So here are my top 5 places to sit with friends and entertain your kids
1. Padaro Beach Grill is a casual restaurant with a sand pit and a large enclosed grassy area. It is a bit of a drive to Summerland, but always worth the effort. I reviewed it last summer here.
2. Old Town Coffee has an enclosed back patio which has bean bags to toss, life size Jenga blocks, a ping pong table and coloring area. You can enjoy your coffee and the kids can play.
3. Camino Real Center has a sunken area near the movie theater that kids love to run around. There are lots of eateries nearby. You can pick your favorite and enjoy. Options include Starbucks, Anna's Bakery, On the Alley, Los agaves, Sushi Ai, Jersey Mike's and Blenders.
4. Creekside Restaurant also has an enclosed patio with games for kids. We haven't visited for awhile but hear it is still family friendly.
5. Kidaru My kids have outgrown Kidaru but we had many a PEP meeting here especially on rainy days. You can bring in food from another location to eat (relatively) uninterrupted.
We are always looking for new ideas. What are your favorite locations?
