Botanic Gardens

Some of my favorite memories of outdoor exploration are from the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens, the redwood area with the huge tree cross section and the creek. The gardens are organized into sections: Meadow, Redwoods, Desert, and Canyon as well as others. The simple meadow and woodland loop is less than a mile and perfect for beginning hikers. We began in the meadow, circled through the redwood area, crossed over the bridge into the cayon area, stopped to run around the maze, played in the creek and hiked up through the tea gardens and Arroyo areas. That loop was about 1.5 miles. The gardens have snacks and drinks available in the store but no cafe. The cost is $12 for adults and $6 for kids.

Directions: Written directions

Trail Rating: Easy (stairs in the path we took)
Distance: 1 mile (or more)
Time: 45 minutes
Nearby places: Rocky Nook Park and the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum

Meadow area

Canyon Path

Creek area

Desert area

Children's Maze

Children's Maze

Children's Maze

Tea Garden

Summer Checklist

Hendry's Beach

**Updated July 2019**
A few summers ago, I created a list of summer activities to do. It isn't really a do-all kind of list, but a list of ideas so that we don't get stuck in a rut. Here is our updated list with a few new items. Of course camping and a road trip are also on our list. Let me know in the comments or on Facebook if you have other ideas. we love to try new things.

Santa Barbara and Goleta:
Explore a park *
Ride the bus *
Ride the trolley along State St or Cabrillo Blvd *
Complete Summer Reading Program Santa Barbara Goleta and the Valley *
Concert at Stow House (Tuesdays July/August)*
Concert at Chase Palm Park (Thursdays in July)*
Swim at Oak Park Pool *
Swim at Los Banos Pool *
Enjoy the Beach  *
Exploring tidepools
Hunting for seashells and seaglass
Take a Hike *
Bowl at Zodos *
Explore the Farmers Market *
Go to the Santa Barbara Zoo
Go to the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
Got to the Sea Center
Go to the Maritime Museum
Go to the Art Museum
Ride the train at the South Coast Railroad Museum *
Go to the MOXI
Explore the Botanic Gardens
Tuesday Morning Movies

Further Away:
Padaro Beach Grill
Carpinteria Seal Sanctuary
Strawberry Picking at the Farmstead
Blueberry picking Santa Barbara Blueberries
Play at Lake Casitas Water Park
Water park at Ventura Community Park
Ventura Visitor Center and down to the beach/pier *
Splash Pad at The Collection
Quicksilver Ranch (Miniature Horses) *
Sunnyfields Park *
Picking apples
Lompoc Aquatic Center

* Free or Inexpensive

San Antonio Creek Trail

**2021 Update: We found a rusty abandoned car toward the end of this trail!! If you are at the 154 turn out, it is visible looking down :)**

Tucker's Grove is a favorite Santa Barbara Park, but on the far end of the park is Kiwani's Meadow. Here there is a dog park, bathrooms, a slide and 2 swings. The trail head for the San Antonio Creek Trail is located off this parking lot. The trail is shady most of the way. It crosses the creek several times for some fun water play at the right time of year. We have done this trail several times and set a time limit to turn around just for the nature experience. This past time we made it all the way up to 154 (at Rancho Vista del Mundo). You could have someone drop you off at the top and pick up at the bottom for an easier hiking experience (1.8 miles one way downhill). Or you can start at the top of Via Chaparral for the 1 mile connector to the top pf the trail at 154 and follow it down to Tucker's Grove (2.8 miles one way).

Directions: Take the 101 N from Santa Barbara. Exit Turnpike Rd. Turn right and continue to the end of the road. Follow the Tucker's Grove parking lot all the way to the end. The trail head is mid-way through the back parking lot on the mountain side.

Trail Rating: Easy, moderate for the littles
Distance: 3.6 miles to 154 (round trip) or 2.4 miles (round trip) to the concrete wall
Time: 2 hours with my kids
Nearby attractions: Tucker's Grove Playground, other Tucker's Grove Trails and In N Out

More information: http://www.santabarbarahikes.com/hikes/frontcountry/sanantoniocreek

Path below the Wall

Trail at the Concrete Wall

Path above the concrete wall

154 turnout

154 at the top Vista del Mundo across the way

Creek Crossings

Trailhead

Related Posts: 

Nature Walks and Kid-Friendly Hikes

Summer of the Hikes and Nature Walks

Road Trippin' with Kids

 Last summer we spent a lot of time in the car. We drove to Utah and back. We camped at Big Sur, Bass Lake and Hume Lake. We are crazy like that.  I calculate that it added up to over 50 hours in the car. Our kids were 6 and 2 1/2 at the time, so we needed to learn a few tricks along the way. Here are some of our favorite road trip ideas.

On the longest trip, I wrapped up some new toys and books to be revealed at different points along the journey. We took a basic canvas bin to sit between our kids but there are some great organizers out there.

1. Sticker activity books and coloring books. Remember to bring something to color with-- we reccommend colored pencils because June in Las Vegas.

2. Thin books to look to and read. We brought many of out Dolly Parton Imagination Library books because they are thin and mostly great quality.

3. Books with small colorful pictures, like Richard Scarry Best Word Book,  Counting Colors, Where's Waldo, or I Spy.

4. Busy Books have some reading pages with a box in back for the figurines. These were definitely the favorite for my 2 1/2 year old. We also brought along little people and other figurines/animals.

5. Magnetic drawing board  

6. Small Magnet Sets like this Curious George one or you can make your own version with magnets and a small cookie sheet. You can get fancy on Pinterest with family photos and puzzles too.

7. We played the licence plate game and ABC game. This site has some paper versions of these and other games.

8. Books on CD See a full post of suggestions here.

9. Tchotchkes You know all the little toys your kids pick up in the course of a year. Party favors, fast food meal prizes, quarter vending machine toys. I find those toys on the floor and in the corner forgotten all the time. When I find it, I pick it up and throw it in a box in my garage. All of the randomness from our year. When we go on a road trip, the box comes out. Sometimes it gets brought out in stages wrapped or in bags, but often it is just a bin of stuff. They feel like they found long lost treasure and I don't need to clean it up repeatedly at home.

10. Lots and lots of snacks. We had fruit and nuts in our car as well as crackers, pretzels and such. Anything that melts is not recomended. See above note on Vegas in June.

Some useful sites I found: It's Always Autumn, The Crafty Working Mom, and Pinterest tips.

I know some of you are thinking about DVDs. We actually don't have a DVD player in our 13 year old car or even a portable one. I am sure we will use one some day, but so far these are the tools we have used.

This summer has many fewer road trips planned. Not because last summer didn't go well, but just the stage of life we are in. I look forward to a road trip again, maybe when I have a fourth graders and I can get this pass!

Other #MomLife Posts:
Road Tripping with Kids
Beach Tips with Kids
Hiking List with Kids
Travel Packing Lists

Arroyo Hondo Preserve

*Co-VID Update: You need to make reservations and the number of people is limited each day. It is still open on the first and third weekends (Saturday and Sunday) as well as Mondays and Wednesdays.*

The Arroyo Hondo Preserve is a little known area protected by the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County. It is open on the first and third Saturdays of the month for the community. Before CO-VID, there were docent led tours at 10 am, but you can also explore on your own. Advanced reservations are required, but are very simple to make with an email.

There are many trails from here. The first time we went we took the docent tour which was 3 miles. The second time we followed West Creek Trail up to Bear Crossing, then headed back down Bear Trail. This was just over one mile.

 Directions: It is about 25 minutes from Goleta. Take 101N. About 4 miles after Refugio Beach, turn right into a driveway (just after call box 101-412). If you reach Gaviota State Park, you have gone too far.

Trail Rating: Easy
Distance: 1 mile (or more)
Time: 25 minutes
Nearby attractions: Gaviota State Beach and Refugio State Beach

More information: http://www.sblandtrust.org/portfolio-item/arroyo-hondo-preserve/

West Creek Trail

Bear Crossing

Arroyo Hondo Creek

Plank Creek Crossing

West Creek trail

Bear Trail

Related Posts: 

Nature Walks and Kid-Friendly Hikes

Summer of the Hikes and Nature Walks

Nojoqui Falls Park

 Nojoqui Falls Park (a Chumash word pronounced nah-hoo-ee) is a large park with several reservable group picnic areas and 2 play areas. The play areas are spread out. The smaller area has swings and a jumping ring. The larger area has a 5-12 play structure with 2 double slides, 3 climbing areas, and monkey bars.

Directions:  a 30 minute drive on the 101N from Goleta. Turn right onto Old Coast Highway about 6 miles after the Gaviota Rest Stop or 5.5 miles after the Gaviota Tunnel. Turn right again onto Alisal Rd after about a mile.

Nearby attractions include picking blueberries at Santa Barbara Blueberries, feeding the animals and picking your own produce at The Farmstead, or enjoying the hike to Nojoqui Falls.

Pros
It is close to the Najoqui Falls hike.
There are bathrooms.
It is a shady park,
Parking is easy.

Cons
It is a drive to get there from Santa Barbara.

5-12 Play Structure

Slides and Climbing Areas

Stepping Stones

Monkey Bars

Smaller play area

Jumping ring

More information.

Nojoqui Falls

Nojoqui Falls in spring

Nojoqui Falls (a Chumash word pronounced nah-hoo-ee) are a 30 minute drive on the 101N from Goleta. Turn right onto Old Coast Highway about 6 miles after the Gaviota Rest Stop or 5.5 miles after the Gaviota Tunnel. Turn right again onto Alisal Rd after about a mile. Google directions.

The park has a playground and group picnic areas. Follow the road all the way through the park to find the trailhead. This is an easy trail with a slight incline and a roundtrip distance of about .6 miles. The shady path is cool on a warm day. The last 200 feet are closed as of spring 2017 due to the risk of landslides. Be safe. More information.

Trail Rating: Easy (except for the last 200 feet which appear slick)
Distance: .6 miles
Time: 15 minutes
Nearby attractions: Pick blueberries at Santa Barbara Blueberries, feed the animals and pick your own produce at The Farmstead, or enjoy the play area at Nojoqui Falls Park.

Bridges cross the creek