Discovering California

Traveling around the world? Not happening soon. But when it happens again? Great! What about traveling back home in California? Here's some of my favorite posts throughout the years- without Disneyland in sight. Not all, but just a few:

Snapshots of Napa- The vineyards of Napa and Sonoma are world famous for a reason! 

Coast Stories- California as I love it! There's so much more than Disneyland. The natural beauty of the state shines through here.

Outside the Norm- All the quirkiness of San Francisco obscures the beauty of its attractions- sometimes to the detriment of those who've never lived in the State. 

Mission San Juan Capistrano- A bit of California history preserved for the adventurers of today. Sometimes you have to look backward in order to see the future.

The American Rivera- Arguably one of the most beautiful cities in California, Santa Barbara is showcased here.

No Disneyland?- Palm Springs to Newport Beach and beyond, I never get tired of exploring the Golden State. Here's proof a visit there doesn't need to include Disneyland or California Adventure to be terrifically fun!

(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)

Lovely Santa Barbara

Isn't she a beauty! In all of California, you'd be hard pressed to find a town as beautiful as Santa Barbara. The beaches are not as stunning as say Laguna Beach, but the town itself is chock full of interesting places to explore. The "American Riviera" indeed!

(Photograph copyright Mark Taft.)

The American Riviera: Santa Barbara

Editor's Note: Remember, "Disney's Animal Kingdom: A True-Life Adventure (Part Five)" arrives tomorrow!

Few Californians would argue that Santa Barbara is one of the most beautiful of the state's coastline towns. And for good reason!

From the Mission (top photo) to the courthouse tower (above and the second one below), the city remains an enchanting mix of old world Mediterranean styles with up-to-date California flair.

Our recent trip was the first visit to the city in about a decade. We'd driven through during a family reunion a few years back, but this trip, we had a chance to stop in, spend the night and enjoy the pleasures of the place.

As the family's renowned Disney geek, it was a given I would spend a day at the Disneyland Resort enjoying both Disneyland, California Adventure, and Downtown Disney. As a beach lover, a stop to this town fit in perfectly following my previous daytime excursion to the beaches of Newport, Laguna, Dana Point and Capistrano.

Santa Barbara touts itself as the American Riviera- a claim that holds up! The cafes, fine restaurants, and beautiful pedestrian areas create an environment similar to the resorts of southern France and the northwest towns in Italy. I'm not the greatest photographer, but what you see hasn't been touched up a bit- and it is still beautiful.

My wife graduated from nearby UCSB, University of California Santa Barbara. Of course, she was a student with little time or money to play, but we have certainly tried to make up for that with each visit!
(Photos copyright Mark Taft.)