Summer Fun Trip to California 2018 - Hearst Castle & Santa Barbara

We continued our road trip heading south on the Californian coast. Our next stop would be the Hearst Castle a National Historic Landmark. The Hearst Castle was a residence for newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst between 1919 and 1947.  It has been operated as the Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument, where the estate, and its considerable collection of art and antiques, is open for public tours. Despite its location far from any urban center, the site attracts "millions of travelers each year". 

Although Chase was disappointed the incredible indoor and outdoor pools are closed to the public he had a great time touring the Castle. He especially liked all the knight amour and things he thought would have been cool to play with back when the castle was a residence. 

If you would like more information on the Hearst Castle visit http://hearstcastle.org/ 

We continued to head south into Santa Barbara, which happens to be one of our favorite California cities. Santa Barbara is a city on the central California coast, with the Santa Ynez Mountains as a dramatic backdrop. Downtown, Mediterranean-style white stucco buildings with red-tile roofs reflect the city’s Spanish colonial heritage. There is lots of things for kids to do and enjoy, below are some of Chase's favorites. 

1. Santa Barbara Harbor: Chase's loves boats and if you get up early on a Saturday you can see the Fisherman and their fresh catch.

2. Carpinteria State Beach: Like most kids Chase loves the beach! Playing in the sand and running into the surf is super fun for him. The Carpinteria State Beach is considered one of the safest beaches in the world with it's wide sandy shore and no undertow. 

3. Alameda Park: Chase loves this downtown park. It's home to Kids World, the best playground in town! There's are swings and slides and towers and turrets, and so the adults don't get in the way there's even a large spectator area. A gazebo shelters musicians who play when the weather's warm and who doesn't like cool music! . Alameda Park is an ideal destination for a lazy afternoon spent reading or napping in the sun or, alternatively, playing a fun pick-up soccer game with friends. 

4. Santa Barbara's newest kid-friendly attraction is MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation. With three floors of interactive exhibits, this science-driven museum invites curious minds of all ages to explore themes like new tech, music, physical forces, speed and light. Chase loves the hands-on exhibits that encourage kids to interact, make and play. There's a speed track for racing cars you build yourself, sound studios that let you create your own sound effects, playful light walls and much more. 

For more fun kid friendly activities to do in Santa Barbara click here https://santabarbaraca.com/itinerary/family-approved-activities/