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California road trip details

you're a kitty! — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:37:05 -0800

Please help us arrange some details for our California road trip! Questions about places to camp near Santa Barbara, Monterey, Sonoma, the Redwoods, and more. I'll be traveling with two dear friends (late-twenties, two girls and a guy). We're mostly planning to camp to save money, but if you can suggest REALLY COOL other options we might consider spending more for one night. We'd rather not have to hike in unless there's a truly extraordinary campsite; we have decent equipment and are in pretty good shape, but aren't extraordinarily outdoorsy. Mostly we want to see the beauty of California and build campfires and drink beers and talk in the evenings.

I've seen the related questions on here, but we've got some slightly different requirements. We've already got some days planned out, but the days I'm still trying to arrange look like this:

Day 1: Drive from Sacramento to somewhere in Napa or Sonoma for wine tours. Camp there, or one of us can be designated driver and head up to (broadly speaking) the Mendocino area and camp along the coast. We'd like to do some tidepooling if possible sometime the next day.
• Good campsites in Napa or Sonoma, where we can easily get to vineyards?
OR
• Good campsites along the coast (as close to the cliffs/beaches as possible).

Day 2: Drive up to the Redwoods, and camp there.
• Do we need to go all the way up to Redwoods National Park to get the full Avenue-of-the-Giants effect?
• Good campsites in the area? If we can camp in the proper redwoods that would be ideal.

From there we drive down to the bay area for a few nights, but afterwards:

Day 3: Monterey (aquarium and town).
• Good places to camp near Monterey or Carmel? Someone suggested Limekiln, any opinions?

Day 4: Drive south along the cost, to Morro Bay or farther down to the Santa Barbara area. We'd like to at least get a glimpse of Southern California without descending into the LA madness.
• We're considering the El Capitan Valley tent cabins or the campsites close to the beach; any other suggestions?

Extra questions:
• We would love to actually camp ON the beach at some point (and would go out of our way to do so), but I haven't been able to find any campsites that offer this option. Did I miss something?

Thank you!

Raw denim in Santa Barbara

TrialByMedia — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 15:16:35 -0800

Looking for raw denim in Santa Barbara, CA. I tore my favorite pair of APC Petit Standards while on holiday here in Santa Barbara. I am not from here, and am wondering if there's a place to shop for men's raw denim nearby. If there are no options here, we will be spending a few days in L.A. after Christmas.

Choosing Between Two Good Things

afterdark — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 19:15:41 -0800

Please help me decide between two MA programs I was admitted to (Political Science). Hi. I'm going to try to keep this brief.

Summary:
I am a Junior at NYU who is graduating a year early. Politics major, chem minor. I was admitted to both NYU Grad and UCSB (UC Santa Barbara) for an MA in Political Science for this fall. 20 year old female. These were my top two choices. This might be a no-brainer for some people but I have been beating myself up about this all week. Here are my particular factors/preferences:

- have a nice apt/job in new york. Am on a team I like. However, I do not like the new york lifestyle and while I have made it work for me, it is really difficult for me and I've wanted to leave for a while. I like the outdoors and a lot of sun. When I'm in NY, I just feel like I'm waiting for the next phase of my life to start.
- I have never been to any part of california but I am interested in living there long term, would not live in NY beyond the one year for this MA. I think the environment in SB would suit me better.
- I like the Politics department here at NYU and I am on good terms with some of the faculty, who I also like. But I'm not in love with the program. The program at NYU is much higher ranked than at USCB. It is #17 usnews while SB is around #50. I believe that this is a significant difference. It also appears more cohesive and put together.
- My long term boyfriend lives in CA. Not in SB but close enough that I could visit on weekends/ go to parties with him, etc. I know I would have a lot of fun/memorable times. I love him, it is a great relationship and I really dislike only seeing him during school breaks. This is an important factor in my life. It's probable that I would more to CA after another year in NY if I stayed for grad this fall.
- Assume cost is not an issue/the same.
- My parents want me to stay on the basis that it is (only?) one year and I would not have to move. They would be supportive regardless.
- I do not want to apply for a PHD, might look into law school, however. I want to be in the public service.
- Finally, I fluctuate in how I feel. Sometimes I feel OK about staying in new york (I'm doing well in my classes and it's nice to be accepted by the department) but other times I feel really down about the thought of inertly staying.

I know that no one can make this choice for me, but any insight you want to give me is appreciated. What do you wish you knew when you were in a situation like mine? I feel incredibly thankful and grateful to be in this position and I want to make the best choice in order to be happy and to eventually give back to the community.

Thank you everyone!

Three hundred fifty miles and a mule.

cgomez — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:56:20 -0800

What is the least expensive way to move one's belongings and furniture one-way, 340 miles in-state? In a little less than a month, myself and one other person will be moving from Santa Barbara, CA to San Francisco. We won't need help with moving, loading, or packing -- just with transportation. The most obvious solution is renting a truck, but the cheapest option we've found runs about $400 in a best case scenario before taxes.

U-Haul: $309.00 before taxes and fees, estimated $112 in gas for 340 mi. at 10MPG.
Penske: $378.00 before taxes and fees, estimated $112 in gas for 340 mi. at 10MPG.
Budget: $273.70 before taxes and fees, estimated $112 in gas for 340 mi. at 10MPG.

Is this the best way to go about this? We'd only need the truck for about a day, but the three rental companies all seem to place a three day minimum on these trucks. We both have cars, but the furniture throws a wrench in the situation.

Any other advice is appreciated.

I did a search prior to posting but most results were about either cross-country moves or making long-distance relationships work.

Half a day in LA or Santa Barbara?

signal — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:36:12 -0800

Is it worth it to go into LA for a few hours and then head on to SB? Or should I just head into SB and see the sights there? I'm travelling tomorrow to Santa Barbara CA. I will arrive in LAX at noon, and need to be at my hotel in SB that night. I don't know if it's worth it to try to take in a little bit of LA in between.

Data:

I've never been to LA or Santa Barbara, I live in Chile. I have lived in northern California.
I'll be spending 4 days at UCSB, I won't have any chance to see LA on my return trip.
I know there's a shuttle from LAX to Santa Barbara, and don't know how easy it would be to get there from the actual city instead of the airport.
I don't plan to rent a car (though I could, I guess).
I like cities, traffic not so much.

Bonus questions: What would be a good bookshop for computer (web dev) / film and/or children's books? Any other cool shops or other unmissables in SB?

Please be safe, Zippy!

SLC Mom — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 18:27:23 -0800

I need to store a car in Santa Barbara for two weeks. Background, cuz that's what makes questions fun:
We live in Los Angeles, more or less. We're going camping for two weeks. After that, we go directly to Santa Barbara for a reunion with the in-laws. They've rented a house for a week. The in-law crew will be Am-tracking from San Diego up to SB. One other person will be driving to SB. His car and our SUV will provide 9 seats for the reunion week. There will be 11 people there. So.

Our proposed solution is to send our teenager in our second car up to SB on the Thursday before we leave for our camping trip. Teenager can park the car someplace safe, cab it to the train station and come home. Then we can go on our trip, and will have the extra wheels in Santa Barbara when we get to the reunion.

Can you suggest a safe place to store a car for two weeks? Rented storage? Long term parking lots? Anyplace that stores RV, boats, trailers and such?

tl;dr: Where can I safely store a car is Santa Barbara for two week?

Thanks, mefites!

How do I affordably get from LAX to Santa Barbara?

perpetualstroll — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 22:27:18 -0800

How do I get from LAX to Santa Barbara on Sunday? I land in LAX on Sunday at 1:30 pm and I need to get to UC Santa Barbara by 4 pm. Is there any way to do this affordably? Ideally, I'd like to not take a cab... but I don't know what the alternatives are...

Where should I move to in southern CA?

tacoma1 — Tue, 25 May 2010 09:30:07 -0800

This fall I'm starting a graduate program that requires me to be in Santa Barbara for 3 days/month. I currently live on the east coast. Where might I move to within driving distance of Santa Barbara that is not insanely expensive but still a "nice enough" place to live? I'm a female in my late 20's. I have family in SF but none in Southern California. I'm okay with moving somewhere where I don't have connections as long as the place itself offers decent social/community opportunities. I'm open to living in the city or the country. I'd prefer the drive to Santa Barbara to be no more than 5 hours and ideally it would be much less. I currently live in an inexpensive hip little city and my cost of living will jump exponentially in California no matter what. Also, I'll be working part-time because I'll be a full-time student. I'm very comfortable living with housemates. A friend of mine suggested that I try to be a live-in nanny, trading childcare for free housing. Is this a good idea? Any other ideas for cheap(er) living? Any suggestions for laid-back, not uber-wealthy, cool places for a 30-something (almost) girl to live?

If they want to drink Merlot, we're drinking Merlot...

veronicacorningstone — Wed, 12 May 2010 09:55:11 -0800

My boyfriend and I are planning a trip to Santa Barbara, CA in June for our 2 year anniversary (whoo hoo!). We's love some suggestions on where we should stay and what should we do... Help? Possibly Relevant Information:

* We are both from Northern California. BF has been to Santa Barbara before, but in college. I cannot believe as a California native that I have never been there.

* We're in our late twenties and have a some money to spend, but would rather not blow it all on $250 per night hotel rates if possible. Something a little more moderate would be ideal.

* I prefer charming and or unique local types of accomodations as opposed to the Days Inn. Romantic is a plus given the occasion.

* We'll only be in town for a weekend. We love to eat great meals, drink wine, enjoy the beach, get out in nature, see local sights, try new and interesting things, etc.

Any advice & hidden nuggets of greatness are most appreciated. Help make our anniversary one to top next year!

Where to live in Santa Barbara?

wsquared — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 21:36:10 -0800

Where are the best neighborhoods in the Santa Barbara area for two 20-something professionals? My boyfriend will be working in Goleta starting in June and we're looking for a 1BR apartment preferably near stuff like grocery shopping, cafes/restaurants, a public library, and running/walking paths. We're hoping to not spend more than $1300 on a 1BR. We live in LA and San Diego now, so will make a trip or two to the area before we move to scope things out.

I know we don't want Isla Vista. Downtown near State St. sounds like it would be nice, but we don't really know what specific areas are good.

Goleta also would be good in terms of a short commute, but are there any good sort of mixed-use areas or is it all suburban?

Any other neighborhoods (preferably with specific boundaries) to look at or avoid?

Do all apartments look like 50s-era motels?

Any other apartment hunting advice for Santa Barbara? This previous question is really helpful, but a couple years old now.

How do I start a local, open-to-the-public film society?

colinmarshall — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:53:02 -0800

What is required to start and run a film society that stages periodic, open-to-the-public screenings of classic, obscure and indie films in one's own town? I'm a film geek in a town (Santa Barbara, California), that doesn't really meets a film geek's needs. Sure, there are occasional college screenings and a yearly film festival, but most of what's theatrically available here is ultra-mainstream. There's a "Santa Barbara Cinema Society", but it's secretive, pricey and members-only.

Thus, I've been seriously considering being the change I wish to see and founding a local film forum operating on the model of nonprofit film organizations like I've seen in action in major cities: monthlyish screenings of classic, obscure, local and indie films open to both members who have pre-paid for the "season" and the general public on a first-come-first-serve basis as well. Nothing too fancy.

What I'd like to know from any MeFi denizens with even a shred of experience in this arena is as follows: what steps should I take to get this train moving out of the station? Here are the things I know so far that I'll need, but any gaps in my knowledge that people can fill in would be much appreciated:

A venue. The options I can see here are (a) rent an existing, equipped screening room (perhaps one in a regular several-plex sort of theater, if they rent them out, although the local museum also happens to have one) or (b) rent the necessary gear to hold the screenings in an unequipped room, such as a public library could provide. I'm not sure which of these would be preferable in the long run.
Films. Selecting movies to screen isn't a problem so much as finding firms that rent out prints. I don't quite understand why they're so difficult to locate online. Would anyone happen to know an approximate average cost for a 35mm print rental of a film that's not new, not mainstream or both? And where would be a good source of information on the applicable rights issues?
Money. How are these sorts of outfits funded? Tickets sold, certainly, and also memberships, but what about sponsorships? Are those generally doable?
Publicity. This is the least hard of the bunch, from what I can see; I'm already pretty heavily involved with a few sectors of the local media. But is there any form of publicity that people starting a film series don't normally think about that they should?

And here's a larger question: is there a smaller-scale way to get a film forum like this off the ground that I'm not seeing? Maybe screening movies on video for a while? (Rights issues there?) Maybe doing local films only for a while? I'm not quite sure how to scale the operation down so as to get it most manageably started.

Here are a few somewhat informative documents I've already unearthed:

eHow's "How to Start a Film Society"
"Ideas on Running a Film Society" from Milestone Films
"Starting a Film Society" from Access Cinema

But as you can see, none of it's terribly in-depth.

Surf in SB?

nat — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:05:53 -0800

Where should I take a surf lesson in Santa Barbara, CA? I'd like to take a lesson with 4 or 5 friends this weekend. Some of us have been on a board once or twice before, some haven't.

There are prior questions about learning to surf--- but they're either farther south or farther north. Anyone have suggestions for something near Santa Barbara?

Bonus points if the place is accessible by the public transit system, and of course less pricey is good. Personally I really need a somewhat structured experience.. the times I've tried before with friends who surf have been somewhat frustrating due to lack of structure.

Ginormous Vintage Motorcyle Print. MUST. HAVE.

mcstayinskool — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 20:11:49 -0800

Help me find a monstrous print of a vintage motorcyle racer, once seen at a bar in Santa Barbara CA. There used to be a bar in downtown Santa Barbara just off of Chapala called Elsie's. In the pool room, there was an unbelievably great framed print of a guy in a motorcycle race from long ago.
The poster kind of looked like this, but the rider was facing the other direction and the print was GIGANTIC, something on the order of 5 feet x 4 feet. I really want it, or something nearly matching it.

Now that I've looked at about 500-1000 pictures online that don't match it, I thought I'd throw the question out here-- anybody seen that photo? Anyone have a better idea of how to strategically search for something like that?

where can I stay in Santa Barbara?

drjimmy11 — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 20:09:26 -0800

where can I stay in Santa Barbara? I'm taking next week off work and I'm thinking of getting out of L.A. I've never been to Santa Barbara, and I'd like to go, chill somewhere quiet-ish, and do some writing.

So I'm looking for a hotel that's nice, not absurdly expensive (would be nice to keep it under $150 a night), and will have a room on short notice. If the hotel has a cool restaurant/bar in it, that would be a bonus. Near a quiet beach would be great as well.

(I did read the other S.B. related questions, but didn't see hotels addressed in detail) thanks!

What to do in Santa Barbara

nakedsushi — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 15:55:35 -0800

What is there to do in Santa Barbara? The BF and I are driving up from LA to Santa Barbara for a little weekend vacation. What is there to do in Santa Barbara? Here are some restrictions:

Restaurants -- A nice romantic restaurant would be nice, but it has to accomodate the both of us: him being vegan, and me not being vegan.

Things to do -- Since it's a "we need to get away from LA" vacation, something low key would be nice. Are there any good quiet, untouristy beaches? I think the BF wants to go to at least one winery also. Any recommendations on those?

I'd rather not spend too much of the vacation driving, so suggestions of things/places fairly close to Santa Barbara would be perfect.

Where can I look to find a rental in Santa Barbara?

k8t — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 12:01:26 -0800

[SantaBarbaraFilter]I can't find rental housing in Santa Barbara. What's the trick? Here's what we're looking for (in order of importance): accepts pets (cat and large dog, with references), easy to walk to a bus line, broadband available, cell phones get reception, ample closet space, 1 or 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom is fine, would like a fenced-in yard if possible (for pets), laundry would be nice, parking would be nice, pretty views would be a plus, walkable to groceries would be a plus.

And we're willing to pay up to $2.5k for this, but it'd be nice if it was cheaper, of course.

My boyfriend is a professional, I'm a PhD student. We're in our late 20s/late 30s. He owns a house already (trying to sell). I have good credit, he has great credit.

I obsessively look at the SB Craig's List, we look at the 2 SB newspapers, UCSB's rental listings, rent.com, and Yahoo! housing... and nothing comes up.

Is there a trick? Should we be working through an agent? Any advice from former or current Santa Barbabarians? Any recommendations for neighborhoods to check out?

Also, are the housing prices totally insane or is this just California and I'd better get used to it?

Where can we get furniture in Santa Barbara, California?

k8t — Sat, 24 Dec 2005 12:29:33 -0800

Where can I get affordable household stuff near Santa Barbara, California? My boyfriend and I just moved here and we need furniture. Ikea is in Burbank, plus after tearing our old Ikea stuff apart when we moved, we're not too keen on buying more of it. I feel like there may be some magical place that we can drive to and find a lot of options though, in the Ikea price range or a bit more expensive (under $1000 per piece). Any general SB ideas would be helpful too. Thanks!

Good restaurants in Santa Barbara?

DakotaPaul — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 16:27:49 -0800

Looking for good restaurants in Santa Barbara. My honey and I are going to be in Santa Barbara next month, and are looking for a nice restaurant to celebrate our first wedding anniversary. I'm currently cranking through the Califonia Message Board at Chowhound (I'm about, oh, 1/8 of the way through), and have seen names like Aja, Downey's, Sage & Onion, Olio e Limone, etc. Does anyone have some mini-reviews of their own they'd like to share about these or other restaurants in the area?

And where should we go for breakfast the morning following this glorious dinner?

Also, we're just casual wine drinkers, but we'd like to go to visit good winery in the area. Suggestions? Thanks, all!