Ready for spring break
Ready for spring break
By: Chelley Kitzmiller
Spring break is almost here. So, what are you going to do with your time off? We’re hoping you’ll get out and have some fun. Here are a few tried and true destinations to consider.
Santa Barbara
You just can’t visit Santa Barbara too many times; it a vacationer’s paradise. Still too chilly to sunbathe, you can enjoy the beautiful beaches in myriad other ways. Take your kite or remote-controlled airplane and launch them from the beach. Check out the tidepools and see nature close up. Book a sport fishing charter, a whale-watching tour or a naturalist-led tour to Channel Islands National Park and Marine Sanctuary to see the largest sea cave in the world.
Love the movie “Sideways”? Take a Sideways tour and taste your way through Santa Barbara wine country while visiting all the places the movie’s characters visited.
Some of the most beautiful and best golf courses in the nation await golfers, and adventure-seekers can get a thrill riding the winds over Santa Ynez Valley in a sailplane or a hot-air balloon. Miles of marked bike trails crisscross the city with links to the beaches and competitive cyclists can take the challenge of Figueroa Mountain, one of Lance Armstrong’s favorite torture tracks. Skater’s Point, just off Cabrillo Boulevard, offers a 12,000-square-foot arena of sculpted concrete for skateboarders and in-line skaters.
And let’s not forget Mission Santa Barbara, the queen of the 21 California missions, where you can get a painless history lesson while enjoying the gardens and the Spanish architecture.
The restaurants in Santa Barbara are out of this world but one stands out as personal favorite. The Tupelo Junction Café has been featured in Bon Appétit magazine. They pack their menu with Southern-influenced dishes like apple cinnamon beignets; a pulled-pork sloppy Joe; or the owner’s own favorite, a sprightly salad of lettuce, fried chicken, corn-bread croutons and buttermilk dressing.
Mammoth
For winter sports enthusiasts, Mammoth is always a good bet. From now until June you can ski 150 trails within 3,500 skiable acres. There are 28 lifts (including nine high-speed quads, two high-speed six-packs and three high-speed gondolas) to get you up the mountains. Equipment rentals and lessons are available for every age. If you just into the scenery, there’s a gondola ride for that too. For something really different, catch a dog sled ride from the main lodge and let a team of malamutes and huskies do all the work, or ride in the warmth and comfort of a snowcat through the back country.
Use your cell phone to get a snow report: text “snow” to 20123.
Finding a great place to eat in Mammoth is easy, but here are two sure winners: Schat’s Bakery, where the bread, cakes, pies and pastries are out of this world and they serve full meals besides; and The Breakfast Club, where the omelets and biscuits and gravy will make you think you’ve died and gone to heaven.
Events during spring break:
April 2 to 4 - Mammoth Invitational
April 4 - The Mammoth Marathon – 26-mile and 13-mile options
April 4 - June Mountain’s annual Easter Egg Hunt at the chalet, hundreds of eggs full of candy and prizes will be hidden in the Ski School area.
Pismo Beach
Pismo Beach is a great family playground. Besides the normal beach activities like swimming and surfing, there’s kiteboarding, scuba diving, sea kayaking, horseback riding and exploring the tidepools, coves and caves. The 1,200-foot Pismo Pier is perfect for sightseeing, walking, fishing and seeing the great sunset. For an out of ordinary adventure, take to the skies in an open-cockpit WWII biplane or explore the dunes with a Hummer dune tour. On any Saturday, visit the farmers’ market at Shell Beach and pack your shopping bag full of fresh produce, flowers, jams, dried fruits, artisan vinegars — all produced by local farmers. Market day is also a day of family fun at Dinosaur Caves Park with music and entertainment, Hula-Hoop and yoga classes, food demos, gymnastics and more.
If you love clam chowder, don’t miss the beloved Splash Café. Get there early because the lines can be long but the wait is oh so worth it! If steamed crab is your seafood of choice, try the Cracked Crab. The crab legs come by the bucket and are spilled out on to a paper-covered table.
Whatever destination you choose, make a point to do something new and different and don’t forget to take your camera to capture the memories!
If you go
Santa Barbara
santabarbaraca.com offers a map of “Sideways” self-guided wine tours, listing of wineries, on-line brochure of a 101 free things to do and more.
Tupelo Junction Café: 1218 State St.
Mammoth
mammothmountain.com offers listing of lodgings, restaurants, a ski trail map, etc.
Schat’s Bakery: 3305 Main St.
The Breakfast Club: 2987 Main St.
Mammoth Invitational: call 760-934-0795
Pismo Beach
classiccalifornia.com offers detail information on activities, restaurants and lodging.
Splash Café: 197 Pomeroy Ave.
Cracked Crab: 751 Price St.
Shell Beach farmers’ market: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, Dinosaur Caves Park, corner of Shell Beach Road and Cliff Avenue