SANTA BARBARA

Planning your trip to Cachuma Lake

By Donna Wares
07:09 PM PDT, May 28, 2009

Cachuma Lake Recreation Area, California Highway 154, Santa Barbara. Lakefront yurts cost $60 to $70 a night and have a two-night minimum on weekends and three-night minimum on holiday weekends. Campsites and cabins are available too. The lake also is a good spot for day trips; day parking is $8. Activities include boating, trout fishing, hiking, nature cruises, nature center, naturalist-led hikes, fishing workshops for kids. Swimming is not permitted in the lake, but the swimming pool opened Memorial Day weekend for the summer season.

Bring along: flashlights, toilet paper, sleeping bags, warm clothes, bug spray, food if you plan to cook, fishing gear if you plan to fish. Bicycles are a great addition too -- there are plenty of places to ride in the park; (805) 686-5054, www.sbparks.org.

Los Olivos Grocery and Café, 2621 W. Highway 154, Los Olivos. Open daily, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; (805) 688-5115, www.losolivosgrocery.com

Trattoria Grappolo 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez. Lunch and dinner daily, except Monday lunch; (805) 688-6899, www.trattoriagrappolo.com.

Rancho Oso, 3750 Paradise Road, Santa Barbara. One-hour trail ride is $40; (805) 683-5686, www.rancho-oso.com.

Beckmen Vineyards, 2670 Ontiveros Road, Los Olivos. Open daily, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; (805) 688-8664, www.beckmenvineyards.com

Cold Spring Tavern, 5995 Stagecoach Road, Santa Barbara. This funky old stagecoach stop covered with vines has been a way station for travelers trekking through the mountains since it opened in 1865. The turnoff to Stagecoach Road, along Highway 154, is about 10 miles from Cachuma Lake; (805) 967-0066, www.coldspringtavern.com.

Where am I?

This is a city known for great old architecture. And it's a desert spot and has a long-standing tradition of hospitality.


National Parks

America's 20 most-visited national parks in 2009.

My Trips

Subscribe to the Daily Deal blog Daily Travel & DealBlog

The Michael Jackson theme park that never was, but still could be
Michael Jackson dreamed of a theme park based on the J.M. Barrie story of “Peter Pan,” comp...
Read more »

SIGN UP Newsletter_icons

Taking restless Southern California on vacation

Los Angeles Times e-mail newsletter, delivered every Thursday


Expedia
  • Departing from:
    Depart:
  • Going to:
    Return:

Subscribe to this section    

Subscribe to
Save and share