SANTA BARBARA

Planning your trip to Cachuma Lake

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

Cachuma Lake

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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.or g.

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.