By Kathryn Romeyn, Brides
If romance with a side of adrenaline
is your ideal honeymoon or minimoon equation, it’s not necessary to go
far. There are of course plenty of opportunities for trekking and hiking
in the United States, but perhaps the most ideal adventure honeymoon is
a place that combines surmountable hot-springs-strewn mountains and
valleys with a paradisiacal ocean playground and a sprawling
wine-producing region. Does it get any better than a Santa Barbara
honeymoon?
[post_ads]The coastal California idyll is less than a two-hour drive alongside the pretty blue Pacific
from Los Angeles (it also has its own airport), yet it is in some ways
everything L.A. is not. It’s super laid-back and friendly, with charming
Spanish-Moorish architecture and a pervasive embrace of natural beauty
and the great outdoors. Locals are active. Beaches—like Hendry’s, in
front of sunset-ready seafood resto Boathouse—feature owners running
with their dogs, as whales and dolphins swim just beyond the waves
splattered with surfers. The mountains are likewise a go-to for hikers
and mountain bikers, and motorcyclists on cruisers zip along bucolic
country roads en route to the historic stagecoach stop turned favorite
Sunday-afternoon hang Cold Spring Tavern (where live bands and BBQ make a
perfect casual date), halfway to the Santa Ynez wine valley.
Nowhere do you get a better sense of place than at the Four Seasons the Biltmore Santa Barbara,
which is cozied up close to the picturesque Butterfly Beach (when it’s
calm, grab standup paddle boards and explore the long, gorgeous
coastline from the water) and epitomizes SoCal’s Spanish influence with
vibrantly painted tiles, intricate ceilings, authentic artwork, and a
jungle feeling of palm trees and banana leaves throughout the large
property. At the end of a day of exploring the area, climbing, biking,
or paddling—or riding the waves during a customized surf sesh at Rincon
or Sandspit with legendary pro Tom Curren—there’s no greater dinner spot
than in the hotel’s intimate garden, where strung-up lights create a
romantic ambience for a farm-to-table tasting dinner
surrounded by the scents of Meyer lemon and rosemary plants. (These
private dining experiences can also be booked in other pristine
locations.)
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In
the summertime especially, new bungalows with plunge pools beckon, and a
gelato pedicab makes its way around the property offering up freshly
made scoops. Venture across the street to the members-only Peter
Marino–renovated Coral Casino Beach and Cabana Club for an epic sunset perch, drinks at the circular fish tank–cum–cocktail bar (stocked with tropical swimmers), and dinner with an enviable ocean view.
[post_ads]When it’s time for a little vino, the hotel can also arrange an ultrascenic heli flight
to Santa Ynez (where you could also try a few days in a classic
outdoorsy setting like Alisal Guest Ranch, which may give you camplike Dirty Dancing
vibes) and horseback riding, as well as a private tour and tasting at
crowd-pleasing Sunstone Winery. In Santa Barbara proper, there’s the
brand-new Hotel Californian, located beside the Funk Zone, a memorably
named district packed with top wine-tasting rooms and restaurants.
Opening this summer, it’s on the site of the original 1925 restaurant of
the same name, but it's updated with a rooftop pool, a Turkish-inspired
spa, and interior decor by A-list designer Martin Lawrence Bullard.
Hike
up Inspiration Point or to Gibraltar for sunrise or sunset, ride beach
cruisers up the coast on a three-mile scenic path to State Street
downtown, and then re-tox with vino from the completely lovely Potek
tasting room and funky Municipal Winemakers, followed by flavorful,
innovative dishes at the likes of the Lark or mouthwatering pizzas at
Lucky Penny—all in easy walking distance. Another sure thing when it
comes to a memorable dinner out:
Someset, where you can dine on spaghetti with local uni and fried
oysters in an elegant alfresco garden setting. Don’t worry about
overindulging; another adventure, say sailing to the Channel Islands, is
just one possibility for tomorrow.
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