2 days - San Diego or Santa Barbara?

[brown9340]

My husband and I have 2 days to spend in California in August. We are in our 40's with no kids. We would like to stay at a nice bed and breakfast or local inn see some nature sites.

 

Santa Barbara

 

or

 

San Diego?

[Curt Jerome Wild]

Hey there...

This is such a wide open question, there's so many options, we need more info here...

What do you mean specifially by "nature sites"?

The great and wonderful and amazing thing about Southern California is that you can have city and nature right together all in one day...

You can literally right now, spend the morning at the beach and the afternoon skiing or snowboarding (or vice versa)...

You can have mountian nature sites, beaches, mountains, deserts, etc.

All within an hour or so...

Marine Conservation areas, Blue Butterfly Conservation areas, see mountian lions up close and personal, etc.

So, what are you really wanting and looking to do?

If you give us more specific, then I can almost guarantee that we have something to fit the bill here...

Help us out, and we can help you!

CJW;)

[caribbean dreams]

WOW! thats quite a decision, I love both these Cities, i am also in my 40's and visit both often, I prefer San Diego because i like the faster pace and exciting things to do, seaport village, malls, mission beach, people watching along the boardwalk and i can walk over the border for some shopping.

 

If you are looking for a beautiful city that is sort of mellow with nice shops Beaches, them Santa Barbara would be a better choice.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I love both cities too. If you go up to Santa Barbara, you can make a side trip to Ventura Harbor (our favorite day trip destination). Very relaxing.

[brown9340]

By nature sites I mean anything naturally there (not man made). Cliffs and ocean crashing below, beaches, parks, mountains, tide pools. Anyplace that is natually beautiful and interesting. For example Santa Barbara - Channel Islands or San Diego - Tide pools by Point Loma. Also, I am thinking about kayaking somewhere. I see there is kayaking in both areas.

 

What I am trying to stay away from is parks like Sea World, Disney Land or anyplace where you are dealing with standing in line and shows being staged. The San Diego Zoo has not been ruled out because of its uniqueness and animals but if there is enough other things to see we probably wouldn't go there.

[Bruin Steve]

brown,

I wish it were an easy call...but it's not...

San Diego has more "stuff to do" (it's a far bigger city), but it's not "natural" stuff for the most part...there is boating of various types on Mission Bay (I've sailed catamarans there, I'm not sure about kayaks...definitely not a lot of "white water" in SoCal)...but, even Mission Bay is not exactly what I call "natural"...You can do some hang-gliding off the cliffs in Torrey Pines (near La Jolla)...and there are some hot air balloon excursions that are really a treat flying over Ranch Santa Fe--but you're looking at big houses from the air, not really natural stuff...Personally, in many ways I prefer the Wild Animal Park" to the zoo...but both are pretty touristy...

 

Santa Barbara is a smaller city...the town itself is much more laid back and you will find more "bed and breakfast" type places in the area...I particularly like the Santa Ynez Valley, just to the north of Santa Barbara...with the quaint Danish town of Solvang and the wine country made popular by the movie "Sideways"...

 

Yes, between LA and Santa Barbara, you'll find Ventura and Channel Islands Harbor--where you can find passage on boat trips to the Channel Islands--these are unpopulated park land refuge for assorted wildlife...

 

It's a tough call...either direction is nice, but my guess, from your description, is that Santa Barbara may be more to your liking...more laid back, fewer crowds, more relaxing, more "natural"...

 

Good luck...

[Splinter]

Steve, this time I have to disagree with you. I would recommend San Diego (where I live) over Santa Barbara (where I like to visit).

 

I am assuming you will be going from the LA area. If you are lucky, the drive to Santa Barbara takes about 3 hours, which is longer than the drive to San Diego.

 

"Nature" things to do in San Diego (not all are "natural", but the are certainly not theme parks):

 

-Quail Botanical Gardens in Encinitas

-Walk the 5 miles of beach at Torrey Pines State Beach

-Hike in Torrey Pines State Preserve (only one other place in the world has these rare Torrey Pines)

-Watch the hang gliders and parasailers at La Jolla Farms (and if you are brave, sign up for a tandem flight)

-Swim and snorkle in the La Jolla Marine Sanctuary (easy access at La Jolla Cove)

-Visit Scripps Institution of Oceonography and take in their Birch Aquarium

-Take a kayaking tour of the La Jolla sea caves

-Watch the seals at the La Jolla Children's Pool.

-Snorkle at Bird Rock (if you are a strong swimmer)

-Hike the nature trails and visit the look-out at Cabrillo National Monument, then visit the tide pools (look, don't touch)

-Watch the surfers (and the surf) at Sunset Cliffs and Ocean Beach Pier

-Stay in the cottages at the Crystal Pier (and listen to the waves wash UNDER you during the night)

-Visit the Tijuana River Wildlife Sanctuary

-Go sailing on an America's Cup sailboat (weekends)

-Go sailing on the historic reproduction sailing vessel "The Californian"

-Walk on the Coronado Strand State Beach, or along the beach by the Hotel Del Coronado. Rent a bike and ride around the city of Coronado.

-Hike the canyons in and around Balboa Park. Sign up for a walk with the Walk About organization for some history too.

-Visit the Zoo. It is wonderful.

-Visit some of the museums and gardens in Balboa Park.

-Bird watch along the San Diego river channel in Mission Valley

-Visit the historic San Diego Mission

-Visit the Mission Trails Regional Park for hiking and wildlife

-Drive to Mount Palomar for great views, a visit to the observatory, and some nice hiking

-Drive to Julian for apple pie, and take a hike on Mount Laguna or Cuyamaca State Park

-In the spring, drive out to Anza Borrego State Park to see the wildflowers

 

You could spend months doing all of this. There is no reason to be bored in San Diego!

 

As far as places to stay, the most elegant B&B is the Britt House, which is walking distance to Balboa Park. There are also a couple nice B&Bs in the historic building park next to Old Town State Park.

[Bruin Steve]

Steve, this time I have to disagree with you. I would recommend San Diego (where I live) over Santa Barbara (where I like to visit).

 

I am assuming you will be going from the LA area. If you are lucky, the drive to Santa Barbara takes about 3 hours, which is longer than the drive to San Diego.

 

Well, Splinter, we obviously can disagree here...

Remember, I didn't say it was an easy call...

 

And I have ties to both towns...

I briefly attended UC Santa Barbara in the Summer of 1970...and I lived there from 1978 to 1981...

OTOH, I have a beach house in La Jolla Shores, a brother in Rancho Santa Fe and my daughter just graduated this past June from UC San Diego...So, I'm down there a lot...

 

But one place you are definitely wrong is on the relative drive times...And you may have to trust me here as someone who makes BOTH drives on a frequent basis...

 

I am assuming a drive to either place from, say, LAX (My drive times are even more skewed since I live up in Calabasas and it only takes me about an hour to get to Santa Barbara)...In the worst of traffic, the drive time from my house down to LAX is about an hour (at low traffic times, I can make it in about a half an hour)...So, the actual drive time, LAX to Santa Barbara is an hour and a half to two hours (According to Yahoo.maps, it's 96 miles and they approximate 1 hour 25 minutes)

 

http://maps.yahoo.com/dd_result?newaddr=LAX&taddr=&csz=&country=us&tcsz=Santa+Barbara%2C+CA&tcountry=us

 

The drive to San Diego, according to Yahoo maps is about 30 miles longer (of course, depending on where in San Diego you're going, this could be even longer...

 

But, here's the real catch...The drive from LA to San Diego has to be one of the WORST drives in the US...You go through the heart of some of the most populated urban areas with the least developed freeway system...The 405 from LAX through the South Bay Curve, across Long Beach and down through the Irvine "Y" all the way into Pendleton can be nonstop bumper-to-bumper...Even the "Diamond Lanes" seldom offer any relief...The traffic is so bad, they've tried to alleviate it with SoCal's only toll roads...I have had this trip take over FOUR hours on numerous occasions...

 

Often, I've tried to beat it by taking the 210 clear over to Azusa/Glendora to pick up the 57 to the 71 to cut over in Corona to the 15...It's going WAY out of the way, but actually saves time, believe it or not...except there is a bottleneck where the 71 narrows down to a single lane as it approaches Corona...

 

AND, aside from the traffic and timing, there is no question the drive to Santa Barbara is far more scenic...and to get even nicer, there is the option of driving up PCH through Malibu...

 

Yes, I agree there is more to do in San Diego...but the traffic and drive time is NOT in San Diego's favor...

[hommebronze]

I VOTE FOR THE LA JOLLA B & B

 

http://www.innlajolla.com/?source=google.com&gclid=CJbnldP8sIoCFRdLYQodKRqkrg

 

2 blocks from ocean, seals, coastal walks and you are in la jolla village with great restaurants for methinks a very romantic and interesting 2 days!!

 

ralph from san diego

 

My husband and I have 2 days to spend in California in August. We are in our 40's with no kids. We would like to stay at a nice bed and breakfast or local inn see some nature sites.

 

Santa Barbara

 

or

 

San Diego?

[Splinter]

Steve, I have driven to Santa Barbara on the 5 and 405, and on the 101, on a Saturday, and done most of the trip from LA to Ventura at no more than 10 MPH...and that was on a Saturday!! LA to San Diego on a Friday night can be bad, but rarely on a mid-day Saturday or Sunday afternoon does Redondo Beach to Mission Valley take me more than 2 hours. No comparison.

[Musicman1024]

I grew up in Santa Barbara and go back there almost every weekend, and during the week. The traffic into Santa Barbara from Ventura is miserable in the mornings during the weekdays and in the afternoons going back.

 

On the weekends, it's best to avoid coming into SB Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons going back to LA. It's 30 miles between SB and Ventura, and it's taken me up to 1 1/2 hours to drive that distance. The long-term problem has been the 2 lane highways going in and out of SB and the steadfast resistance of the locals to expand the freeways.

 

In response to the OP, as others have said, both locations are fantastic and no matter which you choose, you can't go wrong. IMO, San Diego needs more than 2 days to take it in.

[brown9340]

Thanks everyone for your help. I will have to think it over and read some travel guides.

 

I realize that 2 days is not very much time but that is all we have time for. Better 2 days than none at all.

 

Steve

[MissKise]

We love to go to both of these cities often. And the above posts are very true.

 

If I had the two days, my choice would be San Diego, and focus on the La Jolla coves (you can kayak), the tide pools, the beaches and even the drive up the old Hwy 1 through the older beach cities. You can pull over and take photos when you want, find a nice deli and get some lunch to eat on the beach, stop by the campgrounds on the bluffs (San Elijo and South Carlsbad) and stroll on the beach. We like to find a bluff view and watch for the dolphins to swim by, just outside the waves breaking. Or watch the pelicans glide over the surf. San Diego also has Old Town, Gas Lamp District, and the trolly system can take you all around. Old Town has an orange trolly that can give you a tour of the sites around the city and let you pick where you would like to go see more.

 

I know you don't want to do crowds, but the Balboa parks museums are amazing as it the San Diego Zoo.

 

Santa Barbara does have a small natural museum that you could enjoy. The mission is historic and there is a small place to eat that was an old stage coach stop up in the hills. Santa Barbara is not known for the beaches, and is much more laid back. You can stroll State Street, they also have a small zoo, and relax after your cruise.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

I can go every week to Santa Barbara and enjoy the atmosphere. The beach is beautiful - State Street fun to watch; Montecito charming. Solvang/The Wine Country terrific. Lake Casitas beautiful too. The drive to Santa Barbara is far preferable in my opinion. 75 minutes north of the San Fernando Valley. People commute from Thousand Oaks area all the time. And the drive north of Ventura through Mussel Shoals/Carpenteria very pretty.

 

San Diego has a lot to do to but it's more urban and touristy. Seaport Village, Balboa Park, the Trolley to Tijuana (not a choice place to visit, imho). The drive can take a long time.

 

The Amtrak actually can be an alternative to either San Diego or Santa Barbara based on timing as well.

 

Have you spent any time on Los Angeles, before discounting LA? I have lived here all my life and there are some great places here to visit