two trips to santa barbara

One of the first things that had me excited when Jesse and I decided to move to California was the idea of being able to visit (within reasonable driving distance) all sorts of new places that had previously felt so far away. Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and Napa Valley were all places that came to mind. Of course, now that I am here, there are so many more places that I am excited to visit, and one of those was Santa Barbara. Jesse and I went to Santa Barbara for our anniversary in January, and I went again this past weekend with girlfriends from college. It's only an hour and a half to two hours drive from Santa Monica, with stunning scenery the whole way. The town is really pleasant with lots of Spanish-style architecture situated in beautiful natural surroundings - the ocean to the west and rolling wine country to the east. Both trips were great. Although I like walking around the town, one of my favorite parts of both trips was having a picnic lunch at a winery in the Santa Ynez area.

The drive up the Pacific Coast Highway is truly lovely. It was definitely greener and more flowery this time than two months ago.

The historic courthouse in downtown.

The view from the courthouse tower across red tile roofs to the ocean.The inside of the chapel at the original fort.Nicole and Sarah wine-tasting at Gainey Vineyards.At Gainey Vineyards, where Nicole, Sarah, and I sat outside and ate a picnic lunch.At Buttonwood Winery in January. Sushi dinner in downtown Santa Barbara with Nicole and Sarah.