Hotel at a Glance: Rancho Oso Camping Resort

Even though it’s only a half-hour drive from downtown Santa Barbara, Rancho Oso feels worlds away from city living. Bordering the Santa Ynez River, which snakes through Los Padres National Forest, the 310-acre campground resort is beset by Wild West scenery and an abundance of outdoor activities like horseback riding and hiking. While the types of accommodation range from conventional to novelty, all guests can partake in communal events and entertainment, or gather around a campfire at night with their travel companions.

• Since 1845: The ranch dates back to the era of Gold Rush pioneers, which lends it an immersive, historical quality.
• Activities abound, keeping kids and adults entertained with bouts of volleyball, basketball, billiards, and badminton.
• Don’t skip Solvang, a town about 25 miles west of the park, which bears the marks of its Danish heritage with windmills and pastry shops.

Santa Barbara, California: Charming Beachfront Town Nicknamed “The American Riviera”

The sprawling 400-mile stretch of California coastline between San Francisco and Los Angeles is freckled with scenic, laid-back beach towns. Yet Santa Barbara stands out among the pack, thanks to its prime location: it’s sandwiched between Pacific beaches to the west and the Santa Ynez Mountains to the east. With a population of 90,000, it’s urban, but not overly so—the charming downtown corridor along State Street is a steady parade of mom-and-pop shops, cafes, bars, art galleries, and movie theaters.

A subtle Mediterranean influence graces most buildings: think red-tile roofs, stucco facades, and Moorish-style arches. The climate is breezy and warm year-round, providing an environment for lush tropical foliage to thrive; it’s easy to see why the city bills itself as “The American Riviera.”

To see where it all started, head to the historic Old Mission Santa Barbara, founded in 1786 by a Franciscan friar. Docents offer guided tours of the mission, which houses an art gallery, Native American artifacts, and period furniture. Around the corner, Mission Canyon is a popular trailhead for several hikes in the front range of the Santa Ynez Mountains. Try the 3.5-mile round-trip trek to Inspiration Point for scenic views of the Santa Barbara coastline and the Channel Islands off the coast.

Love to travel? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for travel tips, inspiration, and photos from around the world.