FROM THE DESK OF SENATOR LONG
This will be the third and last installment discussing the Long’s family vacation, which was in Southern California this past summer. The first article covered Los Angeles, the second discussed L.A., San Diego, and Tijuana, Mexico. This article will cover Santa Barbara, Hearst Castle, and Big Sur.
Santa Barbara is about a 90-minute drive north of L.A. Many people consider it the best location in California to live, because the climate is ideal, the geography unsurpassed, and the population and traffic, for California standards, is quite tolerable.
Let’s start with the terrain; the mountains are beautiful, vertical, and rise very close to the coastline. The beaches are among the best in California, and never seem to be over-run with people, as the L.A. and San Diego beaches often do. If you wanted to find the perfect place to live, with the best view in the world of the mountains and the ocean, this would be the place. Apparently, Oprah Winfrey thinks so, because she purchased one of the greatest parcels of property in California right in the Santa Barbara area for about $50 million dollars. Her property has that unbelievable combination of the mountains and the ocean, all on a mere 30 acres of prime real estate. Not bad, if you can afford it. Which of course, few can because the Santa Barbara area is also the most expensive place to live in California. Many stars have their permanent homes here, so you can often come across a “power meeting” at one of the many chic restaurants in the area.
My favorite part of Santa Barbara, apart from the beauty of the area, is the downtown shopping district. The downtown area has retained its Spanish heritage and flavor through zoning and architectural controls, so you have a thematic, Mediterranean look to the entire place. More importantly, they have built one of the great shopping areas in the country here, with block upon block of top stores, all located in an outdoor mall setting right along Main Street. Pedestrian walking areas weave in and out off the Main Street, with fountains, tile walkways, and great restaurants. The area is so interesting that cruise ships are starting to dock in the Santa Barbara harbor to allow passengers to shop in the downtown area.
The last thing to mention about Santa Barbara is its proximity to the new capital of Chardonnay wines. Thousands upon thousands of acres of former cattle ranches have been transformed into vineyards in the dry inland regions just north and west of Santa Barbara. They make some great red wines as well, creating a wonderful setting for wine tasting, and another fun tourist attraction for those lucky enough to visit this great area.
About two hours north of Santa Barbara is Hearst Castle, the incredible home of newspaper giant William Randolph Hearst, who was one of the most powerful and influential men of the ’20s and ’30s. Here, high atop the coastal mountains, Hearst built what is truly the greatest residence in America, if not the world. He painstakingly transferred entire rooms from castles in Europe to his own castle, taking many years and spending absurd amounts of money to achieve his vision. What resulted was a massive, ornate, one of a kind residence with a fabulous view of the coastline as well as the hills and mountains behind, all of which Hearst owned. The castle also boasted the world’s first outdoor heated pool, which was also the largest pool, at that time, on the globe. Many of the world’s greatest stars and dignitaries stayed there, some fairly regularly. Cary Grant spent many weekends at the castle, as did Douglas Fairbanks, Jimmy Stewart, Greta Garbo, Katharine Hepburn, etc., etc. Numerous kings and queens, top business leaders, and even Presidents traveled to this out of the way place to visit.
Hearst Castle is now a state-run park and museum, with various two-hour, half-day and full-day tours available. There is a fee to get in, and it requires a twenty-minute bus ride up the mountain from the visitors center below in order to visit the castle. But it is well worth it, because I guarantee you there is no place else like it in our country.
North of Hearst Castle begins the stretch of California coastline known as Big Sur. From here, for about 100 miles to Carmel and Pebble Beach, is the most beautiful stretch of coastline in the continental U.S. Rugged cliffs, large rock formations in the ocean, all amongst pine trees, seals and sea otters, creates an impossible picturesque area that justifies its reputation for its raw and powerful beauty. Traversing the coast is also one of the better white knuckle drives you will undertake, with the road constantly weaving back and forth, up and down along a thin ribbon of roadway that clings to the cliffs known as Highway 1.
We stayed at a place known as the Big Sur Lodge, located about an hour south of Carmel, which was perfect for our family. Located deep in the woods, it had a number of cabins surrounding a pool, and a great lodge with a good restaurant. Most importantly, we were also within walking distance of some great hikes. Our favorite hike was along the Big Sur River, through a long stretch of woods that emerged suddenly onto a nearly deserted beach where the river flowed into the ocean. The river flowed at a good pace through a narrow slot right into a tranquil, beautiful cove. The view from the beach was breathtaking, as you could see miles down the southern Big Sur coastline, with numerous beaches impossible to get to from anywhere except from our location. Our kids were treated to a special, unique experience—just what we’d hoped. They loved it, and so will you, if you ever make the trip.
This was one of our favorite vacations, but also, it would appear, one of our last as a family. Our oldest heads for college next year, and with age comes responsibilities like jobs, girlfriends, and just life in general. We’ve enjoyed showing our boys the amazing natural wonders of our country, and if there is one piece of advice I could give to anyone raising children today, it is to take the time to travel with your children. They will never forget it, and you will never regret it. Both of our boys have said they fully intend to take their own families traveling around the country. You can’t get a better validation that you’ve done the right thing than when you hear that from your kids.
And for those people who are now empty nesters, you can take these trips yourselves. All you need is a sense of adventure and the will to get out of the comfort level of every day life. I hope you get the chance.
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