Montecito Family Travel:
We just returned from several days in Montecito, California. It was just as beautiful and relaxed and magical as I hoped it would be. Montecito is a very small town, quiet and perfect for a getaway with children. I imagine that it’s also divine for a romantic weekend, but we found it to be really easy to navigate with kids and a stroller.
We had back to back California trips planned, SoCal for 4 days, home for 5 and then back for a weekend event in Montecito. Then Ice storms hit Nashville and our flight home was delayed so we decided to stay through. Josh took some extra meetings in LA and then we drove up the coast for a few days at the beach. We spend a lot of time in Los Angeles for film work, so a change of scenery sounded perfect. I had a hotel reservation for the weekend but in the meantime we wanted to find a beach bungalow within walking distance of coffee and sand (this is almost always my criteria.) I’m happy to report that we found both!
Things to do in Montecito with kids:
As I mentioned, Montecito was pretty kid friendly. We booked an Airbnb that had a bunk bed, crib and even some beach toys. We stayed in most mornings for a cozy breakfast and then walked into town for a second coffee, pastries and shopping. There’s a tunnel downtown that takes you under the highway and pops you out close to the beach, it also has a ramp for strollers.
We went to Butterfly Beach twice and it was so lovely. Lots of sand and space to run and play. I’m always looking for sea glass and I found some right away.
We met a kind fisherman on the beach who let Hugo reel in some catches. He also told us about taking the ferry over to the Channel Islands. He said it’s pretty rustic on the other side and I wasn’t so sure about taking the baby for a boat ride and then being a deserted island. Ultimately we didnt have time it this trip, but I would love to go when the boys are older!
Montecito Family Travel: Gluten Free
After we checked into our Airbnb I ordered DoorDash from Tamar in Santa Barbara. The food here was delicious and I ordered a family pack that was so big that we had leftovers for several meals (I highly recommend doing this is you’re staying in a house.) Later that afternoon we drove to Santa Barbara and stopped Trader Joe’s for groceries. There are wonderful farmers markets in both Montecito and Santa Barbara but we didn’t get to them this time.
This is a gluten free Los Angeles recommendation, but if you’re any where near LA you must check out Modern Bread and Bagel! I placed an order and had it delivered to my hotel before we left for Montecito. Josh and I first discovered them in NYC and I was delighted to see a location so close to where we were staying. I ordered a few bagels, pastries and a focaccia and they were perfect for us to enjoy over the weekend. You’d better believe that I toted my little bag all the way up the coast! (Modern Bread and Bagel ships nationwide. And makes such a fun treat for yourself or your favorite gluten free person.)
We kicked off our Saturday with an early breakfast at home and then went on a walk in search of more coffee and the beach. A quick walk later and after stopping at a few of the adorable downtown Montecito shops, we arrived at Lilac Montecito. Everything on their menu is gluten free and we ordered pastries and coffee to go at the counter. It was divine! If we’d had time, I would have gone back for dinner.
We also stopped for dinner at Los Arroyos one of the nights and had a great Mexican meal. It was walking distance from our house and was a quiet spot to have dinner on the patio.
The Honor Market was our go-to coffee shop for the few days that we were in town.
Montecito Family Travel: AirBnB
We arrived at our AirBnB in the early afternoon. It was the most magical spot! I was looking for a bungalow within walking distance to downtown (coffee!) and the beach and this was it. This house is owned by a design firm, so it was perfectly decorated! We felt like we were our own little world with our private patio and gorgrous landscaping. We kept the windows and doors open most days while we soaked up the California sunshine. It was perfect timing for us, we needed a few days to reset after LA and having a kitchen and laundry is so helpful when traveling as a family.
I highly recommend this house. The owners were so kind and helpful and they thought of every detail. It was spotless and organized. It also had a bunkbed with a tent over it which was a highlight for Hugo. They even dropped off a crib when they found out we were traveling with a baby.
I loved the kitchen and was delighted to see it was so well stocked. I was taking notes the whole time! I’m obsessed with this Le Cruset pan and these bowls (in color Soleil which has been discontinued, Nectar is their new yellow and it is so cheerful!)
Montecito was our home base for two of the days as we drove to Santa Clarita to spend time with friends and family. We also spent one day at Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley. They were great day trips!
We did not make it to Montecito Country Mart (I love to visit Brentwood Country Mart when I’m in LA) and there were so many cute cafe’s and shops that I just didn’t have time for. We are all hoping that this trip was the first of many.
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