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EAT, DRINK & PLAY - GET OUT OF TOWN
Santa Barbara is famous for many things: luxurious resorts, fine dining, distinctive wine country, expensive real estate, inviting beaches, high-profile zoo. OK, maybe not the last one. The Santa Barbara Zoo is overshadowed by the area's other attractions. And it's nowhere near as large as its more famous cousins in Los Angeles and San Diego. But those two things make it a destination that's sure to please parents and kids alike.
There is a question I can't answer: Why is a weekend spent camping at Jalama Beach so relaxing? I've tested countless theories over several research-intensive weekends, and with Memorial Day (which officially kicks off the camping season) right around the corner, now is the perfect time to share my findings.
You don't have to go far in Southern California to find yourself in a far-away country, or even on a different planet. We live in the world's largest movie studio back lot and familiar locations are constantly changing costumes to take on different roles. If there were Oscars for such a thing, Malibu Creek State Park, formerly owned by Twentieth-Century Fox, would certainly deserve one. Its varied terrain was Tarzan's domain in the 1930s, was ruled by primates in the "Planet of the Apes" movies, and stood in for Korea on the "M*A*S*H" television series.
Solitude can be hard to find in our wild places amidst noisy shuttle busses, RV parks and souvenir stands. Separating yourself from the crowds is not impossible, however. An hour in the car coupled with another hour on a boat can get you away from the masses to Channel Islands National Park, one of the most spectacular yet uncrowded of the almost 400 national parks in the United States.
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