Sunset Stop Heading North from Santa Barbara on the 101

El Capitan Canyon is a gorgeous collection of permanent tents, yurts and cabins located across the highway from El Capitan State Beach and its campground. It's also the perfect place to ease your friends or loved ones into the world of camping. We all have that special person in our life who we're dying to take camping but who isn't quite ready to sleep on the ground. Spending a weekend in one...

The campground here is extremely well developed and tightly run (for better or worse). The sites afford very little privacy: I recommend looking for the "Prime" campsites along the bluff, or choosing a weekday. If you can afford to spend a little extra, the park offers yurt rentals, which have the best views, decks with deckchairs, and beds with mattresses...not too rustic, but something I'd lo...

One of the many hidden gems near Santa Barbara, Knapp's Castle is an abandoned home built in 1916 by George Knapp. Finding the trailhead can be difficult because it's not clearly marked and the road it's starts from is long, winding and narrow. Coming from the 154, turn right on East Camino Cielo and drive three miles east to a small pullout on the right hand side of the road. Across from the p...

Santa Barbara is known for its incredible terrain. Paragliding at Elings Park is an amazing way to take in the gorgeous local scenery from an entirely new perspective. You’ll get your blood and adrenaline pumping as you challenge yourself to try something new under the watchful, expert eyes of the Eagle Paragliding crew. Make sure you arrive with all the appropriate gear and a can-do attitude. ...

Hike up the 3.5 mile trail to an unbeatable vista that will leave you smiling! This hike has a steady uphill climb from the trailhead off of Tunnel Rd into Los Padres National Forest. Keep in mind this trail can get pretty crowded on weekends, so you're best to be at the trail early in the morning or toward the end of the day (don't forget your headlamp!). Keep in mind there isn't much shade on...

Tunnel Trail is a great way to get to the top of La Cumbre Peak. You get to the trailhead by taking Tunnel Road until it dead ends at a large water tower, there you can park your car and start on foot. You take Spyglass Ridge Road up which is a paved fire road until it becomes dirt when you get onto the tunnel trail. About three and a half miles after turning into the tunnel trail you will find...