RELAXATION, ELEVATED
There are few things more delightful than relaxing outside on a sunny day or warm evening, preferably on a rooftop terrace with views for miles — and a well-chilled drink in hand. Of course, there are plenty of glorious rooftop lounges in NorCal, but Sout
Just a few blocks from the beach, Santa Barbara’s new Hotel Californian captures Spanish and Moorish design inspiration.
Sunny Santa Barbara
Fancied-up camping is a whole other thing in L.A., where the city’s first urban glamping tent is set atop the iconic Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills.
The eagerly awaited and oh-so-glitzy Hotel Californian is up and running at last, and its location near Santa Barbara’s Stearns Wharf makes for some pretty epic seaside views from the rooftop pool and event deck. The views in other directions are superb, too, from the Spanish-style cityscape to the stunning Santa Ynez Mountains. It’s no wonder this booming beach town is known as the American Riviera.
The hotel, which made Conde Nast Traveler’s “hot list” and Travel+Leisure’s “it list” for 2018, spans three buildings in this popular part of Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone. The interiors are by award-winning designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard, who also did Laguna Beach’s historic Casa Laguna. That means you’ll see lots of cool tile work, interesting art pieces and vibrant pops of color throughout the property — if you can ever leave that roof.
Not a Hotel Californian guest, but still want to soak up those views? Head across the street to MOXI, an innovative, experiential, family-friendly museum that offers interactive science and music exhibits, pop-up performances and a Sky Garden. Up on the rooftop, you’ll find a lookout tower with five observation lenses, an interactive water-andArchimedes screw feature called Whitewater, and a solar, wind and human-powered Weather Orchestra. The clear glass Sky Deck offers views of the room below, as well as 365-degree ocean and mountain vistas.
DETAILS >> Hotel Californian, 36 State St., Santa Barbara; www.thehotelcalifornian.com. MOXI, the Wolf Museum of Exploration and Innovation, is open daily at 125 State St.; www.moxi.org