Our family went to the Santa Barbara Zoo on Labor Day---and let's just cut to the chase. If you were a zoo animal, you would think you had a pretty cushy life here. Sure, the enclosures aren't the most "natural", and there isn't a large variety of animals here---but the weather is always nice. That has to count for something!
Parents especially enjoy this zoo because it is sooo much more manageable than the amazing LA Zoo just 2 hours east. You can arrive at Santa Barbara Zoo by 9:30 AM and be finished by lunch. Without kids---in and out in 1 hour, I'd say! :)
After the zoo, we took a shuttle from the entrance of the zoo to the wharf. Just $.25 a person. Oh--and as if that weren't cheap enough--Jenna was free. We jumped into the nearest food joint on the wharf. I recommend Harbor Restaurant & LongBoards for beautiful views and good food--and the kids meal prices are nice (about $2.95 - $4.95). I thought the adult menu was pricey, but I happened to enjoy my Grilled Chicken BLT a lot!!
After dinner, we walked along the wharf and marveled at how entrepreneurial the homeless can be! I wish we had photos of them--but it just wasn't weird enough at the time. For future fundraising, take it from the pros....anchor a bedsheet to the sand (any floor will do), and put a large tupperware bowl of water in the middle with a "Make a Wish" sign nearby. People willingly throw out their good money to make it in the bowl!We saved our change for the shuttle to take us back to our car at the zoo. .
8 comments:
AAAhhhh.... I LOVE the Santa Barbara Zoo! What a treat! And yes, agreed. The views from the hill/lunch area are spectacular. I still contend, "If you can't live in Hawaii, you should live in Santa Barbara." (Of course, I didn't take a poll of homeless people there...different perspective?)
That is totally where we ate when were there a few weekends ago!! I loved it as well.
What great pictures. I want to go to Santa Barbara! You have such a beautiful family. :)
We too love the SB Zoo! Let's go together sometime. My favorite shots are the ones of the giraffes with the beach in the background. So "africa" don't you think? Never done the shuttle though. That is now on the list. Thank you for once again writing a new chapter in the official "how to tour California" book. (beautiful shot of the pier!)
I love blog posts of places I have been too. That is the best little zoo ever! Don't tell me you didn't go to the little aquatic hands on museum place on the wharf??? That is the BEST little find and entertainment for the whole family. Maybe you have been there already.
I love the picture of the wharf. I would love to put that as my header picture but that would not go with the genre of my blogging world.
We haven't been to the Santa Barbara Zoo in several years!! We need to go again some Saturday!! Our kids had youth conference at the SB Zoo a few times.
Susie, I totally enjoy reading your blog posts, so I have chosen you for an award. You can find it on my blog!!
Hey Susan,
Can't believe how grown up your girls are, I can't remember them little... They are all beautiful. Love the blog, hope to visit regularly.
Have a great week
Heather
I absolutely love the SB Zoo. We have taken all our kids there. I miss that. It was an escape for us when we needed it. Wow, that so far away now... sigh
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