Fess Parker

There are many excellent vacation destinations in California. In some instances, the ability to choose a particular city or region to visit can prove difficult. Again, there is so much choice to be found in the state of California, picking an individual vacation region may prove to be a lot harder than one would initially assume. Then again, when someone comes across a description of Santa Barbara, they will quickly look to book Santa Barbara hotel packages. Read Full Story

The blue expanse of the Pacific. Towering pine forests. The gleaming Santa Barbara sun, tempered by cool ocean breezes. This unparalleled setting is home to the San Ysidro Ranch , recently named “America’s Best Hotel” by Forbes Traveler Magazine. 800 of the world’s finest hotels were critiqued in a number of categories, including room quality, service, décor and cuisine. The historic hotel earns the top recognition with its unique pastoral ambience, superior amenities and attentive staff. Guests are welcomed to 500 acres of breathtaking gardens and natural forests that have year-round blooms, lily ponds, and miles of hiking trails. The picturesque retreat features a ... Read Full Story

Free admission with an RSVP or its $5 at the door. Saturday, May 10th 10am-5pm Fess Parker’s Double Tree Resort Grand Ballroom 633 East Cabrillo Blvd. Santa Barbara, CA 93103 Read Full Story

A monthly feature – reviews of wines that don’t need their own post, but are worth noting for one reason or another. Look for it on the final weekday of each month. • Fess Parker Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay 2006 ($28) : Classic California chardonnay toned down a notch, which means you can taste the pineapple fruit. • Domaine des Baumard Savennières 2004 ($20) : This is chenin blanc from the Loire, but more fruity than the usual steely, clean style. • Gordon Brothers Syrah 2006 ($20 ): If you want to spend this much on New World syrah, you can do a lot ... Read Full Story

More than 100 homes are now reported destroyed and over 2,500 acres burned. http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/11/14/california.fires/index.html Winds calmed down this morning which helped slow the spread of the fire. More than 500 firefighters are fighting the blaze. Hotels for those in need of a room: A. Canary Hotel - www.canarysantabarbara.com - (805) 884-0300 - 102 reviews B. Santa Barbara Biltmore Hotel - www.fourseasons.com - (805) 969-2261 - 115 reviews C. Harbor View Inn - www.harborviewinnsb.com - (805) 963-0780 - 192 reviews D. Fess Parker's Doubletree Resort Santa Barbara - www.doubletree.com - (805) 564-4333 - 176 reviews E. Upham Hotel - www.uphamhotel.com - (805) 962-0058 - 55 ... Read Full Story