Livin in LA - Vacation in Summerland

Before visiting, the only thing that M&F knew about Summerland is that the place has an awesome name, and it is the title of an Everclear song.  After visiting, M&F can attest that Summerland lives up to its awesome name.

Summerland is an hour and a half drive north of Los Angeles.  The city of Summerland, and there isn't much of one, sits nestled into little cove a few miles south of Santa Barbara.

What Summerland can offer is the opportunity to live the good life.  Summerland has gorgeous scenery, rolling hills, and a beautiful public beach.  It feels like life moves slower here, and that's a good thing.  Everyone we met while visiting was more than nice, and the people looked fulfilled with their lives.  It is easy to see why people are happy when they are living in paradise.

As far as street art and graffiti, we did catch some random stickers, tags and buff marks but there didn't seem to be much of a 'scene' in Summerland, which is not surprising for a place so small, and so scenic.

Enjoy M&F's day long vacation to Summerland below!

^A view of California's gorgeous coastline perched above Summerland.  This view stretches out approximately 50 miles and the mountains in the far background are the mountains above Malibu.

^Here is the intersection at the center of Summerland's 'downtown'.  Not even a stop light.

^The theme of Summerland seems to be 'Old West', like The Nugget located in the town's main strip.

^M&F ate lunch at Stackey's Seafood.  The entire restaurant is shaped like a boat.  The food was expensive, but good.  A double burger cost $8.50--and fries were extra.  The burger was good.  Don't know if it is quite worth what it cost, but there aren't a lot of options in Summerland, and being a beach town, things do cost more.

^This is what a neighborhood in Summerland looks like.

^If you are driving up the coast along the 101, Summerland is an excellent spot to stop and visit the beach because the beach is right next to the freeway.  To access the beach, all you have to do is exit the 2nd Summerland exit (heading north), turn under it, and boom, there you are at the beach.

^Summerland's only Post Office had this mural next to it.  Interesting how the beach is portrayed.  Summerland was the first place in the Western Hemisphere to feature offshore oil drilling.  Thank goodness the beach doesn't look like the portrayal below.

^The parking lot for the Summerland Beach is at Lookout Park.  Dogs are welcome on the beach!

^This plaque pays tribute to the first oil rigs in the ocean in the Western Hemisphere.  Environmentalists might not think this moment worth commemorating, but it is does mark an amazing feat of technology.

^The plaque.

^Behind the plaque, a view of the ocean with the still visible oil rigs.  Not sure if these are still active, but they are lit up at night.