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Air Force One Pavilion
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Historic Spanish Mission in Ventura
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Historic Spanish Mission in Santa Barbara
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Historic Spanish Mission in Ventura
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Santa Barbara Museum of Art
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Solvang
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Solvang Brewing Company
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Michael "Mike" L. Baird
View from San Miquel Island
By Staff Writers
The region’s campgrounds also offer unique activities, from zip lines to evening star talks and Bigfoot encounters, as well as rental accommodations ranging from covered wagons to furnished safari tents, tipis, yurts, park model cabins and cottages as well as classic Airstream trailers and “Canned Hams”
Southern California RVers looking for unique activities and attractions can find them in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
In addition to being the home of three historic Spanish missions in Ventura (www.sanbuenaventuramission.org); Santa Barbara (www.santabarbaramission.org) and Solvang (www.missionsantaines.org), the Santa Barbara-Ventura County region is the jumping off point for family friendly ocean kayaking tours of the Channel Islands Marine Sanctuary and National Park (http://www.nps.gov/chis/index.htm). The park has some of the clearest waters in California as well as more than 2,000 plant and animal species, 145 of which are found nowhere else on Earth.
Several companies offer guided kayaking tours into the caves and grottos of the Channel Islands, including Aquasports (www.islandkakayking.com); Channel Island Outfitters (www.channelislando.com); Channel Island Kayak Center (www.cikayak.com); Island Packers (www.islandpackers.com); and the Santa Barbara Adventure Company (www.sbadventureco.com).
“The kayaking tours of Santa Cruz Island and other islands in the Channel Islands chain are among the most unique outdoor activities in Southern California,” said Debbie Sipe, executive director of California Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds, which hosts an extensive travel planning website at Camp-California.com.
Other unique ocean activities between February and May include whale watching, which is provided by several companies, including the Sunset Kidd (www.sunsetkidd.com) and Condor Express (www.condorexpress.com).
The Santa Barbara Adventure Company also offers guided horseback riding trips as well as classes in rock climbing, surfing and stand up paddling.
RVers with an interest in history and culture will also find a diverse range of attractions in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, including:
The Air Force One Pavilion at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley: Exhibits include a presidential motorcade; the Marine One helicopter used by former President Johnson; and Air Force One jet that served as the airborne White House for seven U.S. presidents from Richard Nixon to George W. Bush. www.reaganfoundation.org
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art: One of Southern California’s finest art museums, it features more than 27,000 works of art spanning 5,000 years, including a significant collection of classical antiquities as well as American and European artwork of the 19th and 20th centuries, including the largest collection of Monet paintings of any gallery on the West Coast. www.sbma.net
The Danish-themed town of Solvang: This city’s sycamore- and pine tree-lined streets feature quaint restaurants and shops with imported European crafts as well as the Hans Christian Anderson Museum, which celebrates Denmark’s most famous writer, and the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art, which is dedicated to Danish culture. www.solvangusa.com
Many RVers are adding an even greater sense of history and adventure to their trips to Santa Barbara and Ventura counties by camping in a covered wagon, a tipi or a safari tent. “You don’t need camping equipment since several of the region’s campgrounds have rental accommodations ranging from vintage Airstream trailers and ‘Canned Hams’ to fully furnished park model cabins and cottages and yurts,” Sipe said.
Some campgrounds also offer unique onsite activities of their own, which makes them unique “base camps” for families as they explore the two county region.
Additional travel planning resources for Santa Barbara and Ventura counties are available at www.Camp-California.com, which includes listings of campgrounds that provide unique rental accommodations.