Hello Bloggineers. This is our Southern California day trip to Carpinteria, and we are going to show you the fun things you can do here.
Nestled from the Santa Ynez Mountains,
tiny Carpinteria is among SoCal's charming seaside towns.
And our first stop is Carpinteria State Beach.
This place offers a mile of beach for swimming, surf fishing, tide pool exploring, and camping.
Now we're doing the Junior Ranger program.
Once we complete this activity book, we will turn it in to receive a badge.
The Spanish name the area Carpinteria, meaning carpentry shop, because the Chumash tribe that lived here had a large seagoing canoe building enterprise.
We're taking a little walk to the Tomol Interpretive Play Area.
Brother, be careful climbing the hut.
I'm riding a dolphin!
[Brother] I'm going down the bumpy slide.
Now we're having lunch at the Worker Bee Cafe.
This is a cozy American daytime cafe for omelets, sandwiches, and old school shakes, plus a pet-friendly patio.
There's even a fun kids menu.
The best part is that this restaurant offers an intimate family feel where everyone knows each other.
I'm eating chicken fried steak with house fries and biscuit with gravy.
And Brother is having chocolate chip pancakes, and...
[Brother] Bacon. Which is very yummy.
My mom ordered a pumpkin waffle which was the special today while my dad got some French toast.
The chicken fried steak is very saucy. I like the gravy and meat itself is really juicy.
The French toast has vanilla and cinnamon on it. It's good.
And the house fries. The house fries, I love the seasoning.
Now I'm going to try my mom's pumpkin waffle. I've never had one before.
It's really unique and perfect for the season.
Good waffle that tastes like pumpkin.
[Brother] The pancake is very chocolatey, which means it is good!
I am so full I cannot eat another bite.
Brother gives this meal his signature thumbs up.
Our next stop is Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve.
This place offers a glimpse of the region's natural wonder.
[Mom] How cool. Is that a hawk?
Don't jam your toes, Brother.
It's time to cross the railroad. Remember to watch out for train.
[Brother] Choo-choo!
We found a plant that's like a dandelion.
Now we're hiking down to the beach.
Why is there a stop sign in the middle of the beach?
This is why there's a stop sign. Ready?
[Brother] I am going to run.
[Brother] Look! I found some seashells.
There are some interesting sea life in the tide pool.
We had a fun time exploring here.
Our next stop is the Carpinteria Valley Museum of History.
This place provides a fascinating glimpse into the valley's past.
The docent is showing us some toys that the kids used to play a long time ago.
Ahh! Creepy dolls!
Next we're learning about the Chumash Indians.
The docent is showing us how they lived, and Brother is picking up a piece of tar.
We also looked at exhibits of World War One, a giant quilt, and a miniature house.
Brother is playing with some hands-on exhibits.
We also got to see an old living room,
kitchen and
schoolhouse.
Ahh! More creepy dolls!
Let's head to the next location.
Now we are at Tar Pits Park.
No music.
This beachfront site features a series of rare natural asphalt lakes plus trails with ocean views.
[Brother] Gangnam Style.
Now we're going to turn in our Junior Ranger booklets to receive our badge.
Our next stop is Carpinteria Salt Marsh Nature Park.
Restored in the late 90s, this 15 acre park is one of the last and healthiest coastal wetlands along the SoCal coast.
More than 200 bird species have been documented in this teeming estuary.
[Brother] Can you lift me up?
We had a great time bird-watching here.
Our next stop is Chocolats du Cali Bressan.
The chocolates here have earned many worldwide accolades in magazines, brochures, and traveling guides.
We receive samples of the Bisous, but I don't want it because it has orange flavor.
But brother seemed to enjoy the piece of candy.
Lastly we're having dinner at Padaro Beach Grill.
This place offers great food, spectacular views, friendly service, and a family-style atmosphere.
Let's take a glimpse of the sun before it's set.
I'm having a pretzel burger. The bun is made of pretzel.
And sweet potato fries.
And Brother's eating...
[Brother] Croutons.
No, Brother's eating chicken tenders.
My mom ordered the BBQ chicken salad, and my dad got some fish tacos.
So my burger has barbeque sauce in it.
It tastes great.
And I like the idea of having the bun as pretzel, which is really unique.
I give this a double thumbs up.
And also I like the fire behind us.
That's great. And the view of the ocean.
Brother how are the chicken tenders?
[Brother] The outside is very crunchy and the chicken very juicy inside.
[Brother] Double thumbs up.
I really like to setting because you can see the beach and all the lights on the top.
And it really feels like you're in Hawaii.
We had a fun day in Carpinteria. Please hit the subscribe button and remember to like for your own adventure.