Springtime for Goleta
Let the Fun Begin!
During wintertime, and rainy season, we hibernate, like bears, in the depths of our caves.
Don’t get me wrong. I not only enjoy the rain, I also recognize its benefits: It was very much needed to replenish our water reserves and to tame our land’s thirst, particularly after soaring fires ate everything in their paths. Now the rainy season’s blessings are displayed in all the pretty shades of green in our mountains, the young leaves on the trees, the wildflowers, the smells of early spring on the California coast.
Spring also brings warmer weather and lengthening days. The time has come for all of us to leave our cozy nests, and enjoy all that our city has to offer—though after long weeks of going from home to work and straight back home, it feels like two days at the end of each week are not enough to enjoy our good land and relax!
What follows is a comprehensive list of fun activities to pursue in any season.
Family Activities:
- Bowling at Zodo’s
- Horseback riding
- Books, music, and story time at Borders Books and the Goleta Library
- Watching sports at UCSB and Dos Pueblos HS
- Camping at El Capitan and Refugio state beaches
- Enjoying an Easter egg hunt at Girsh Park
- Attending Summer Concert Series at El Capitan Canyon, Stow House, and Girsh Park
- Savoring the Lemon Festival
- Shopping at the Farmers Market on Thursdays on Calle Real, or Sundays at Camino Real Marketplace
- Having some ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery, or yogurt at Yo-Yo-Yum!
- Eating delicious pastries at Anna’s Bakery
- Taking an art class at Michael’s Arts & Craft
- Parents and babies: Catching a movie at 10 a.m. every first Tuesday of the month at the Fairview and Camino Real theaters
- Taking small hike at the Ellwood Bluff
- Riding the bike path between Goleta and Santa Barbara
- Admiring monarch butterflies at Ellwood Reserve
- Swimming in the ocean at Goleta Beach
- Building castles in the sand
- Going to UCSB’s Marine Science Institute’s touch tanks
- Learning about the history of Goleta at the Goleta Historical Society and the South Coast Railroad Museum
- Dining out at restaurants in Old Town Goleta, Fairview Shopping Center, and Camino Real Marketplace
- Shopping in those same areas
- Taking a day trip by train from Goleta to Carpinteria and spending the day there
- Swimming at the Olympic-size pools open to the public at UCSB
Especially for Children and Teens:
- Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts
- Girl’s Inc. after school
- Goleta Valley Community Center classes
- United Boys & Girls Clubs
- Isla Vista Teen Center
- Summer, spring, and winter camps
- School campuses for after-school classes including dance, martial arts, sports, music, gymnastics, and swimming
- Girsh Park for soccer, baseball, softball, basketball, and volleyball.
- Fairview Gardens for fresh produce, gardening, and cooking classes
- Stow Grove, Goleta Beach, and the Isla Vista for parks with playgrounds
- Lake Los Carneros for ducks to feed
Now, think about it. If anyone were to do one of these activities per month, it’d take them practically three years to do’em all. Not bad at all for a town our size.
Next time your children ask, “What are we doing today?” I’m sure you won’t be at a loss for ideas.
