May 29, 2026 • 9 mins
"Montecito makes for a fascinating short stay dabble, edging Santa Barbara and just a 90-minute drive from LA. Home to just over 8000 residents, Montecito is a pint-sized California enclave, but home to a horde of A-listers and a certain royal couple."
"Despite its A-list credentials, Montecito has retained its small-town vibe with understated glamour. It is calming, woodsy and charming, where soft coastal light meets mature oaks and sweeping mountain views—with glimpses of the ocean at every turn."
Read Mike's full article.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast
from news Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Mike Yardley's our travel corresponding Good morning sir.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Good morning Jack. Have you checked out the z B website.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
I check it out all the time. It's my homepage.
But what in particular are you looking at?
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Well, I don't know who has been doing the wizardry
design of Weight, but it's been given a refreshing and
it looks so good, so easy.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Yes, no, very good, it is.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
It is.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
It's looking very trendy. It should be relatively easy to
find everything from our show and latest news updates. But no,
it is. It doesn't look snappy. It looks modern, doesn't it. Yeah,
that's a great job. Yeah. Hey, you weren't at that
infamous Super AGPI final in the fog all those years ago,
were you?
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Well? No, I was at the original.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Original I was there. I was there in the stand.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Yes, yeah, I was there. That was a fabulous night.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
It was a fabulous night. Well, it was a difficult
game to watch for all involved. Yeah, amazing, yeah, amazing. Anyway,
it was I feel like a few Crusaders fans had
a you know, a bit of a data voo moment
last night.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Yeahof stadium, Yes it was.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Yeah, Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
But fireworks and a reef stadium is a weird sort
of concept, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
It is. I mean, I suppose that there must be
some sort of ventilation system, right there is.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Yeah, yes, you can see the fans and the roof
whizzing away. But it's a big call to try and
clear all of that smoke.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Yeah, yeah, it wasn't. It wasn't. It wasn't optimal anyway. Hey,
we're focusing on Montecito, California for travel sing them this week,
and this is home to a certain royal couple a right.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Indeed, Yes, this California coastal enclave is encrusted by celebrities
Jack obviously, Harry and Meghan come to mind. But yeah,
the little place of Montecito is only home to about
eight thousand residents. They are Horde of A listers, though
Oprah's been here for decades. And then she rubbed shoulders
with the likes of Gwyneth Poultrow and Jennifer Aniston and
(02:14):
Rob Lowe and Katy Perry. I didn't spot any stars
in the flesh, but I did see Katy Pierry's enormous gate,
a very stately, very shapely, yes, stone pillared front gate.
Very impressive.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Jack, Yeah, I would have thought there are some big gates.
This is definitely big gate Territori, isn't there. Yeah, you're
in the gate business. This is the place.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Yes, yeah, yeah, yes, indeed.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
So where should you like? It's quite like a beautiful area,
but like it's you say, it's on the coast, but
it's quite woods into l.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
A, Yeah it is. This is what I think makes
Montecito so charming, because even though the town itself has
a real small town vibe with a lot of understated glamour,
it's the natural surrounding that is so uplifting. So you
get this calmi woodsy charming, and then you get all
of the elements like the soft coastal light, mature oak trees,
(03:13):
sweeping mountain views, and wherever you go around Montecito you
seem to get a glimpse of the ocean at every turn,
so that the mountain ranges the center and theirs mountains,
and then Montecito sort of cascades its way down through
the foothills all the way down to the absurdly gorgeous
Butterfly Beach. I only recently went to this speech for
(03:34):
the first time Jack this year, and it is just incredible.
So they've got these teetering giant oak trees backing the
beach and they're sort of drunken in their posture, so
they cast enormous shade across the sand and it is
just the most gorgeous beach. Also a really interesting quirk,
(03:58):
it's got an east west orientation, so it's one of
the few places in California you can actually catch both
a sunset and and do sun rise over the ocean.
And it's also yeah, so I mean, obviously the sun
set is more impressive, but yeah, you still get that
some magic on the ocean as the as the sun
(04:19):
comes up each day. Harry reportedly heads down there every
week to take his dog for a run on the beach. Wow.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Okay, that's interesting, right. So if you're heading along Coastal
Village Road, what stands.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Out first of all Montecito And this is such a
stunning institution full of history. Jacket was opened by Charlie Chaplin.
So this is back in the day. We were talking
about Santa Barbara's movie history last week so Charlie and
his friends they decided to build a really grand hotel,
(04:51):
and it's still there today. Nearly a sentry on the
entire hotel is now decorated with Charlie Chaplin memorabilia, lots
of beautiful orchids and sleek leather furniture. It just sings
old Hollywood and then feudors down from hotel enjoy breakfast
at Janine's. So this is a real signature spot. Pink
(05:12):
umbrellas outside, snag one of those, and the oven fresh pastries.
It's very much a first come, first served sort of
set up and a great place to rub shoulders with
the locals. Oprah is a regular. Julia Child gave this
place her salib approval, and I was chatting to some
local diners jack over some very nice pastries, and they
(05:33):
all remarked how Montecito does not make a fuss over
the celebrities living there. They're never star struck. They just
treat them like anyone else. And interestingly, the PEPs the
pepperazzi do not ply their trade in Montecito. They just
find the drive ninety minutes from La too far. Really,
(05:54):
that's interesting, isn't that weird? Yah?
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Yeah, I thought you were going to say there was
like an on a code and I was like, I
didn't think that, paparazzi.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
You didn't really contend no no on a code.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
No no, okay in ninety minutes just far enough. So
Lucky's a big drawer.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Yeah. This is also on Coastal Village Road, so come nightfall,
this is like your old school steakhouse, but it's just
got so much personality. So lots of stars will dine
at Lucky's, and a lot of them are sort of
immortalized on their wars with all the photography. Are really
big hits with carnivales. This place prime cuts of meat, ice,
(06:31):
cold martinis, and I love how they've got red carpet
out on the sidewalk, permanently laid out, very lavish red carpet.
It is too but their seafoods and their salads are
really good. It's got a glittery reputation, but it's so
laid back and unpretentious at the same time, so you'll
just feel so at home and Luckies and they do
a really nice pepper corn stripped steak jack, which I
(06:55):
enjoyed with a side of hash browns with Groo year cheese.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Yes, Slimmer's choice. Eh, my gosh, oh yes, it sounds
like a better meato. What about the upper village.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Yeah, this is the heart of the mountain community, so
once again very charming. Lots of ritzy boutiques in quaint
cafes and specialty shops. I really liked Montecito Coffee Shop.
It's a really good purch for people watching. And then
just down the road, Oh, my goodness, our Lady of
Mount Carmel Church, this is such a treasure. It's from
(07:26):
the nineteenth century, old Hispanic style sort of mud brick,
absolutely drop dead gorgeous landmark. And yet that whole community,
particularly higher up in Monticito, the landscaping is just sublime.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
Yeah, fantastic.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Did you go to losus Land, Yes, this place it's
kind of like a botanical dreamscape. You feel like you've
sort of gone down a rabbit hole somewhere. It's just
this lavish thirty seven acre estate which was once home
to a Polish opera singer who became a rather passionate horticulturalist.
(08:04):
As you do so, Madame Wolska was her name. She
has curated this estate into the most amazing collection of gardens,
rare and endangered psycads, cacti, You've got whimsical Japanese gardens,
prehistoric ferneries. It is just gorgeous. And from there I
(08:27):
had to do a bit of hiking, and the higher
you go in Montecito, the better the hiking. I would
highly recommend the Cold Springs Trail. The name is very
much on the tin. You will get some very nice
calling springs. But yeah, those views from the top are
just extraordinary.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Any other tips from Monticito.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Yeah, Well, just finally, if you are like me, into
your celebrity lad in history, go to Center Sidro Ranch.
This is a hotel, but you don't have to necessarily
stay there to enjoy it. But the history at this
place is amazing. Jack this is where JFK and Jackie
spent the honeymoon back in the day, so many celebrities
(09:11):
swown over this place. Churchill stayed at Center a Cedro Ranch.
But the thing about it is the restaurant, the stone House.
So this was built in the nineteenth century as a
citrus packing house and it's not exorbitant to dine at
the stone House. The Dungeoness crabcakes or what to go
(09:31):
for and the coolest thing of all, You never know
who might be seated across at the next table from you.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
It says great, I've never been. I would love to.
It sounds really really interesting and like a beautiful spot
as well. So thank you Mike for Mike Insights and
snooping and snacking in Montecito. You can go to Newstalk's
headb dot Cod and his edits. Mike notes it's a
beautiful looking new website, so make sure you go and
check it
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Out for more From Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, listen
live to News Talks dB from nine am Saturday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast
from news Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Mike Yardley's our travel corresponding Good morning sir.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Good morning Jack. Have you checked out the z B website.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
I check it out all the time. It's my homepage.
But what in particular are you looking at?
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Well, I don't know who has been doing the wizardry
design of Weight, but it's been given a refreshing and
it looks so good, so easy.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Yes, no, very good, it is.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
It is.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
It's looking very trendy. It should be relatively easy to
find everything from our show and latest news updates. But no,
it is. It doesn't look snappy. It looks modern, doesn't it. Yeah,
that's a great job. Yeah. Hey, you weren't at that
infamous Super AGPI final in the fog all those years ago,
were you?
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Well? No, I was at the original.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Original I was there. I was there in the stand.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Yes, yeah, I was there. That was a fabulous night.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
It was a fabulous night. Well, it was a difficult
game to watch for all involved. Yeah, amazing, yeah, amazing. Anyway,
it was I feel like a few Crusaders fans had
a you know, a bit of a data voo moment
last night.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Yeahof stadium, Yes it was.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Yeah, Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
But fireworks and a reef stadium is a weird sort
of concept, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
It is. I mean, I suppose that there must be
some sort of ventilation system, right there is.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Yeah, yes, you can see the fans and the roof
whizzing away. But it's a big call to try and
clear all of that smoke.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Yeah, yeah, it wasn't. It wasn't. It wasn't optimal anyway. Hey,
we're focusing on Montecito, California for travel sing them this week,
and this is home to a certain royal couple a right.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Indeed, Yes, this California coastal enclave is encrusted by celebrities
Jack obviously, Harry and Meghan come to mind. But yeah,
the little place of Montecito is only home to about
eight thousand residents. They are Horde of A listers, though
Oprah's been here for decades. And then she rubbed shoulders
with the likes of Gwyneth Poultrow and Jennifer Aniston and
(02:14):
Rob Lowe and Katy Perry. I didn't spot any stars
in the flesh, but I did see Katy Pierry's enormous gate,
a very stately, very shapely, yes, stone pillared front gate.
Very impressive.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Jack, Yeah, I would have thought there are some big gates.
This is definitely big gate Territori, isn't there. Yeah, you're
in the gate business. This is the place.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Yes, yeah, yeah, yes, indeed.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
So where should you like? It's quite like a beautiful area,
but like it's you say, it's on the coast, but
it's quite woods into l.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
A, Yeah it is. This is what I think makes
Montecito so charming, because even though the town itself has
a real small town vibe with a lot of understated glamour,
it's the natural surrounding that is so uplifting. So you
get this calmi woodsy charming, and then you get all
of the elements like the soft coastal light, mature oak trees,
(03:13):
sweeping mountain views, and wherever you go around Montecito you
seem to get a glimpse of the ocean at every turn,
so that the mountain ranges the center and theirs mountains,
and then Montecito sort of cascades its way down through
the foothills all the way down to the absurdly gorgeous
Butterfly Beach. I only recently went to this speech for
(03:34):
the first time Jack this year, and it is just incredible.
So they've got these teetering giant oak trees backing the
beach and they're sort of drunken in their posture, so
they cast enormous shade across the sand and it is
just the most gorgeous beach. Also a really interesting quirk,
(03:58):
it's got an east west orientation, so it's one of
the few places in California you can actually catch both
a sunset and and do sun rise over the ocean.
And it's also yeah, so I mean, obviously the sun
set is more impressive, but yeah, you still get that
some magic on the ocean as the as the sun
(04:19):
comes up each day. Harry reportedly heads down there every
week to take his dog for a run on the beach. Wow.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Okay, that's interesting, right. So if you're heading along Coastal
Village Road, what stands.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Out first of all Montecito And this is such a
stunning institution full of history. Jacket was opened by Charlie Chaplin.
So this is back in the day. We were talking
about Santa Barbara's movie history last week so Charlie and
his friends they decided to build a really grand hotel,
(04:51):
and it's still there today. Nearly a sentry on the
entire hotel is now decorated with Charlie Chaplin memorabilia, lots
of beautiful orchids and sleek leather furniture. It just sings
old Hollywood and then feudors down from hotel enjoy breakfast
at Janine's. So this is a real signature spot. Pink
(05:12):
umbrellas outside, snag one of those, and the oven fresh pastries.
It's very much a first come, first served sort of
set up and a great place to rub shoulders with
the locals. Oprah is a regular. Julia Child gave this
place her salib approval, and I was chatting to some
local diners jack over some very nice pastries, and they
(05:33):
all remarked how Montecito does not make a fuss over
the celebrities living there. They're never star struck. They just
treat them like anyone else. And interestingly, the PEPs the
pepperazzi do not ply their trade in Montecito. They just
find the drive ninety minutes from La too far. Really,
(05:54):
that's interesting, isn't that weird? Yah?
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Yeah, I thought you were going to say there was
like an on a code and I was like, I
didn't think that, paparazzi.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
You didn't really contend no no on a code.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
No no, okay in ninety minutes just far enough. So
Lucky's a big drawer.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Yeah. This is also on Coastal Village Road, so come nightfall,
this is like your old school steakhouse, but it's just
got so much personality. So lots of stars will dine
at Lucky's, and a lot of them are sort of
immortalized on their wars with all the photography. Are really
big hits with carnivales. This place prime cuts of meat, ice,
(06:31):
cold martinis, and I love how they've got red carpet
out on the sidewalk, permanently laid out, very lavish red carpet.
It is too but their seafoods and their salads are
really good. It's got a glittery reputation, but it's so
laid back and unpretentious at the same time, so you'll
just feel so at home and Luckies and they do
a really nice pepper corn stripped steak jack, which I
(06:55):
enjoyed with a side of hash browns with Groo year cheese.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Yes, Slimmer's choice. Eh, my gosh, oh yes, it sounds
like a better meato. What about the upper village.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Yeah, this is the heart of the mountain community, so
once again very charming. Lots of ritzy boutiques in quaint
cafes and specialty shops. I really liked Montecito Coffee Shop.
It's a really good purch for people watching. And then
just down the road, Oh, my goodness, our Lady of
Mount Carmel Church, this is such a treasure. It's from
(07:26):
the nineteenth century, old Hispanic style sort of mud brick,
absolutely drop dead gorgeous landmark. And yet that whole community,
particularly higher up in Monticito, the landscaping is just sublime.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
Yeah, fantastic.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Did you go to losus Land, Yes, this place it's
kind of like a botanical dreamscape. You feel like you've
sort of gone down a rabbit hole somewhere. It's just
this lavish thirty seven acre estate which was once home
to a Polish opera singer who became a rather passionate horticulturalist.
(08:04):
As you do so, Madame Wolska was her name. She
has curated this estate into the most amazing collection of gardens,
rare and endangered psycads, cacti, You've got whimsical Japanese gardens,
prehistoric ferneries. It is just gorgeous. And from there I
(08:27):
had to do a bit of hiking, and the higher
you go in Montecito, the better the hiking. I would
highly recommend the Cold Springs Trail. The name is very
much on the tin. You will get some very nice
calling springs. But yeah, those views from the top are
just extraordinary.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Any other tips from Monticito.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Yeah, Well, just finally, if you are like me, into
your celebrity lad in history, go to Center Sidro Ranch.
This is a hotel, but you don't have to necessarily
stay there to enjoy it. But the history at this
place is amazing. Jack this is where JFK and Jackie
spent the honeymoon back in the day, so many celebrities
(09:11):
swown over this place. Churchill stayed at Center a Cedro Ranch.
But the thing about it is the restaurant, the stone House.
So this was built in the nineteenth century as a
citrus packing house and it's not exorbitant to dine at
the stone House. The Dungeoness crabcakes or what to go
(09:31):
for and the coolest thing of all, You never know
who might be seated across at the next table from you.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
It says great, I've never been. I would love to.
It sounds really really interesting and like a beautiful spot
as well. So thank you Mike for Mike Insights and
snooping and snacking in Montecito. You can go to Newstalk's
headb dot Cod and his edits. Mike notes it's a
beautiful looking new website, so make sure you go and
check it
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Out for more From Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, listen
live to News Talks dB from nine am Saturday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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