GETTING THE GETAWAY BUG... stuck in your craw can instantly lead you to the nearest screen, to research places to stay and things to do and that one restaurant your friend told you about, with the lemon risotto, the one that is escaping you, name-wise, at the moment. But not every destination's online HQ is set-up to handle those who've got the getaway bug, or at least handle in an easy-to-use manner. There's plenty to see on some famous sites, such as attractions and such, but getting to the meat -- er, lemon risotto, if you prefer -- of planning your two-nighter can involve a few wrong turns and mis-clicks. Thus it is always a pleasure to see beloved vacation spots play with the form and bubble up the attractive information -- beaches, bars, beds -- in such a way that the getaway bug is not only addressed, but met. Visit Santa Barbara has done just that, with an overhaul of their already usable site, meaning more American Riviera lovers can lay out all of their must-dos in faster fashion (fingers crossed). For when one gets that bug, the "let's leave Friday by 2 p.m." notion stuck in their craw, there's only one thing to do: Plan, with a capital P. You can start at the new site on the...
NEXT MONTH IN SANTA BARBARA... page. It's a nifty concept, one that takes the larger events calendar and shaves it down to a digestible four weeks. Top picks are listed in bold, with highlights given special play, too. There are fresh itineraries, in case you and your travel bud have no idea as to where to start on the planning front, and sb.Snapshots puts together a curtain of "I want to be there" photos, pics that include sailboats, oysters, surfers, bikes, views, and the red-tile-y stunners that are the building blocks of the burg. Haven't got the bug for a quick SB jaunt? A cruise around the site may goose you before you even go deep. Oh, dear Santa Barbara, you're always so getawayable, but with these new info paths into what you do best, that attribute has only increased.
