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NewlyNested: Palm Springs Vs. Santa Barbara

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a blogumn by Debra Goykhman
Santa Barbara Photo Credit: Toby Keller

Santa Barbara Photo Credit: Toby Keller

This spring my husband will be coming off of a project and will have some time to take a vacation.  Therefore, over the last month I have been spending several hours dreaming about where to go.  I’ve looked through my favorite sites like travelzoo.com and luxurylink.com to plan possible trips to Italy, France, Australia and Hawaii!  However, I’m not going to any of those places, because we just recently became homeowners.

So this spring we have decided to treat ourselves to central air instead of a vacation.  Still he’s going to take time off and I could use some time away from home.  I love working from home, but I get a “cooped up” feeling.  My solution is to revisit the weekend getaway.

Now that I consider myself to be a California girl it’s time for me to see more than just Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sonoma or San Diego.  I’ve lived in California for almost 3 years and I have spent way more weekends escaping to Las Vegas than any of the treasures that California has to offer.

Palm Springs Photo Credit: Talke Photography

Palm Springs Photo Credit: Talke Photography

Now it’s time for me to take time to see Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, and all the other nooks California has to offer.  For my first California getaway I don’t want to drive more than 3 hours from my Carlsbad home, so my debate is between Palm Springs or Santa Barbara.

One of my problems when picking a vacation getaway is that I married the opposite type of vacationer (something I learned on my honeymoon).  My husband loves to be active and I love to lounge, eat and drink.  My vacation can happen anywhere that is warm with a pool and my husband’s vacation requires a little more research.

The pros to both Santa Barbara and Palm Springs is that they both offer hiking, but which is better?  Palm Springs gives me my relaxing pool setting, plus I hear the weather is perfect in the spring.  Santa Barbara will probably be cooler, but there are also beaches and wineries.   I hear that Santa Barbara is younger and hipper and that Palm Springs is older, like retirement old.  But then there is the JW Marriot Palm Springs, a resort that my friend (who knows me very well) told me about.  I could lay around that place for days and be entertained.  I just don’t know if my husband would be as happy.  What do you think? Santa Barbara or Palm Springs.