Santa Barbara Summer Festivals in Full Swing

Santa Barbara is approaching its climax for local summertime festivals with the upcoming Greek Festival and Old Spanish Days Fiesta. These two local festivals are annual events in the Santa Barbara area, where locals and visitors alike are encouraged to participate in the traditions and culinary experiences of the cultures that create the colorful heritage of Santa Barbara.

This year's 36th annual Greek Festival begins today on August 1st and 2nd, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Oak Park. Enjoy the music and dancing all day long, but the real center stage belongs to the delicious Greek cuisine- spanakopita, moussaka, souvlaki and gyros provide a delicious lunch or dinner for festival-goers. Don't forget to save room for dessert! Who could resist trays upon trays of baklava and other honeyed delicacies that will bring back the memories of warm nights in the Greek Islands.

Old Spanish Days reach even further back in Santa Barbara History...eighty-five years to be exact. The fiesta festival officially starts Wednesday, August 5th, but festivities begin August 1st with El Fandango Dinner and Dancing, and the Flower Girls' Garden Party. With the celebration lasting all week long it's a great time to book a vacation rental in Santa Barbara and catch all the festivities you won't want to miss.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals - The Greener Side of Hospitality

The greening of the hospitality industry is making it easier for travelers to choose from eco-friendly options when booking hotels, motels and vacation rentals this summer.

At Santa Barbara Luxury Rentals, we've recently implemented green cleaning solutions to further our commitment to providing the highest quality vacation rentals in Santa Barbara.

The green cleaning products and cleaners used in our Santa Barbara vacation rentals are made from natural and non-toxic ingredients that make it possible for travelers and their families to enjoy a safe environment free from harsh chemicals.

We noticed that we were getting questions from guests who had allergies or sensitivities to the synthetic chemicals in conventional cleaners. We use environmentally-friendly cleaning products in our own home and we’re very aware of environmental issues so it just made sense for us to implement the same green cleaning solutions in our business.

In addition to using green cleaning products at home, we personally try to set an example for our young children by doing what we can as a family to minimize our impact on the environment – whether it’s recycling and composting or buying organic and supporting green causes.

We work with other eco-friendly organizations in Santa Barbara like Heal the Ocean. Recently, we spearheaded the Green Team at the Santa Barbara Bowl to implement new programs and build community partnerships to support and enhance the venue’s existing eco-efforts.

Now we've made it a little easier for travelers to choose green when vacationing in California by offering environmentally friendly holiday villas, private cottages, and beach house properties in Santa Barbara (like the 4-bedroom Ocean Oasis pictured here).

Sustainable business practices are simply good for everyone involved. And chemical-free cleaning is just another step we’re taking to help preserve the planet while leading our children and our guests and employees toward a sustainable future.

Something fun to do in Santa Barbara for the kids

One of the great things about staying in a vacation rental in Santa Barbara is the opportunity to stay long enough to live like a local, for both adults and kids alike. Santa Barbara has some great summer programs, one of them is the Rockshop Academy a school for kids to teach them how to play in a band and what it takes to make it big. They have some fantastic teachers including people who have worked with Bon Jovi, Sugarcult, Alan Parsons and Michael Jackson. If you're in town in August they still have some spots open for their summer session. Rock on!