CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP WITH MAZDA

Last month I had the opportunity to visit Santa Barbara for a few days with Mazda to test drive the new Mazda CX-30! If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you would know how much I love driving a Mazda! I spent two days with the team to learn about the new Mazda CX-30 and met so so many other creators whom I loved learning from. We had the opportunity to meet Jimmy Chin who is a professional climber, photographer and Academy Award-winning filmmaker (he directed the film, Free Solo).

To be honest, I had never driven a Mazda prior to my previous trips with the team. I had no idea what to expect but I can tell you how great it felt to drive my first Mazda which was the Mazda MX-5 and since then I had the opportunity to also test drive the Mazda3 and now the CX-30! I’m truly now a Mazda fan! It’s hard to tell you which car is my favorite but I think I’m loving the CX-30 due to the design and how spacious it is! During my time in Santa Barbara, I did a day road trip to explore the city of Santa Barbara, Solvang, and Pismo Beach. So here’s everything you need to know about a California road trip with Mazda!

WHERE TO STAY

ROSEWOOD MIRAMAR BEACH

Rosewood Miramar Beach Hotel is a 5-star hotel located on the gorgeous stretch of Miramar Beach. The resort is just a few steps to the beach allowing you to enjoy morning yoga at sunrise or sunset walks in the evening. The property has 124 rooms and 37 suites that are inspired by a residential lifestyle. This property recently finished a renovation and has everything you will need for a relaxing vacation in California.

I stayed in the Garden Bungalow Guestrooms and absolutely loved it! The room is spacious with a large closet, bathroom and leads directly to the garden patio.

AMENITIES

Miramar Beach: Right at your doorstep, this beach offers kayaking, standup paddling, and surfing. Complimentary beach chairs, umbrella, butler service, beach toys, and watersports equipment are available.
Pampered Pets: This pet-friendly resort extends its services to ensure your pet has an awesome experience as well for $125 per pet per stay. They offer daily dog walking, afternoon pet’s trek, customized pet menu, and pet products and amenities.
Resort Retail: Visit the boutiques and you’ll find new beauty, wellness, athletic wear, and resort fashion. Montecito’s Coast Village Road is also very close to the resort. You can explore the high-end boutiques, galleries, and a variety of restaurants, cafes, and bars.
Private transfers: Based on availability, the resort has a Rolls-Royce Ghost house car that guests can enjoy within a three-mile radius. They also offer multiple jolly carts to take guests around the property
Valet parking (fees apply)
24-hour fitness studio: A variety of complimentary classes are available for resort guests
Sense Spa: Relax and unwind with their various treatment options
Two pools: The Cabana Pool and The Manor Pool
Kids Programs: Every Friday through Sunday from 9:30 am to 5 pm, the kid’s program is filled with activities from arts and crafts, to movie time, lunch, and relaxing reading nooks.
Wi-Fi

DINING

Caruso’s: Beachfront restaurant that serves Southern Italian to coastal Montecito inspired dishes created from high-quality local ingredients
Malibu Farm at Miramar: Farm-to-table dishes created with fresh local ingredients
Miramar Beach Bar: Cocktails and bites with an oceanfront view
The Manor Bar: Great for pre and post-dinner gatherings, serves handcrafted cocktails and hors d’oeuvres
Scoop Shop: Casual spot for classic gourmet burgers and ice cream
Cabana Bar: Refreshing cocktails and light munchies by the pool

ROADTRIP TRIP UP THE CALIFORNIA COAST IN ONE DAY

I had the opportunity to pair up with another influencer to test drive the Mazda CX-30 and to maximize our experience to the fullest, we started our road trip to Solvang from Santa Barbara at 5 am. We wanted to enjoy the sunrise and get in some sunrise shots along our trip and it was the best decision ever. The drive was not only beautiful but once I hopped into the car, I knew that being in the comfort of the Mazda CX-30 would be a relaxing experience. We drove up the CA-154 towards Solvang and made multiple stops along the way. The drive to Solvang takes 40 minutes and I couldn’t have had a smoother ride, it felt effortless yet grounded throughout the drive.

Once we arrived in Solvang, we took some time to explore the city and had the most amazing brunch. Solvang is a cute Danish town, I recommend making a visit to this charming town when visiting California.

THINGS TO DO IN SOLVANG

Boutique shopping in the Danish Village of Solvang and explore the town and take photos of all the windmills
Wineries and Vineyards: Santa Ynez Valley has more than 125 vineyards and tasting rooms to choose from. On our drive, we saw multiple wineries and made a few stops for some photos
Take a ride on the historic horse-drawn Solvang Trolley
Take a hike through the Los Padres National Forest
Visit the Elverhøj Museum of History & Art to learn more about Solvang’s heritage

WHERE TO EAT

Paula’s Pancake House: We had brunch here, it’s the most popular breakfast spot amongst locals and the Danish pancakes are a must-try! Our waitress was amazing and gave us so many tips!
Solvang Restaurant: Home to the best aebleskivers, a Danish pancake ball that is typically covered in raspberry jam and powdered sugar. It is a delicious mix between a croissant and a donut hole. We tried this and it was delicious!
Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery: A wide variety of Danish baked goods
Succulent Cafe: Great comfort food option for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Copenhagen Sausage Garden: Features a wide variety of sausages, even ones that you never would’ve imagined!

Paula's Pancake House — Paula’s Pancake House

PISMO BEACH

After spending a few hours in Solvang, we headed for Pismo Beach, which was about another 50-minute drive. Pismo Beach is a central beach town just in-between San Francisco and Los Angeles. It is the only beach where you can drive in the sand dunes. This beach is very popular amongst locals and tourists because you can drive your car on the beach. This was the perfect place to test out the stability and strength of our Mazda CX-30 with its all-wheel-drive feature. The performance of the car felt amazing as I had ultimate control and ease of where and how fast I wanted to go. Driving through the sand dunes without having to worry about getting stuck or losing power felt invigorating in this compact crossover SUV. Even though I was driving through the towering 8-mile sand dunes, the interior design of the Mazda CX-30 that calls for comfort and spaciousness did not disappoint.

THINGS TO DO IN PISMO BEACH

Ride the dunes in your car or rent four-wheel ATV’s
Stroll along the Pismo Beach Boardwalk
Shop at Pismo Beach Premium Outlet with over 40 retail stores
Hearst Castle: Take a tour at this popular attraction featuring the museum’s beautiful historical rooms

WHERE TO EAT

Ventana Grill: Enjoy a Mexcian-American fusion meal by the sea for lunch or dinner with a fantastic view of the ocean
SeaVenture Restaurant: Located in the SeaVenture Hotel, this restaurant serves high-quality fresh fish and seafood and also has large panoramic windows for beautiful views of the ocean
Cracked Crab: Small restaurant that is great for fresh seafood, they only accept walk-ins
Pismo Fish & Chips & Seafood: Great local spot for fish and chips
Giuseppe’s Cucina Italiana: Italian dishes created from locally sourced farms and fisheries

We headed back to Santa Barbara after spending time around Pismo Beach, the drive back is 1.5 hours. Even after driving all day and riding the sand dunes, the journey home was smooth and relaxing with a generous amount of legroom and spacious atmosphere.

THINGS TO DO IN SANTA BARBARA

Lotusland: a unique botanical garden with collections of exotic plants that Madam Walska collected and cared for throughout her life. Great place for Instagram photos.
Santa Barbara Zoo
Stearns Wharf: Visit the oldest wharf in California
Santa Barbara Public Market: Shop for locally grown products and handcrafted goods
Shoreline Park is a beautiful cliffside panoramic view of Leadbetter beach
Lizard’s Mouth for sunset views

WHERE TO EAT

Cold Spring Tavern: Located on the San Marcos Pass, this stagecoach stop has been serving awesome steaks, ribs, and barbecue dishes since 1865
Mesa Verde: Modern plant-based cuisine that is incredibly delicious and picturesque
Brophy Bros: Famous for their oysters and gorgeous views, this fresh seafood restaurant is a must-try for seafood lovers
Bob’s Well Bread: 45 minutes out of Santa Barbara but worth every minute! Delicious breakfast options and pastries
Loquita Santa Barbara: Spanish inspired tapas restaurant

MAZDA CX-30

Having the Mazda CX-30 for the day was such a pleasant experience. Throughout our trip, the car was able to handle different driving terrains and the ride felt comfortable every time. The concept of the CX-30 was created to have a sleek and bold design that captured the durability of a compact crossover SUV. The body and design show the beauty of both an SUV and coupe which makes it perfect for road trips!

The performance of the CX-30 is an experience that you have to try for yourself. The moment I felt the steering wheel in my hands and the power beneath my feet, I could not help but feel the excitement of driving the CX-30. The car has a class-leading horsepower and predictive i-ACTIV AWD with GVC+ for ultimate control. This means that the system is able to monitor road conditions to apply torque to the tires when it detects traction loss, which helps maintain road grip in any weather condition. GVC stands for G-vectoring Control Plus, which allows for more stability and intuitive handling. This feature allows the driver to drive with more confidence in any given situation. i-ACTIVSENSE Safety is another new feature of the CX-30 that observes the driver’s condition and works with the Smart City Brake System to ensure that the driver is driving safely to help minimize any accidents which I felt during my drive (I loved this feature), The Mazda CX-30 also has a 186-HP engine that provides you with the best drive of your life.

Mazda believes the joy of being alive comes from what we discover on our journey and I felt just that. It felt relaxing driving the car, and it made me smile to drive the CX-30. From the performance, the interior and exterior of the car I felt joy from my day trip experience driving the new Mazda CX-30