Belmond El Encanto, Santa Barbara, Calif.

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The Belmond El Encanto has something for everyone. Take a dip in the zero-edge pool, which overlooks the Pacific, for the ultimate tranquil setting. For a little more adventure, head out on a private Gourmet Sail -- a guided tour of Santa Barbara's fish market, five-course bespoke lunch and sunset sail aboard a 50-foot Catalina Yacht. If the kids are clamoring for screen time, make it special. Enjoy a private alfresco movie night on your own terrace with popcorn, artisanal candies and festive mocktails. If you've had your fill of quarantine rations this summer, indulge in one of Belmond El Encanto's gourmet picnic baskets featuring everything from Maine lobster rolls or Bento-style fare. Take your meal with you to a local winery or up the California coast, or just stay put and enjoy it in one of the resort's many picturesque spots -- the century-old wisteria-lined Lily Pond and Arbor, the historic wishing well or your own cottage lawn. Spend the afternoon playing lawn games with the kids or just lazing around in a much-needed change of scenery. Stroll the Belmond El Encanto's seven acres of private garden space, which offers sweeping views of Santa Barbara and the Pacific Ocean. Watch out for woodpeckers, cranes and monarch butterflies, and make sure to stop at the wishing well, where you can wish for a vaccine, faster and more reliable internet, or whatever you've been dreaming about!

Erin Robb1 Comment