"We chose El Capitan Canyon in Goleta, California, partly because it was within an easy driving distance from Los Angeles. It's both at the base of the mountains, and close to the beach, plus we knew our family would have our own stand-alone cedar cabin, with a picnic table and fire pit out back. Being in nature was a good way to reset—especially for our three restless children under 10—and there was lots of grassy space for kids to run around. The El Capitan State Beach is also less than a mile away from the cabins, and it has a couple of hiking trails, including one that goes up to a llama farm. We grilled our own food for dinners outside, but we opted to drive for breakfast at Canyon Market, tasty take-out burritos and tacos at El Sitio, and another lunch at Padaro Beach Grill in Carpinteria (they're doing outdoor dining)."