Keeping with our 20th Anniversary Celebration, here are 20 Things We Love About Santa Barbara! We spent our Winter Retreat re-familiarizing ourselves with this charming neighborhood, and all the cool landmarks & activities it has to offer! Check it out:

1. Santa Barbara Zoo: There are over 500 animals in this 30-acre zoo filled with colorful gardens. The animals spend most of their time in outdoor enclosures that are designed to resemble their natural habitats. The zoo also offers some great event spaces for casual picnics, teambuilding adventures and upscale after hours functions.
2. El Presidio State Historic Park: This park is filled with the rich culture of Santa Barbara. Founded in 1782, taking a stroll through the whitewashed buildings is a great way to see the history and culture of Santa Barbara.

3. Santa Barbara County Courthouse: The Courthouse opened in 1929, and is still being used today. This amazing series of buildings with Spanish architecture style encompass a square block there is also a sunken garden, palm groves, and rare plants. This is a must see when visiting Santa Barbara!

4. Santa Barbara Maritime Museum: Located right on the water in the Santa Barbara Harbor, the Maritime Museum is the perfect place to learn about the rich maritime history present in Santa Barbara.

5. Santa Barbara Museum of Art:  Looking  to for a great art museum to visit? Look no further than the Santa Barbara Museum of Art! This highly-regarded encyclopedic museum was opened in 1941 but it feels like a place that’s been around much longer in order to have acquired such a large collection of antiquities from Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Asia.

6. Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens: This hidden treasure features 65 acres of native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and cacti. With 5.5 miles of easy-to-walk nature trails, the gardens are perfect for both group tours, educational classes and event space.

7. Stearns Wharf: Stearns Wharf is arguably the most beautiful wharf on the California coast.  Here you will find many shops filled with souvenirs and some great places to sample the local seafood.
8. Museum of Natural History: Prehistoric fossils from the region are just a few of the interesting things to see. This is the place to learn about local history, geology and anthropology. 

9. The Canary Hotel: This adorable boutique hotel features hand-painted tiles, elegant wrought iron and postcard-perfect views from a rooftop pool deck. Located within walking distance to all the downtown shops and restaurants, The Canary blends R&R and hustle & bustle perfectly!

10. Santa Ynez Wine Valley: A tour of the wineries in the Santa Ynez Valley and adjoining Santa Rita Hills has become a popular attraction for tourists coming to Santa Barbara. The vineyards here are producing some wonderful Rhone varietals (Syrah and Viognier), and also Pinot Noir, Cabs and Merlots.

11. Cabrillo Bikeway: This three-mile paved road by the beach is used daily by hundreds of runners and bikers. A bike ride along the Cabrillo bikeway is the perfect way to see all the beauty of Santa Barbara.

12. Seven Falls: Ideal in the spring, the falls and the hike to the falls offers much for the visitor. The hike is about 2 or 3 miles round trip with an elevation gain of about 800 ft. This is a great way to take in the beautiful scenery of Santa Barbara.

13. Chumash Painted Cave: Not too far outside of Santa Barbara rests a sandstone cave filled with pictographs created by the Chumash Indians. Drawn with mineral pigments, they are believed to have been religious and date from a couple hundred years back to nearly a thousand years ago. This park allows visitors to see the pictographs first-hand and up-close.

14. Chase Palm Park: This long, narrow park sits waterfront with and the walking/riding path is lined with California’s popular palm trees. Walking and bicycle riding is ideal on this path but on the weekends there are arts and crafts festivals to browse through.

15. State Street: Santa Barbara’s main street is lined with popular shops and restaurants. Join the locals for a stroll down the street and some leisurely shopping at Paseo Nuevo.
16. Polo Matches: Trade in the normal baseball game and visit the Polo Fields in Santa Barbara! Polo season runs from April through October, and anyone can watch.

17. First Thursdays: On the first Thursday evening of each month from 5-8PM, downtown Santa Barbara becomes filled with cultural activities. Art galleries open their doors, as do museums and other venues. There are wine tastings, impromptu performances, open artists’ studios and crafts to buy.

18. The Douglas Family Preserve: This is a wild grassy park on a bluff over Arroyo Burro Beach. Locals stroll the beach and the pathways through the preserve—with their dogs. This is one of those rare places where dogs are allowed off-leash. You can even hike to the preserve from Stearns Wharf.

19. Red Tile Tour: This self-guided walking tour can be downloaded from several sites, including the Santa Barbara Visitors Bureau. The tour covers an easily walk-able, fairly compact area of downtown’s “Old Town,” containing some of the most beautiful of the city’s historical landmarks, starting at the Courthouse and zig-zagging along a rectangle from State Street across Anacapa to Santa Barbara Street, and from Ortega Street to Anapamu Street.

20. Old Mission: The Santa Barbara Mission is the only California mission that has remained in continuous operation by Franciscans friars. This mission has survived earthquakes and countless remodels but it still holds its character and charm. You can stroll the grounds, including the rose garden, visit the museum and the cemetery, and spend time in the magnificent church, which is actively in use.
If you are interested in planning tours, teambuilding events, dine-arounds, or offsite functions in Santa Barbara, call us at 888-EVENT-88 or email us at info@eventteam.com!

The Event Team is excited to announce a new culinary corporate teambuilding challenge  based on the exciting themes and characters of the wildly popular Hunger Games book series and blockbuster movie.
Upon arrival, the group is divided into “Districts.” (Each district will be provided with different colored fabrics to distinguish themselves from their competition, or to spark a higher level of competition before the games begin, teams can pre-select themes and costumes ahead of time).

Each district’s station will be set up to enclose a playing field & “cornucopia” of supplies. Districts will begin the challenge with an identical amount of basic ingredients for their food preparation. Throughout the event, “tributes” will be randomly selected from each district to compete in a physical or mental challenge against the other districts. The winning district for each challenge earns not only team points, but also the opportunity to select additional ingredients and/or utensils from the cornucopia that will enhance their final culinary creation.

After the final challenge, districts will have additional time to create a demonstration that accompanies their mouthwatering masterpiece! Led by our blue-haired Master of Ceremonies, judges will come around to interview each district and taste their creations! These final scores will be added to the challenge scores, and a winning district will be crowned the Hungry Games Champions! “May the odds be ever in your favor!”

Culinary Challenge Examples (selection based on venue accommodations & client preference): Salsa, Sangria, Guacamole, Cupcake/Cake decorating

Hungry Games Challenge Examples (Number of challenges depends on number of people/teams): “Hunting” – (target challenge), “Gathering” – (one tribute is blindfolded and must place designated objects in a basket using only their teammate’s voices for guidance), “Throwing” – (distance throwing and/or slingshot challenge), “Mental Strength” – (puzzle challenge), “Total Recall” – (trivia challenge), “Empty Stomach” – (good old fashioned speed-eating)

Lindsay White, The Event Team’s Director of Sales & Marketing (and self-proclaimed Hunger Games addict) is excited to incorporate this new teambuilding event into The Event Team’s catalog of options. “Our culinary competitions are already pretty popular with clients, but this adds a whole new element of excitement and adventure,” White said. She also joked, “If you get rid of the violence and death aspects, themes from The Hunger Games actually lend themselves very well to corporate teambuilding.”

If you’re interested in hosting “The Hungry Games” for your company, contact The Event Team at 888-383-6888 or email info@eventteam.com

Keeping with our 20th Anniversary Celebration, here are
20 Things We Love About La Jolla

1. Amazing Hotel Properties:  From La Valencia to The Lodge, The Grande Colonial to Estancia, La Jolla offers some of the lushest accommodations in Southern California. Whether you’re looking for business, pleasure, or family fun –La Jolla hotels shine on every level.

2. Birch Aquarium at Scripps: Perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, this aquarium and interactive museum features more than 60 habitats of fish and invertebrates from the Pacific Northwest to Mexico and the Caribbean.

3. Children’s Pool: This popular tourist attraction consists of a tiny cove protected by a concrete breakwater. It was once a swimming area for children until the seals and sea lions moved in. Now visitors can enjoy the added bonus of an ongoing marine mammal show courtesy of the seals and sea lions that play in and around the shore or at Seal Rock, their offshore reserve.
4. La Jolla Village: Streets in the village like Girard Avenue and Prospect Street offer a range of expensive boutiques, gift shops, art galleries, and magnificent restaurants that overlook the coastline. There is something for everyone here!

5. Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego: This museum holds over 3,000 works and can also be used as a fantastic event space for art lovers!

6. Torrey Pines Golf Course: Sitting on coastal cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, this course is recognized as the premier municipal golf course. It is named after the Torrey Pine, a rare tree that grows in the wild only along this local stretch of the coastline in San Diego County and on Santa Rosa Island.

7. Kayaking La Jolla Caves: Launching from La Jolla Shores, our kayaking adventures take you along one of the most scenic stretches of San Diego coast. These caves are home to various types of exciting wildlife including seabirds, sea lions, seals, rays, and (harmless) leopard sharks.

8. Fine Dining: George’s at the Cove, Azul, and Eddie V’s are just a few of the many famous restaurants offering the best ingredients and most spectacular ocean views. They are pros when it comes to hosting indoor or outdoor corporate events, so you can rest assured knowing you will be in great hands!

9. The Cuvier Club: With all of the modern class of La Jolla, the venue still retains some of the historical magic of the village. The Cuvier Club has plenty of room to handle even the largest guest list with ease and yet retains an intimate charm.

10. La Jolla Cove: Just down the road from downtown La Jolla, this swimming and diving mecca is nestled against the side of beautiful cliffs and offers picturesque views of the Pacific.

11. Scripps Seaside Forum: This extraordinary, ocean-front venue is located in the heart of Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The breathtaking view and state-of-the-art equipment makes the Scripps Seaside Forum a wonderful location for social and corporate events such as weddings and galas. Our National Sales Manager Dick Burson recently utilized this space for his daughter’s wedding!

12. Torrey Pines Glider Port: This city-owned gliderport is the home to hang gliding, paragliding, radio-controlled model sailplanes, and full-scale man-carrying sailplanes. You can visit just to watch, or you can sign up for a gliding adventure of your own! Whether you stay on land or venture into the sky, the glider port offers amazing views no matter which direction your head turns.

13. Interactive Culinary Adventures: From sushi school & sake pairing at Roppongi to Iron Chef challenges at Harvard Cooking Girl, La Jolla invites its guests to join in the culinary fun! These events are educational and also serve as wonderful icebreakers for groups!
14. Mount Soledad: This prominent landmark sits on a mountaintop overlooking all of San Diego. It is a great place to ooh and aah at beautiful homes and views of the entire city. This is also where we love to take groups for our famous bike plunge!

15. Torrey Pines State Reserve: Miles and miles of trails on this reserve offer some of the best hiking in San Diego. Don’t forget to bring a snack, some sunscreen and most importantly, a camera!

16. Windansea Surfing: Windansea beach is one of the best spots in La Jolla to find the perfect wave to surf and the perfect stretch of sand to take in the sunshine. Windansea also offers great spots to snorkel or bodysurf.

17. La Jolla Playhouse: This non-profit professional theatre has won over three hundred honors, including the 1993 Tony Award as America’s Outstanding Regional Theatre. It provides a number of educational opportunities for children, teens, and adults interested in theatre arts.

18. The Comedy Store: While La Jolla can get a bad rap for being a little too high class, its residents know how to let loose and have a sense of humor! See for yourself at The Comedy Store, where hilarious shows are offered 7 nights a week!

19. La Jolla Shores: This popular beach community offers a casual, laid-back atmosphere that you might not find in La Jolla Village. The beach itself is about a mile long and stretches from the sea cliffs just north of La Jolla Cove to Black’s Beach south of Torrey Pines State Park. A little further inland, you can stroll up the street to find rental companies or kitschy gift shops and ice cream parlors.

20. Blacks Beach: While we don’t usually recommend this clothing-optional beach to our corporate clients, it’s worth mentioning if only for its infamy. Go if you dare to get bare!