So I’m in the final stages of divorce proceedings, having been officially separated from my husband since September 3rd, 2023. As a newly single mom, I decided to challenge myself by planning three vacations with my kids this summer, starting with a 3-day train trip to Santa Barbara in June, followed by a week-long stay in Big Bear in July, and ending with a visit to San Diego in August.

This blog article is about the train adventure my kids and I embarked on between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara!

Day 1: I’ve always dreamed of taking the Amtrak, and the train trip to Santa Barbara exceeded my expectations. Unlike a plane or car ride, the train allowed my kids and me to walk around freely, offering beautiful scenery the entire way. The ocean views were breathtaking, and we even secured a table so that I could play card games with my son. My daughter was content to plug her iPad in and watch her favorite YouTube videos. The train was scarcely occupied, which made the journey quite peaceful. There was even a charming café on the train that offered healthy meal and snack options. For just $30 one way, with free 72-hour parking included, I found the train trip to be a fabulous deal.

Our motel, Marina Beach Motel, was conveniently located about a 20-minute walk from the train station. On the way to the motel, we admired countless buildings with gorgeous Spanish architecture and intricate landscaping. It was refreshing to see my kids getting some exercise instead of being cooped up indoors, and fortunately, the mid-June weather was perfect for our outing.

After checking in to our motel, we headed to the pier which was also a 20-minute walk. At the pier, we treated ourselves to ice cream at the Great Pacific Ice Cream Co. I opted for Cookies and Cream, which turned out to be delicious! Unfortunately, I realized around this time that I lost my phone on the pier. After frantically searching for my phone for a while, I decided to call it a loss.

Upon learning there was a T-Mobile store in Downtown Santa Barbara, I made a plan to visit it the next day. The kids weren’t too thrilled about the new plan, but I simply reminded them that they’d have to expect both ups and downs on vacations. I also thanked the kids for helping me look for my phone on the pier. We returned to the pier to have dinner at Longboard’s Grill which offered amazing ocean views, friendly staff, and yummy food. At the end of the night, we took a moonlit stroll along the beach back to our motel and crashed into the most comfortable beds I’d ever slept in.

Day 2: After an amazing night’s sleep, the kids and I got ready and had breakfast in the motel lobby. I patiently assisted my autistic son with selecting his fruit and preparing his bagels. Although my son experienced significant stranger anxiety around the other guests, I was able to successfully navigate through breakfast.

Next, we embarked on a 30-minute stroll through Downtown Santa Barbara to T-Mobile. Despite my daughter's frequent complaints about the "loooong walk" and her desire to visit every interesting store, we finally arrived. While I was busy setting up my new phone, my daughter managed to sneak away and buy candy, which she shared with my son. The candy made my son quite hyperactive, and he entertained himself by repeatedly running into the store and yelling "Boo!" Fortunately, that was the extent of his antics, and I was simply thankful to have received my new phone.

Afterwards, we headed to the Himalayan Kitchen for lunch, where I had the most mouthwatering rajma. My kids, who aren’t vegetarian like me, enjoyed their meals as well – my son loved his chicken tikka masala and my daughter gobbled up her lamb momos. We spent the rest of the day at the beach, where my kids played happily together for hours. We wrapped up the day with more ice cream and dinner once again at Longboard’s Grill.

Day 3: On our final day, the kids and I had breakfast at the hotel, and then I packed up our things while my kids watched a TV show. This was my first time packing up alone after a hotel stay, and I was proud of how smoothly it went. Unfortunately, the kids became hyper after screen time, which made our visit to the Moxi Children’s Science Museum challenging. We still, however, managed to enjoy several activities.

On the train ride back to Los Angeles, we had lunch on board and discussed our adventure.

Conclusion

Despite some crazy and even embarrassing moments, I’m so glad that I took this trip with my kids. It was a wonderful experience that brought us closer together, and we created memories that we’ll cherish forever. Both kids rated the trip 11 out of 10, and I couldn’t agree more.

Taking the Santa Barbara trip was a big step for me, and it showed me that even with the challenges, traveling solo with my kids is doable and incredibly rewarding. To all the stay-at-home or single moms out there, especially those with special needs kids, I encourage you to take that leap. Embrace the adventure, cherish the moments, and remember, you’ve got this!