The royals Harry and Meghan have chosen the Santa Barbara South Coast (California) for their new $14-million house, which includes 9 bedrooms, 16 bathrooms, a gym, a pool, a library, tennis courts, a wine cellar, a home theater, saunas and much more on over 7 acres of land. The couple refused to use money from the royal family to purchase the house and instead took out a mortgage: another step towards their financial independence.
The royal couple fell in love with the area of Montecito, a fancy and elegant community of Santa Barbara, as happened to many other celebrities who now call Santa Barbara home, including Oprah Winfrey, Brad Pitt, Jeff Bridges and many more actors, TV producers and filmmakers.
But why did they choose Montecito? First of all, because of its proximity to Los Angeles (only an hour away by car), meaning that they will be able to easily work in the film industry if they choose so. But there are many more reasons why Santa Barbara is so special to celebrities, royalty, and even world leaders! Here are a few reasons why Harry and Meghan moved to Montecito.
1. Privacy and discretion
Santa Barbara is the perfect place for celebrities who are seeking a quiet area to relax away from crazy fans and paparazzi, feeling like normal people. Most importantly, locals know how to behave with celebrities and will keep their distance and let them live their coastal lifestyle in peace and tranquility. Moreover, privacy is one of the top reasons why most celebrities choose to live in Montecito. Most of the celebrity houses are hidden away from any prying eyes or illegal drones. Just the perfect place for Harry and Meghan to raise their 1-year old kid away from drones and photographers!
2. Landscapes and atmosphere
With its cliffs, palm trees, sunsets, and blue ocean, Santa Barbara’s coast is simply breathtaking. Add to this a vibrant art and culture, a high-quality lifestyle, tasty food and wine, and many outdoor recreation activities only 90 miles away from Los Angeles.
Santa Barbara County boasts many beautiful places with a romantic and chic atmosphere. For example, San Ysidro Ranch is a luxury resort with a spectacular lush garden, where the American couple John and Jackie Kennedy honeymooned.
Summerland is the perfect place to relax by the seaside, away from the crowded city. There are also plenty of local eateries, boutique shops, antiques galore, and beautiful outdoors.
Ganna Walska Lotusland is a spectacular private botanic garden of 37 acres. It is considered one of the best gardens in the world.
One another spot with a particular atmosphere is Casa del Herrero, one of Santa Barbara’s finest architectural landmarks. It is renowned for the grand house and for its Moorish-style gardens and collection of Spanish art objects.
3. Fine restaurants
Santa Barbara’s Food & Wine scene plays an important role too! The County hosts plenty of fine restaurants that are able to satisfy all palates.
The Stonehouse Restaurant and Plow & Angel Bistro, located inside San Ysidro Ranch, are the perfect places to taste fine cuisine paired with California wines.
Other famous restaurants include Caruso’s, a beachfront Italian restaurant with an amazing view over the Pacific Ocean; Tre Lune, an Italian high-quality restaurant; Sushi|Bar Montecito for fine sushi and more; and Bettina, a cozy restaurant serving Neapolitan-style pizza made with seasonal California ingredients.
4. Family-friendly activities
Santa Barbara and its neighborhoods are the perfect place for families with children. There are many family-friendly activities for kids of all ages, such as horseback riding in the hills or along the beaches, attending polo matches at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club, visiting the Santa Barbara Zoo, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and Sea Center, and the MOXI (The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation). Surely plenty of activities to keep little Archie busy!
