El Capitan Canyon Resort: It’s not exactly camping although it’s absolutely nothing like staying in a hotel either. It’s somewhere in between, in a place that some have nicknamed “glamping,” or glamour camping, and others have nicknamed “nature lodging … with benefits.” Regardless of the terminology we think that El Capitan Canyon Resort is exactly where families should plant themselves for a California central coast vacation.

El Capitan Canyon resort has mastered the art of mixing rustic with luxurious, do-it-yourself with all-inclusive, and pampered comforts with natural ruggedness. Confused? Read on. At El Capitan Canyon, guests stay in private cabins arranged into a series of villages named for their location at the resort (Poolside Village, Creekside Village, etc.). The cabins, and a selection of mounted safari tents, are scattered throughout the scenic property just north of Santa Barbara. The cabins and tents all back into common fields where guests play football, sunbathe and even partake in the occasional slip-n-slide, and they face your own private fire pit and picnic tables, where guests cook out, sing camp fire songs, read and cook S’mores. If that sounds a little hokey, it’s not. Plenty of visitors just enjoy the natural beauty and have some great, uninterrupted family time amidst total peace and privacy. The cabins all have kitchenettes and bathrooms with soaking tubs, and for those that don’t want to do any cooking, there’s a café and store at the base of the resort that has whatever you might need from lattes to lounge chairs.

El Cap, as it’s called by the many repeat visitors it attracts every year, is nothing like your average campground, although it does have an adjoining property for hardcore campers and RV fans. El Cap itself is a full-service resort with daily maid service and even room service if you don’t want to take the short walk down to the market. It also has an outdoor heated pool and an on-site spa for complete luxury. The unique ambiance of the place gives guest the best of both worlds -- full-service hotel and private getaway. The extras may provide a sense of comfort and convenience but the undeniable result of staying at El Cap is a sense of appreciating the wonderful undisturbed beauty of the Santa Barbara coast. Did we mention the resort is located right off California’s 101 freeway and just a half mile walk to the Pacific Ocean?

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