Santa Barbara Family Vacation Center
Santa Barbara Family Vacation Center
San Rafael Residence Hall Ucsb, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-0001
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About
#2 of 5 campgrounds in Santa Barbara
Location
4.9
Rooms
3.9
Value
4.6
Cleanliness
4.5
Service
4.9
Sleep Quality
3.9
Summer Camp for the whole family! The Family Vacation Center offers week-long Family Camp experiences on the beachside campus of the University of California Santa Barbara. This all-inclusive experience includes daily child care (kids camp), family activities like Smores on the Beach, Pool Parties and Family Carnivals as well as nightly adult only activities that include a hosted bar.This hassle free family vacation is perfect for the family who loves spending time together, and also enjoys the option of kids camp and "parents night out" time!
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Fitness Center with Gym / Workout Room
Pool
Free breakfast
Beach
Tennis court
Babysitting
Wifi
Outdoor pool
Heated pool
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Breakfast buffet
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Kids club
Shuttle bus service
Non-smoking hotel
Laundry service
Self-serve laundry
Room features
Kitchenette
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL STYLE
Charming
Great View
Location
San Rafael Residence Hall Ucsb, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-0001
Getting there
Car recommended
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Grade: 47 out of 100
47
Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
7.6 mi•
See all flights
Rental Cars
26 Restaurants
within 0.75 miles
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Traveler rating
- 171
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Detailed Reviews
This is a family vacation that will not disappoint! Despite the awesome location, you feel like all your worries/stress have been lifted because the FVC staff takes care of everything for you! If you are with kiddos, they are entertained all day by the staff while you get to enjoy alone time and get to do a myriad of activities around the area. The food provided is great with all sorts of options for different diets. The olympic sized pool is pristine. It is a week of pure bliss!
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are looking forward to our third year at FVC! I love that there are kids only activities, adults only activities then activities together as a family. Packed schedules every day with a wide variety of options - wine/beer tours, kayaking, surfing, biking, hiking, golf, campfire, you name it. Kids go on field trips or to the beach. The staff is amazingly friendly and helpful. The counselors are very energetic and engaging with the kids. I can pretend to be a college student again living in the dorms and eating at the dining hall. No cooking, no dishes, and the picky kids can choose from a wide variety of food. UCSB & Santa Barbara is a beautiful area to be in & explore!
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Date of stay: June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Every year we look forward to our week at FVC and throughout the year our kids ask us how much longer will it be until we go there. I cannot recommend this family camp enough!! There is so much to do and FVC has so many fun activities all day every day of the week. Adults get major breaks from the kids and get to enjoy time away doing fantastic things such as kayaking, wine tasting, hiking, biking, etc. The kids get to do fun activities with their age groups. You are making the best of your time and it is stress free!! It is worth every penny.
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Date of stay: July 2021
Location
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
If you want a real "vacation" versus a "trip" with family, this is the place to go. All the work is done for you, your kids are taken care of and branch out into age appropriate groups each day which are tons of fun for them, and you get to go off and have adult time/fun! So many fun activities to do, and the on campus food is excellent. There is an olympic sized pool which is kept pristine. Lodging is great and roomy. What better place to spend your time - Santa Barbara! I highly recommend FVC! It books up fast (no surprise), so get your space reservation asap!
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
2 years in a row, our July week at FVC was my 12 year old son’s favorite trip of the year. The kayaking and surfing outings are our favorite. As my son gets older, he enjoys the extra freedom of spending time with peers and amazingly cool counselors instead of just parents but we do things together too. It’s a great vacation option. The location is very pretty and walking distance to beach and cliff walks. Bare bones but spacious suites - we prefer the clusters. We’re planning on year 3 this summer.
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Date of stay: July 2019Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Planning our vacation, my husband suggested Hawaii and other nice places. But when I pictured the hassle of a "real" vacation with our 3-year-old and 18-month-old, I told my husband I needed a real vacation, one where I could rest. Santa Barbara Vacation Center gave me this. It wasn't Hawaii or anything exotic, but it was my first real break since becoming a mom.
Family Vacation Center is something between a "family camp" (Camp Sacramento, San Jose Family Camp) and Club Med. It’s "all inclusive", including lodging, meals, daycare, and some activities. There was a nice selection of activities: golf, tennis, kayaking, yoga, wine tasting, etc. but many of them cost extra.
The quality of the daycare was of paramount importance to me. (If I felt like my kids were unhappy or unsafe, I would have taken care of them myself and not had a very happy vacation.) Overall, the daycare staff was great. They were friendly, energetic, and really wanted to have fun with the kids. For our 3-year-old, this was all she needed and she had a terrific time. For our 18-month-old, I felt like friendly and energetic wasn't quite enough. I didn't feel like the childcare staff had enough experience with toddlers/babies. They didn't seem equipped to deal with the tough situations like putting toddlers down for naps or crying babies.
The rooms were spacious dorm suites. There was plenty of space and they were clean, but they only had twin beds and it lacked ambiance. They also only had shower stalls, which was a problem for bathing our toddler. The rooms were a short walk from the beach. The meals were in the cafeteria. For cafeteria food, it was very good. (The kids loved the daily pizza and soft serve ice cream.)
It was a break I think most moms need, but I feel that the price tag is pretty high for what you get.
Family Vacation Center is something between a "family camp" (Camp Sacramento, San Jose Family Camp) and Club Med. It’s "all inclusive", including lodging, meals, daycare, and some activities. There was a nice selection of activities: golf, tennis, kayaking, yoga, wine tasting, etc. but many of them cost extra.
The quality of the daycare was of paramount importance to me. (If I felt like my kids were unhappy or unsafe, I would have taken care of them myself and not had a very happy vacation.) Overall, the daycare staff was great. They were friendly, energetic, and really wanted to have fun with the kids. For our 3-year-old, this was all she needed and she had a terrific time. For our 18-month-old, I felt like friendly and energetic wasn't quite enough. I didn't feel like the childcare staff had enough experience with toddlers/babies. They didn't seem equipped to deal with the tough situations like putting toddlers down for naps or crying babies.
The rooms were spacious dorm suites. There was plenty of space and they were clean, but they only had twin beds and it lacked ambiance. They also only had shower stalls, which was a problem for bathing our toddler. The rooms were a short walk from the beach. The meals were in the cafeteria. For cafeteria food, it was very good. (The kids loved the daily pizza and soft serve ice cream.)
It was a break I think most moms need, but I feel that the price tag is pretty high for what you get.
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Date of stay: July 2005
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The Family Vacation Center is indeed a fantastic place to holiday. We have been coming to the camp since 1997 and am constantly surprized by the energy of the staff, the great accommodations and the beauty of Santa Barbara!I would highly recommend the Family Vacation Center to any family looking to spend a memorable week with each other. I have participated in hiking, cycling, kayaking, Family Campfires at the beach, Big Staff versus Vacationer Softball games and have been blown away by all the activities.In addition, the childcare is amazing! I have never seen such happy kids. From outings to the beach to organized sports on the lawn, there is really something for everyone.How could you not want to spend a week like this in a destination such as Santa Barbara!
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We just got back from the vacation of a lifetime. This place rocks! From the moment we drove up, to the moment we left, we had a ball. I was worried about this trip because I have never tried anything like this before. It was fantastic. The setting is spectacular. University of Santa Barabara is beautiful- it sits right on the ocean. The food was fabulous. There was a wide variety of fresh food at every meal. I wish my college's food was that great. The dorm rooms are laid out great. I love that my kids had their own room, that we had a fridge and microwave and that we had high speed internet access. They are like an institutional Embassy Suite. The best thing about the vacation is the staff. It gives you hope as a parent to be around such amazing kids. They entertained our family from the second we arrived. I am usually not one for talent shows, disco bingo or variety shows but somehow all of these were pulled off. We had a ball. We are planning on going back every year from now on. We were so sad to leave. The only thing keepign us from crisis mode was planning our return. The Family Vacation Center not only attracts great staff but also wonderful familes. Some of the families have been coming for 10-20 years. It really is like going to camp with your kids. So fun. I learned to sea kayak, tried to learn to surf, went on a sunset cruise, and most importantly, had a ball.
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Date of stay: July 2005
Value
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What we liked:
Beautiful area, right on the ocean, with mountains nearby. I like going to the best camp for the whole family! Everyone is so friendly--staff and vacationers. Children are so well cared for by the staff. We could golf, bike, hike, surf, play tennis, and then take in a faculty lecture and a museum. Many like-minded, fun-loving families attend.
What the kids liked:
Everything! The counselors are charming--they take the kids to the zoo, the beach, the candy store. They like to eat any/all meals with friends and counselors, not with Mom and Dad! The kids enjoy the beach bonfire, making s'mores, singing songs and having their favorite counselor baby-sit while their parents go out to dance!
Coolest souvenir:
Shells from beach-combing, crafts made in craft room.
What it cost:
All inclusive, for a family of four for one week, was around $2,400
When did you go:
Summer 2000
How we got there:
We drove.
What we didn't like:
Having to go home, leave the new friends, the ocean and the all meals cooked for us!
Beautiful area, right on the ocean, with mountains nearby. I like going to the best camp for the whole family! Everyone is so friendly--staff and vacationers. Children are so well cared for by the staff. We could golf, bike, hike, surf, play tennis, and then take in a faculty lecture and a museum. Many like-minded, fun-loving families attend.
What the kids liked:
Everything! The counselors are charming--they take the kids to the zoo, the beach, the candy store. They like to eat any/all meals with friends and counselors, not with Mom and Dad! The kids enjoy the beach bonfire, making s'mores, singing songs and having their favorite counselor baby-sit while their parents go out to dance!
Coolest souvenir:
Shells from beach-combing, crafts made in craft room.
What it cost:
All inclusive, for a family of four for one week, was around $2,400
When did you go:
Summer 2000
How we got there:
We drove.
What we didn't like:
Having to go home, leave the new friends, the ocean and the all meals cooked for us!
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This resort is affiliated with the UCSB Alumni Association. You stay in student dorms during the week. Children have a kids group they attend during the week. There are activities for the adults and family activities as well.
Pros:
*Kids Groups. Our son loved his group and met a great kid named Charlie that he played with all week.
*Location. You are right on the beach. Plus, there are biking/walking trails all over campus.
*Inclusive pricing. Most meals included. They have BBq's on the beach and you eat in student dining halls that have a variety of choices.
*Staff. The staff were all enthusiastic and were great with the children. Besides the kids groups, you can have one of the staff members baby sit so the parents can go out for a romantic dinner (Aja Restaurant-a great, mostly locals dining establishment in a decidedly non-touristy part of Santa Barabara).
Cons:
*The food. My wife, my son and I all got sick after a week of the cafeteria food. It becomes monotonous even with the varied selection.
*The accomodations. No romance here with all the rooms having single beds. Even with two bedrooms it became annoying.
*Activities are pretty generic.
*You can eat only at certain times. The schedule is pretty tight so don't have much flexibility.
Pros:
*Kids Groups. Our son loved his group and met a great kid named Charlie that he played with all week.
*Location. You are right on the beach. Plus, there are biking/walking trails all over campus.
*Inclusive pricing. Most meals included. They have BBq's on the beach and you eat in student dining halls that have a variety of choices.
*Staff. The staff were all enthusiastic and were great with the children. Besides the kids groups, you can have one of the staff members baby sit so the parents can go out for a romantic dinner (Aja Restaurant-a great, mostly locals dining establishment in a decidedly non-touristy part of Santa Barabara).
Cons:
*The food. My wife, my son and I all got sick after a week of the cafeteria food. It becomes monotonous even with the varied selection.
*The accomodations. No romance here with all the rooms having single beds. Even with two bedrooms it became annoying.
*Activities are pretty generic.
*You can eat only at certain times. The schedule is pretty tight so don't have much flexibility.
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Date of stay: August 2005
Value
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello,
175-200 people would indeed take up nearly all our spaces in a session. I would be happy to chat with you about possible opening up a new session to accommodate your group. If you are still interested in our location and program please feel free to give me a call, I'm happy to help.
~Sheri
805-893-3123
Hello,
Thank you for reaching out. I apologize that I did not get back to you sooner. I would be happy to chat with you about a family gathering of this size. If you are still looking for a location and would like to chat please feel free to call me in the office!
805-893-3123
Sheri
Yes! You can absolutely find peace and quiet. You don't have to sign up for the adult activities either, but even still some of those are extremely relaxing and quiet (painting for example). You can sign up your daughter for activities she enjoys and either hang out on the local beaches, go downtown and shop, or relax in the room and read, basically you can do whatever you like!
One of our favorite parts of this is that you are not trapped anywhere. You can even get a gym pass to UCSB's fitness center for a workout, or walk along the miles of walking/hiking paths close by.
There is no adult pool, but there are plenty of downtimes where you will only find another family or two enjoying it.
I have younger kids, but met others with older ones when we went(for the second time). They all said their kids had a BLAST and in fact they pretty much didn't see them the entire week.
All that is helpful. Also bikes and other outdoor toys for kids. We are going to remember a bucket and shovel as well as a picnic blanket this year.
"Include any room request in your registration and the staff will do everything possible to accommodate your request."Read full review
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ALSO KNOWN AS
santa barbara family vacation hotel santa barbara
LOCATION
United StatesCaliforniaSanta Barbara
NUMBER OF ROOMS
68
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Frequently Asked Questions about Santa Barbara Family Vacation Center
Which popular attractions are close to Santa Barbara Family Vacation Center?
Nearby attractions include Shoreline Park (0.4 miles), Thousand Steps Beach (0.2 miles), and Lazy Acres Grocery (0.6 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Santa Barbara Family Vacation Center?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free breakfast, and a pool.
What food & drink options are available at Santa Barbara Family Vacation Center?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
Is parking available at Santa Barbara Family Vacation Center?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Santa Barbara Family Vacation Center?
Conveniently located restaurants include Mesa Cafe & Bar, Alcazar Restaurant, and Mesa Burger.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Santa Barbara Family Vacation Center?
Yes, guests have access to a pool and a fitness center during their stay.
Are any cleaning services offered at Santa Barbara Family Vacation Center?
Yes, laundry service and self serve laundry are offered to guests.
Are there any historical sites close to Santa Barbara Family Vacation Center?
Many travelers enjoy visiting Santa Barbara County Courthouse (1.8 miles), Old Mission Santa Barbara (2.7 miles), and Casa del Herrero (5.0 miles).
Is Santa Barbara Family Vacation Center accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access. For specific inquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.