The Wonders of Santa Barbara Guided by Maria Sharapova

I first visited Santa Barbara in 2012 after winning the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Germany. The prize included a Porsche 911 and I realised I wouldn’t be doing justice to the vehicle – or myself – if I only drove it on Los Angeles’ gridlocked highways. I asked my friends for the best drive in southern California: they unanimously told me to take the 101 to Santa Barbara.

I spent the weekend there and was immediately attracted to the indoor-outdoor living. I was born in Russia, but I love sunshine and have always gravitated towards environments where you can barbecue for 10 months of the year. I kept returning, spending increasingly longer amounts of time in the area. Then my fiancé, Alexander, and I fell in love with a small cottage near Montecito. Santa Barbara County is a good contrast to life in LA, where much of my work is, and there’s a great community. It felt natural for us to buy a home here.

Sharapova on Carpinteria State Beach
Sharapova on Carpinteria State Beach © Daniel Dorsa

What I love about Santa Barbara are all the little pockets: Ojai is a small city to the east, while Santa Ynez is about 30 minutes north-west. On our way to Santa Ynez we’ll stop off at Cold Spring Tavern for a drink. There are always lots of motorcycles parked outside and live music playing. It’s rough and rustic, but that’s the vibe – it sets the tone of a road trip.

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