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Our car for the journey northward on this scenic drive was the 2004 BMW 645Ci. Brought back to the line-up after a 15-year hiatus, the 6 Series is BMW's latest creation in its line-up of ultimate driving machines. The 2+2 model comes in both coupe and convertible versions and we had been blessed with a convertible for a trip where the weather gods shined down upon us. (Causing quite a sunburn, I might add.)
As we headed out, Highway 1 could have been the suburbs of any major city, marred with traffic lights and retails stores. Gradually, however, the city landscape faded and soon we were cruising through beachside towns where shoes and shirts are optional and being laid-back is mandatory.
A short drive brought us to Santa Barbara and a night stop at the Simpson House Inn, a gorgeous 1874 Victorian home. Just a five-minute walk from the shops and restaurants of State Street, the Simpson House, with its 11 rooms in the main house and renovated barn as well as three individual cottages, is tucked away behind a tall hedge in a secluded setting. Although complimentary hors d'oeuvres and local wines in the Inn's English garden was as close to heaven as one could get, we tore ourselves away to ride the charming Old Town Trolley, touring Stearns Wharf, State Street's shops and the city's historic adobes.
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