A foggy start—a typical summer day
This was the day when we would be making a stop at Ostrichland on our way to Santa Barbara, but before we get to that, I have to say that one of the best things about The Inn at Avila Beach is they have a rooftop coffee bar called Joe Mammas. We absolutely LOVED Joe Mammas. From the killer mochas that put Starbucks to shame to the view, it was a fabulous place to start each day.
Both mornings that we made our pilgrimage to the rooftop, there was a man who seemed to know the staff very well. On our first morning, he made a comment about the foggy start to the day being typical for the coast in summer. The second day, he made a similar comment, so I told him we were from San Diego. His response was, “Oh, so you understand.” All I can say is, all too well.
Later that day, we were back on the road. This time, we were off to Santa Barbara with a stop at Ostrichland on the way. That’s right, your eyes did not deceive you—Ostrichland.
Ostrichland—feed this bad boy!
The moment you see the sign for Ostrichland, you know you’re in for something different. This is a place where kids of all ages (yes, I’m looking at you seniors who still peek at your Christmas presents!) can get, well, a bird’s-eye view of ostriches and emus. Check out those mugs! They might have a face that only a mother—or another ostrich—could love, but these bad boys have attitude!
When you’re in the presence of an ostrich or an emu, table manners cease to exist. You grab your bowl firmly by the integrated handle, hold it out toward the ostrich, and hopefully don’t lose control when they peck away at the food. The experience is pretty amazing and a lot of fun.
After Ostrichland, we hit the road for Santa Barbara, not even thinking about the fact that we were going to arrive during the Summer Solstice celebration. Stay tuned!
Did you see last week’s entry? You can find it at Point San Luis Lighthouse. Click here to view more Friday Morning Post entries, or you can follow me on Twitter.
Every kid ought to do this!
Table manners? What's that?
This was the first ostrich we came across. We should have skipped this guy because the others further away were much hungrier!
This is the gateway to Ostrichland. Once you're inside, you can pay the entrance fee and a buck for food and you're ready for the fun!
The sign is pretty descriptive of what goes on here!
Sounds like an interesting place!
oh but that sounds like a lot of fun. the coffee roof top sounds like it was special. oh but I would love to see those birds in person. some day. thanks for sharing. safe travels
We did love that rooftop coffee bar. It really is something special. And the birds! They were a complete surprise. I’m surprised they let people get that close. You are literally face-to-face with them!