With a US passport not currently worth its weight in paper, I’m pretty sure I’m feeling more rejection from other countries than I ever did in high school. Speaking of rejection—I wonder how Peter Weber is feeling these days? The Bachelor star recently went from most lovable to most chaotic after putting his contestants through the impossibility of his regretful decision making for an entire season.

You know what they say though, unexpected friendships are the best ones and there is nothing more unexpected than becoming BFF with your ex’s exes.

Madi Prewett, Kelsey Weier, Hannah Ann Sluss and Victoria Fuller certainly aren’t supposed to be friends—but 2020 is a crazy year. And if there’s something good to come out of it, it’s that these ladies have swapped boy problems for girl power. A rose we can all get behind.

When Madi Prewett contacted me to plan a girls trip for the Bachelor ultimate final four, I knew it had to be special. No two trips here are alike—and under the restrictions of COVID 19, putting an itinerary together for the girls gave me the opportunity to get creative. Together, we decided on Santa Barbara. And with the help of some industry partners, pulled together the ultimate girls weekend.

Santa Barbara is the idyllic American Riviera. Situated on the Pacific Ocean and under the Santa Ynez Mountains, it isn’t intimidated by the bustle of L.A. and holds its own as a locale for exceptional food, enviable climate, and a low-key but still entertaining nightlife scene. In short, it has the best of both, without the traffic. For the girls’ first trip to the area, it was important to highlight all that Santa Barbara has to offer and it helps if you’re staying at the best hotel in the downtown area, Hotel Californian.

Check out these behind-the-scenes photos of the girls amazing weekend, along with some details about their trip—and let me know when you’re ready to recreate this ultimate weekend in Santa Barbara for yourself!

FRIDAY

ARRIVAL: Welcome to Hotel Californian! Standing as the only five-star property in the downtown area, Hotel Californian is in a league of its own. You’ll want to spend all night in the stylish lobby bar, after exploring the city with their complimentary beach cruisers. All Ragan Stone Travel guests receive priority wait list for room upgrades, $100 hotel credit, and complimentary breakfast daily.

LUNCH: Scientific fact: champagne tastes better served on a rooftop. Hotel Californian’s rooftop Tan Tan pool might get all of the attention, but skip the splashing and head up here for the best views & sunbathing in Santa Barbara.

PRIVATE CHARTER WITH SANTA BARBARA SAILING CENTER: Sailing might sound like a snooze, but don’t let these boats fool you. Plan to party with amenities like buckets of White Claws, Rose & on-board stereo speakers. Ask for Captain Johnny and maybe he’ll even let you drive the boat.

SATURDAY

CALIFORNIA CYCLING: Saturdays are for taking it easy in Santa Barbara. With complimentary bicycles at Hotel Californian, the ladies opted to explore Santa Barbara on two wheels. With miles of friendly bike lanes, who wouldn’t?  

Did I mention that every corner of Hotel Californian is completely Insta-worthy? That’s because it was designed by Martyn Laurence Bullard, who has designed homes for Kylie Jenner and Christina Aguilera.

STREAM SPREADS: Knowing the locals helps create the best moments, and luckily some friends in the area introduced me to Britt Ann. She creates some of the most stunning gathering boards I’ve ever seen. Oh and also she loves to host small groups for grazing boards and cocktails outside of her picturesque airstream. For a magical , “unGoogle-able” night in SB, Britt Ann is your girl.

OUT ON THE TOWN: There are handfuls of restaurants right out the front door of Hotel Californian and one of my favorite spots is Loquita, a Spanish tapas-style restaurant. The girls opted to split one of their shareable sized paellas. I love the churros for an end of meal treat!

SUNDAY

PRIVATE SHOPPING: Shop until you drop on State Street. There are tons of local boutiques right outside the doors of Hotel Californian. The locally owned Sirena Boutique was kind enough to close its doors for a private shopping hour for the girls, complete with goody bags and gift cards. Grab your girlfriends and head to Sirena to perfect your California girl look.

SANTA BARBARA PICNIC COMPANY: Nicole Leza’s picnics are ideal for the beach, but she was able to create a dreamy setting in the courtyard of Hotel Californian to comply with COVID restrictions. No detail is left unnoticed, I mean look at those blooms! Nicole’s picnics are one-of-a-kind, and she went above and beyond to create a dreamlike dinnertime set up for the ladies.

JEFF KAYLOR MAGIC SHOW: With the help of some local contacts, Madi and I managed to surprise the other girls with a world-renowned magician at the end of their picnic. Jeff has performed at Magic Castle in L.A. and for private organizations such as Disney. He’s the real deal, as evidenced by the reactions above.

I think it’s safe to say that the girls made the most of their time in Santa Barbara. I had so much fun planning this weekend with Madi, Kelsey, Hannah Ann and Victoria— stay tuned, you never know where their next adventure will take them!

If you’re ready to plan your own weekend in the American Riviera, let’s talk. If you are dying to know Bachelor secrets, you’ll have to try elsewhere. But yes, these girls are real friends. And yes, they really do have as much fun as it looks like on Instagram.

Special thanks to the collaboration with Hotel Californian and Carly Mask of Camp Digital to make this trip possible. All photos are courtesy of Carly Mask, Camp Digital.

All images and content copyright to Ragan Stone Travel, Camp Digital and Hotel Californian.