Getting on/off a motorcoach; walking at Getty Villa determined by personal interest. The drive to Santa Barbara is about 81 miles, approximately 2 hours.
At the hotel, enjoy a buffet featuring a variety of choices including hot and cold dishes plus juices, coffee, tea, water.
After breakfast, we will be joined by a local expert for an overview of the J. Paul Getty Museum and Getty Villa. After checking out of the hotel, we will board our motorcoach and ride to the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades. Oil magnate J. Paul Getty used some of his vast wealth to amass an incredible art and antiquities collection, first displayed in his ranch house on a bluff overlooking the Pacific. In the early 70s, he had a Romanesque villa constructed next to his house to be a permanent museum for his collection. The Malibu villa, modeled after the partially excavated Villa dei Papiri in Italy, became the home of the J. Paul Getty Museum in 1974. In 1997 the Getty Villa was closed and the collection was relocated to the new hilltop Getty Center in Brentwood (Los Angeles). After a nine-year, $275 million renovation and expansion, the Getty Villa re-opened as a home to the Museum's Antiquities Collection. The Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities are arranged by themes including gods and goddesses, Dionysos and the Theater, and stories of the Trojan War, housed within Roman-inspired architecture and surrounded by Roman-style gardens. For your self directed exploration, in the Entry Pavilion pick up a copy of “Today at the Getty Villa” that lists what’s on. You can enhance your gallery experience with a Getty Guide audio player, available free of charge at the Pick-Up Desk on Floor 1 of the Museum with a valid photo ID. The player features commentary from curators and conservators on more than 150 works from the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa.
On your own to enjoy what you like at Getty Villa. The Café serves casual Mediterranean-inspired fare and offers both indoor and outdoor seating. An Espresso Cart, located near the Café, serves coffee and espresso drinks as well as sandwiches and snacks.
We will regroup at an appointed time and place, reboard our motorcoach, and travel by way of the Pacific Coast Highway to Santa Barbara, also known as the American Riviera. After checking in to our hotel late afternoon, we’ll have some time to freshen up and relax before dinner. You might like to walk along the Santa Barbara beach and Stearns Wharf, or stroll up State St. just steps from our hotel.
At a restaurant in Santa Barbara, we’ll have a plated meal plus coffee, tea, water.
At leisure.