Central Coast author Jennifer Best recently donated cases of her book, Best Family Adventures: Santa Barbara County, to northern Santa Barbara County schools for use in school libraries and resource rooms, as well as by students and their families.
“The guides are intended to help families get out and about and enjoy the resources available here on the coast,” Best said in a press release. “With so many students in Lompoc and Santa Maria new to the area, I felt they could best make use of the guides.”
Best lived in Orcutt for 17 years before recently moving back to San Luis Obispo County where she was raised. She wrote the first book in the Best Family Adventures series in 2006, focusing on San Luis Obispo County. That title has sold more than 5,000 copies since it first went to press, and was followed by the Santa Barbara County edition, then a second edition of the SLO County book.
“It has been really fun to meet so many people who have used the books to find trails, parks, story times, and hidden treasures,” she said. “Helping people get back in touch with nature and away from the distraction of electronics has been rewarding.”
The guides include addresses, websites, phone numbers, and detailed directions and descriptions of “hundreds of family-friendly venues from hidden coves to popular parks, libraries and museums to formerly obscure businesses featuring public tours.”
Best Family Adventures: Santa Barbara County and Best Family Adventures: San Luis Obispo County are available at bookstores throughout the Central Coast, online at bestfamilyadventures.com, and local retailers including Toy Zoo & Anything Educational (1930 S. Broadway in Santa Maria), Company’s Coming (1108 E. Clark Ave. in Orcutt) and The Bookstore (1137 North H St., Lompoc).
This article appears in Jan 22-29, 2015.