The Duke and Duchess of Sussex call Montecito home, residing in a $29 million mansion with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. It's an area popular for its A-list homes, with Oprah Winfrey and Jennifer Aniston both residing nearby in their own mammoth estates. But the location is also a hiker hotspot, garnering walkers from all over to tackle the trails. A route that was damaged over a year ago in a storm has now been restored and reopened, Santa Barbara local news site, Noozhawk, has reported.
The San Ysidro Trail is now fully operational – and it's a scenic route with several pools and a waterfall along the track. Dogs are also allowed if kept on leads, so it would be the ideal spot for the Sussexes to take their pooches for a stroll. The Montecito Trails Foundation has been behind the project and their website explains: "Restoring trails is hard work and requires careful planning and we are up for the task because of the amazing community partners that we have, and the hard work and volunteer hours of people like you."
© Corbis via Getty ImagesWe know Meghan is a huge hiking fan, and it was demonstrated in her Netflix series With Love, Meghan, when she was seen walking with one of her girlfriends in the mountains. Also, when Prince Harry visited the UK for his father's coronation celebrations, Meghan chose to stay in Montecito and was pictured hiking nearby their home.
Montecito activities
As well as walking routes, the area has a range of activities which are ideal for the Sussexes. One of the most popular locations is Butterfly Beach. We can see why it is a hit as it is a beautiful spot recommended for watching the sunrise and sunset, as well as swimming and surfing. There's also a zoo, sea center, and botanical gardens close by, which are all kid-friendly days out.
Even without leaving their private estate, Archie and Lilibet can have bags of fun as their extensive garden is practically a holiday park. There's the large family pool outside that's lined with sun loungers, a giant playground complete with a climbing wall and plenty of space for running and ball games.
We've seen both children getting stuck into gardening and fruit picking on the estate. One summer, Harry and Meghan even made a huge slip 'n' slide in their back garden, proving that their home is geared towards creating special family moments.
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