As we head into the summer season, we look forward to continuing our efforts to reopen Santa Clarita. Just last month, City Hall opened its doors, allowing residents to once again access city services, including those available through the City Clerkâs Office and Permit Center. A few days later, additional businesses and retailers began to welcome back residents, leaving our tourism partners ready to get back to work. While the coronavirus pandemic has made traveling difficult at this time, that does not mean we canât take a vacation in our own community and rediscover the Santa Clarita experience.
Visit Santa Clarita, the cityâs tourism office, aims to highlight the offerings of our local restaurants, retailers and attractions. Between the picturesque landscapes, eclectic dining establishments and shopping, Santa Clarita is a wonderful place to explore. While it may sound like these activities only attract visitors, residents have just as much fun discovering the endless opportunities to get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine while biking, running, hiking and swimming.
Hotels, restaurants
Since the beginning of the âSafer at Homeâ order, our tourism partners have been hard at work, creating workable solutions for residents. Local hotels, including the Courtyard by Marriott and Hilton Garden Inn, currently offer remote workspaces that allow for social distancing, that are distraction-free and affordable. Additional safety measures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been implemented to ensure safety. You can go to VisitSantaClarita.com/workspace to see the hotels offering this service.
Our local restaurants also rose to the occasion and made innovative adjustments in place of dine-in services. VisitSantaClarita.com/takeout features a list of local restaurants that offer to-go orders, curbside pickup, delivery and online ordering options. These include some of your favorite eateries like Tourism Bureau Members Egg Plantation, Newhall Refinery, Salt Creek Grille and Wolf Creek. In the coming days, we look forward to all of our restaurants reopening with new guidelines, so that once again we can enjoy a meal in a restaurant.
There are many opportunities to be a tourist in our own backyard â explore locally! Take a bike ride on Santa Claritaâs multi-purpose trail system, a hike on one of our beautiful trails or play a round of golf on a scenic course. You can find places where you can safely enjoy outdoor activities listed at VisitSantaClarita.com/open-outdoor-activities/.
Businesses rely on residents
With the hospitality industry being one of the hardest hit, these local businesses will rely on the patronage of residents to keep their doors open â many of whom employ our local family, friends and neighbors. Let us all remember to thank the individuals who are working to keep our city going â not only the brave, hardworking health care workers and transit operators but also those working at restaurants and hotels.
Our tourism office is working hand-in-hand with its partners to make the Santa Clarita experience better than ever. You can stay up to date with everything tourism in Santa Clarita by connecting on Facebook and Instagram @VisitSantaClarita. Donât forget to use the hashtag #SeeSantaClarita and check out the Instagram story for interactive games and activities that highlight local businesses and things to do in Santa Clarita.
Even in these uncertain times, we remain hopeful and revisit what it means to live in Santa Clarita. There are endless opportunities to explore, and as more restrictions are lifted and safety guidelines are introduced, we must remember to traverse them carefully to ensure the safety of our community. Visit SantaClaritaEmergency.com to see the latest updates from the city on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Marsha McLean is a member of the Santa Clarita City Council and can be reached at [email protected]
