Valle Verde

My husband and I moved here a few months ago and are so happy we did. Everyone (residents and team members) have been so welcoming to Mark, myself and our pets. We are relatively young and so glad we didn't wait to move here. There is so much to enjoy at Valle Verde and the surrounding community! Our one story cottage is just right for us and has a huge private court yard that all other communities lacked. The grounds (60+ acres!) are really beautiful with a private dog park and adjacent public park. We feel "at home" here. One year update! We are still so happy with our decision with moving to Valle Verde. I'm a gardener so I'm so happy with opportunitues to have input on the beautiful common areas via the Garden Committee as well as our large private couryards and foundation plantings. I'm also a retired professional potter and there's a HUGE ceramics center a short drive from campus. I have a paid membership there but anyone can take worshops or classes at this world class facility.

Where else in Santa Barbara would you find 62 acres of green, with beautifully tended gardens (several by resident volunteers), an orchard, trees everywhere and pathways through lovely single-level homes. Valle Verde feels like a neighborhood; Valle Verde is a neighborhood and I am so glad I live here.

My wife and I have now been at Valle Verde for one year and 4 days. This place is fantastic! The only downside is that our unit is small but we are in Santa Barbara which means that our large patio serves as another room and the shared gardens and facilities mean we really don't need much room at home. Obviously, most of us did downsize to move here but I miss very little. Best thing here is the culture. The administration, the team members and the residents are welcoming and kind. Dining staff called us by name on day one as did several residents we met on our first day here! This place is resident centered. We feel very safe and taken care of. Human Good is not just tolerant of differences but all of us regardless of race, cultural background, religion, gender/gender identification or sexual orientation are celebrated. Nursing staff is available 24/7 for emergency care. I am very active/healthy, but wear an emergency alert and have pressed it a couple of times to be sure another resident has help from nursing staff always available within minutes. (Yes, there were a couple falls on the pickleball court.) I no longer have to cook so don't mind at all our small but well supplied kitchen. The food here is good though not always 5 star but there is a large menu and there are always some delightful choices. I urge my friends to sign up for our community well in advance of when they are ready to come as there is a long list of folks who want to live here. Ideally, move when you are healthy and fit so you can take advantage of all of the amenities, develop life-long friendships and truly call this place home. I hike on nearby trails, play pickleball 6 days a week and ping pong 2 days a week. We swim in the pool which is kept between 84-88 degrees. We attend Santa Barbara cultural events to which Valle Verde offers transportation as well as hikes in nearby parks and open spaces. We are well supplied with books in our library and often watch movies in our theater. We attend speaker events in our theater. We have "speakers within" where we hear about residents lives and "speakers without" which have run the gamut from a panel of experts on scams to a professional yo-yo fellow. Some educational and some just plain fun. My life at 77 is now all fun with minimal responsibilities and confidence that no matter what befalls us, we are in good hands. Our loved ones will have no worries about us as we grow older.

We moved to Valle Verde almost six months ago. The move in process was handled beautifully by the marketing department, the home we chose was remodeled perfectly to our expectations. The food is better than we had anticipated. The residents have been so warm and welcoming to us. We are participating in some classes and events that interest us. And, our favorite pasttime, walking on campus and beyond, has been a daily pleasure for us. We feel very fortunate to live here in this beautiful town and gorgeous setting.