Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting a place for the first time. Nestled in the mountains, about a 25-minute drive from my city, it's a stunning spot, perfect for an afternoon getaway.

Known as Santa Cruz, it's a charming, rustic-style restaurant that serves delicious food. But there's more to it than just great meals. The outdoor spaces are lovely for relaxing, and there are tons of animals to see and interact with.

Let's start with the restaurant itself. As you can see in the first three photos, it has a really cozy, countryside feel.

Next up is the stable, where they keep the horses and other animals.

was really surprised to find a trailer that they rent out as a kind of cabin. And even more surprised to learn they have Starlink internet out there!

There's so much open space and the mountain air is fresh. It's truly the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.

Besides the beautiful scenery and delicious food, the main attraction is definitely the animals. They're all so sweet and gentle!

First up, these two adorable golden retriever puppies. I just melted when I saw them!

There were also miniature cows so cute!

And some donkeys.

They had birds too, like ostriches, peacocks, ducks, and smaller birds

I even saw two llamas, but they were a bit shy, so I could only get a far-off shot.

But the real stars were the horses. Everyone wanted to go for a ride!

I felt so relaxed and peaceful there. Plus, I got to take some really great photos! I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.