Help Planning Santa Barbara Wine Country Trip

[Clairitek]

I''ve posted in the past about a bit of a weekend in Southern CA that DH and I have before going to the Cook Islands in the end of August. We have decided that we really want to spend the 36 hours we have out there driving up to Santa Barbara wine country. I used to live near there but I was too young to care about wine so I have NO idea what I am doing.

I am hoping to get some recommendations on a place to stay (not tooooo cheap but not over the top either) and what wineries would be the best places to spend our limited time.

For reference...
Here is a map of Santa Barbara Wine Country

We arrive in LA at a little past 2 on Saturday. I have a feeling that tasting that day would be out because most of the tasting rooms close at 5 pm. The next day, however, our flight leaves at 11 pm so if we leave the area by 5 (when the tasting rooms close) we should be fine to get there with 3 hours to spare.

I figure we can either go all the way up to Santa Maria and then hit the Foxen Canyon wine trail on the way back down to the airport or we can go to Solvang or Lompoc and stick around those vineyards before flying out.

**** South and Central CA residents, feel free to tell me I am horribly underestimating the amount of time it takes to drive from this area to LAX on a Sunday afternoon.****

 

[Rock_of_Love]

Yay! I''m so glad to be able to help you!! I grew up in the central coast, went to college in Santa Barbara, and I now live in San Diego. I just love the SB area wineries!!

Here is your itinerary...
You must stay in Los Olivos. This is sort of the main hub or town to reach out to all the wineries from. It has a really cute little main street. So, you would drive from LA to here via hwy 154 (beautiful drive).
http://www.losolivosca.com/
Stay the night here, in town...it is the cutest inn, right on the main street.
http://www.fessparker.com/

You will love this little town...you can have dinner there that evening after you arrive. Then, wake up, have breakfast, order a lunch for a picnic later, and you are off to the wineries. Get your lunch from here http://paninorestaurants.com/ - last time I ordered the turkey and brie with honey mustard, soooo yummy!!!

More to follow...

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 7/16/2009 11:03:47 AM
Author:Clairitek
I''ve posted in the past about a bit of a weekend in Southern CA that DH and I have before going to the Cook Islands in the end of August. We have decided that we really want to spend the 36 hours we have out there driving up to Santa Barbara wine country. I used to live near there but I was too young to care about wine so I have NO idea what I am doing.

I am hoping to get some recommendations on a place to stay (not tooooo cheap but not over the top either) and what wineries would be the best places to spend our limited time.

For reference...
Here is a map of Santa Barbara Wine Country

We arrive in LA at a little past 2 on Saturday. I have a feeling that tasting that day would be out because most of the tasting rooms close at 5 pm. The next day, however, our flight leaves at 11 pm so if we leave the area by 5 (when the tasting rooms close) we should be fine to get there with 3 hours to spare.

I figure we can either go all the way up to Santa Maria and then hit the Foxen Canyon wine trail on the way back down to the airport or we can go to Solvang or Lompoc and stick around those vineyards before flying out.

**** South and Central CA residents, feel free to tell me I am horribly underestimating the amount of time it takes to drive from this area to LAX on a Sunday afternoon.****

Claritek, I am assuming one of you is going to be sober enough to drive?

And you are would be leaving during rush hour, hitting traffic on and off all the way to LAX. SB, Ventura, Oxnard and Camarillo would be in their rush hour, and then you''d hit valley/LA traffic which can be until 7 or 8 pm.

Wineries: Foxen is a must, Sanford and the tasting rooms at Los Olivos where it''s to try a variety. Zaca Mesa if you want to see a bigger tasting room and they are good for whites. Another big tasting room is Fess Parker although I didn''t love their wines. I did several others but would have to look up the name.

Do you want to stay in Santa Barbara, or up closer to the wineries? I stay in Buelton. Not exactly sexy, but the Marriott there is nice and right off the highway. The firestone brewery is a relaxing place to grab dinner and is walking distance from the hotel. It''s an easy drive to all the wineries from there.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 7/16/2009 12:59:16 PM
Author: Rock_of_Love
Yay! I''m so glad to be able to help you!! I grew up in the central coast, went to college in Santa Barbara, and I now live in San Diego. I just love the SB area wineries!!

Here is your itinerary...
You must stay in Los Olivos. This is sort of the main hub or town to reach out to all the wineries from. It has a really cute little main street. So, you would drive from LA to here via hwy 154 (beautiful drive).
http://www.losolivosca.com/
Stay the night here, in town...it is the cutest inn, right on the main street.
http://www.fessparker.com/

You will love this little town...you can have dinner there that evening after you arrive. Then, wake up, have breakfast, order a lunch for a picnic later, and you are off to the wineries. Get your lunch from here http://paninorestaurants.com/ - last time I ordered the turkey and brie with honey mustard, soooo yummy!!!

More to follow...

The place is cute and well situated and at some point for a girl''s weekend I''ll stay there, but check reviews on tripadvisor. From memory, it was very mixed.

 

[ms.halo]

I adore Los Olivos! Please check out my two favorite tasting rooms: Coquelicot and Qupe. Like TravelingGal, I caution you about the traffic driving back to LAX. Sunday traffic is unpredictable.

 

[Rock_of_Love]

For wineries, I would stick to ones in Los Olivos, Santa Ynez, then maybe end your day in Solvang. From there, you are close to the 101 and you take that back to LAX.

Here are some wineries that I really love...
http://www.buttonwoodwinery.com/tastingroom.html - love this place, so cute, cute shop, too!!
http://www.brander.com/visitus.html
http://www.bridlewoodwinery.com/TastingRoom.htm
http://www.gaineyvineyard.com/winery/tastingroom.asp

Last time I went we ended our day here, in Solvang. It is rignt in town so you can walk around Solvang, too!
Lucas & Luwellen
(It was one of the wines featured in the movie Sideways)

Here is a good map of the Santa Ynez wine trail...most of these are on this map, except for Lucas & Luwellen, but that is right in Solvang.
http://www.santabarbara.com/winecountry/trails/santayneztrail.asp

 

[fleur-de-lis]

Clairitek, glad to hear you''re making the effort to go up there! We''ve been up there a fair bit with impromptu trips and there are several wineries we''ve whittled ourselves down to visit on a "must-go" list on each trip:

--Rideau. They may rely a bit too heavily on the mardi gras theme, but the tastings are done in an old victorian home that''s one of the more charming tasting rooms. They just opened a cafe inside and occasionally have food events as well. When you first enter, you''re in the main tasting room, but I''d highly recommend bypassing it and going to the private reserve room-- they have some spectacular reds in reserve.

--Gainey. We tend to start our day in the south, so it''s typically our first stop. Can get crowded. The wines can be inconsistent from year to year (sometimes great, sometimes bland and over-oaked), but I''ve grown to love the sauces and oils they sell under their label as well and at this point have to pick some up in anticipation of the picnics we often have during our visits.

--Beckman. Can be a little hard to find, but a little gem. My FI likes their rose'' (I know, I know, heh heh), but they also have 3 or so gazebos surrounded by weeping willows overlooking a little lake and the winery grounds that are nice for having a little wine-and-cheese break.

--For lunch, Los Olivos Cafe serves what is perhaps the best food in the area; here''s a link:
Los Olivos Cafe


By the way, if the tasting rooms are going to be closed by the time you arrive anyhow on Saturday, you might want to consider driving up from the Southern entrance (via highway 154) to the area. Sure, you get off the highway sooner, but the 154 is a fun road to drive. Shortly after exiting the heretofore flat interstate, you climb, climb, climb up a winding mountain road to elevation 4000 feet (!) and the temperature drops about 30 degrees. On the other side, you''ll drive down winding roads past Lake Cachuma (Perhaps you went there as a child?) and then to sweeping pastureland and pony farms before arriving at the turnoff for Santa Ynez/Solvang/Buellton. In August, the light in the late afternoon should still make it worthy of its scenic designation. If you have any Qs, feel free to ask!

 

[Rock_of_Love]

Date: 7/16/2009 1:09:10 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 7/16/2009 12:59:16 PM
Author: Rock_of_Love
Yay! I''m so glad to be able to help you!! I grew up in the central coast, went to college in Santa Barbara, and I now live in San Diego. I just love the SB area wineries!!

Here is your itinerary...
You must stay in Los Olivos. This is sort of the main hub or town to reach out to all the wineries from. It has a really cute little main street. So, you would drive from LA to here via hwy 154 (beautiful drive).
http://www.losolivosca.com/
Stay the night here, in town...it is the cutest inn, right on the main street.
http://www.fessparker.com/

You will love this little town...you can have dinner there that evening after you arrive. Then, wake up, have breakfast, order a lunch for a picnic later, and you are off to the wineries. Get your lunch from here http://paninorestaurants.com/ - last time I ordered the turkey and brie with honey mustard, soooo yummy!!!

More to follow...

The place is cute and well situated and at some point for a girl''s weekend I''ll stay there, but check reviews on tripadvisor. From memory, it was very mixed.

And, that''s why I chose it...it is really cute and has a great location. To me, it is more romantic vs. girl''s weekend style. I like places that allow me to walk to restaurants and such. All the stuff in Buellton is right on the 101, and like you mention, NOT sexy. But, I agree, a much more affordable option.

My second choices for lodging would be these...but, for me, when I stay somewhere, I like it to be special and unique.
http://www.santaynezinn.com/
http://www.winevalleyinn.com/index.php

Or, I would stay here in Santa Barbara...very affordable for where it is...
http://spanishgardeninn.com/index.php

 

[Rock_of_Love]

Yeah, you will hit Sunday traffic for sure, BUT it is inevitable AND you have plenty of time to spare, so you should be fine.

I''m actually going up to Santa Barbara the first weekend in August for Fiesta and a girl''s weekend, probably won''t have time for wine tasting on this one.

http://www.oldspanishdays-fiesta.org/

 

[Clairitek]

Wow! I feel like SUCH an idiot. I sorta tracked this thread for a work day and then gave up figuring I wouldn''t get any bites. I am so so so sorry I never came back to see all of the stuff you guys posted to thank everyone for the advice. Our trip is this weekend and we still don''t know which places we are going to visit!

Ok. Time to go back and read the responses in more detail! Just wanted to thank you right away before I got busy.

 

[Clairitek]

I was talking with a guy who works for a wine distributor at a local wine bar a few weeks ago. I asked him for recommendations on SB area wineries and he told me that some of them are much more industrial than others. I suppose at this point I need to figure out what my priorities are. A larger winery with a larger variety of wines to taste or perhaps a smaller place that feels more quaint. I think overall I want gorgeous views which is perhaps why I was considering Foxen Canyon wineries over the ones that are situated in a town. Does any of this make sense? Gah. My head is spinning right now!

I am not very familiar with Los Olivos. Do they have a main drag with a bunch of tasting rooms on it? Looking at the website I linked in my OP I would guess that is the case. Just want to make sure before I finish planning the weekend.

TG- To answer your question about driving after tasting... Yes, I plan on taking it easy and being very careful and eating plenty. I would never put myself or anyone else in danger just to fit in one more winery. My parents never lectured me much when I was growing up but they made sure to instill the fear of God in me when it comes to driving after having alcohol. I appreciate the concern though. It''s because of the driving that I want to make sure I choose the right wineries because I know my opportunity to taste will be limited!

Traffic- Is there a rush hour on Sunday? Wow! And I thought Philly traffic was bad! I''ll make sure to leave plenty of time to get back to LAX and return our car.

 

[Rock_of_Love]

Date: 8/24/2009 12:37:11 PM
Author: Clairitek
I was talking with a guy who works for a wine distributor at a local wine bar a few weeks ago. I asked him for recommendations on SB area wineries and he told me that some of them are much more industrial than others. I suppose at this point I need to figure out what my priorities are. A larger winery with a larger variety of wines to taste or perhaps a smaller place that feels more quaint. I think overall I want gorgeous views which is perhaps why I was considering Foxen Canyon wineries over the ones that are situated in a town. Does any of this make sense? Gah. My head is spinning right now!

I am not very familiar with Los Olivos. Do they have a main drag with a bunch of tasting rooms on it? Looking at the website I linked in my OP I would guess that is the case. Just want to make sure before I finish planning the weekend.

TG- To answer your question about driving after tasting... Yes, I plan on taking it easy and being very careful and eating plenty. I would never put myself or anyone else in danger just to fit in one more winery. My parents never lectured me much when I was growing up but they made sure to instill the fear of God in me when it comes to driving after having alcohol. I appreciate the concern though. It''s because of the driving that I want to make sure I choose the right wineries because I know my opportunity to taste will be limited!

Traffic- Is there a rush hour on Sunday? Wow! And I thought Philly traffic was bad! I''ll make sure to leave plenty of time to get back to LAX and return our car.

Yes! And, restaurants...shops...hotel...etc. Once you leave Santa Barbara and head up to the Santa Ynez area wineries, there aren''t many towns out there. Solvang is one...cute "dutch" town, very touristy, lots to do and see. Buellton is right off the freeway...sort of a freeway stop to get to Solvang and such, but it has some hotels and restaurants. Then once you are in "wine country" Los Olivos is pretty much it.

The wineries I mentioned above are all on the smaller, more intimate side. Buttonwood is a MUST SEE!! Super cute...not far from Los Olivos...great picnic area. Brander is cool, too...kind of a castle motif...they also has some fresh lavender products there.

I think the ones in the Lompoc area are going to be more industrial. But in the Santa Ynez area, you should find what you are looking for.

 

[Clairitek]

Date: 8/24/2009 2:53:10 PM
Author: Rock_of_Love

Date: 8/24/2009 12:37:11 PM

Author: Clairitek

I was talking with a guy who works for a wine distributor at a local wine bar a few weeks ago. I asked him for recommendations on SB area wineries and he told me that some of them are much more industrial than others. I suppose at this point I need to figure out what my priorities are. A larger winery with a larger variety of wines to taste or perhaps a smaller place that feels more quaint. I think overall I want gorgeous views which is perhaps why I was considering Foxen Canyon wineries over the ones that are situated in a town. Does any of this make sense? Gah. My head is spinning right now!

I am not very familiar with Los Olivos. Do they have a main drag with a bunch of tasting rooms on it? Looking at the website I linked in my OP I would guess that is the case. Just want to make sure before I finish planning the weekend.

TG- To answer your question about driving after tasting... Yes, I plan on taking it easy and being very careful and eating plenty. I would never put myself or anyone else in danger just to fit in one more winery. My parents never lectured me much when I was growing up but they made sure to instill the fear of God in me when it comes to driving after having alcohol. I appreciate the concern though. It''s because of the driving that I want to make sure I choose the right wineries because I know my opportunity to taste will be limited!

Traffic- Is there a rush hour on Sunday? Wow! And I thought Philly traffic was bad! I''ll make sure to leave plenty of time to get back to LAX and return our car.

Yes! And, restaurants...shops...hotel...etc. Once you leave Santa Barbara and head up to the Santa Ynez area wineries, there aren''t many towns out there. Solvang is one...cute ''dutch'' town, very touristy, lots to do and see. Buellton is right off the freeway...sort of a freeway stop to get to Solvang and such, but it has some hotels and restaurants. Then once you are in ''wine country'' Los Olivos is pretty much it.

The wineries I mentioned above are all on the smaller, more intimate side. Buttonwood is a MUST SEE!! Super cute...not far from Los Olivos...great picnic area. Brander is cool, too...kind of a castle motif...they also has some fresh lavender products there.

I think the ones in the Lompoc area are going to be more industrial. But in the Santa Ynez area, you should find what you are looking for.

Thanks for the input! I lived in the SB area for two years growing up and I remember Solvang well! Its a site to see for sure! I tried to look into lodging further south than Santa Maria (where I booked us into a Radisson) but I didn''t have any luck for any reasonably priced place that wasn''t a flea bag motel. We are just going to keep our good deal and get up early to head back down through the mountains on Sunday morning. I think we will stop at a couple of wineries in Foxen Canyon and then make our way to Solvang/Los Olivos. We plan to get into town at Los Olivos at 3 at the latest so we can eat an early dinner and hit up some of those winers on their promenade.

Looks like the places you suggested will fit into our plans well. I better make sure to print out all the directions so we can GPS it on a whim on Sunday!

Thanks again for your help ROL!

 

[Rock_of_Love]

Have fun!!! Can''t wait to hear about it when you return!!

 

[brightlight]

I love Solvang! You open the car door, and it smells like pancakes.