THE FULLEST Guide to Santa Barbara Wine Country
Even if you’re not a wine lover, the oak-dotted hillside, endless rows of lush grapevines, and the cute country lanes make Santa Barbara wine country a place for every type of traveler. From the Santa Ynez to the Santa Maria Valleys, and the Santa Rita Hills regions, we’ve pulled together our top foodie spots, wellness classes, and boutique stays. Pair with your favorite travel companions!
Stay
Bodega House
A charming 1920s farmhouse in Los Alamos. Enjoy the chef’s kitchen, private patio, and two cozy bedrooms while soaking up Santa Ynez Valley wine country. Their wine and beer garden, Bodega, is also on the property and features a retail shop, bocce ball, and a greenhouse filled with unique plants and pottery.
Hotel Ynez
Nestled on two private acres with extensive gardens, a pool, bonfire pits, and a rustic outdoor pavilion for nights under the stars.
Eat
S.Y. Kitchen
Devour fresh, modern, Italian dishes in any of the three rooms of their Italian-inspired, California farmhouse. Our favorite restaurant in this region!
Nella Kitchen and Bar
From the team behind SY Kitchen comes Nella Kitchen and Bar, located alongside the Fess Parker Wine Country Inn in Los Olivos. Like SY Kitchen, Nella features quality foods simply prepared using only the finest locally-sourced ingredients.
Bob’s Well Bread Bakery
Bob’s Well Bread products are hand-made with only the finest ingredients and natural starters. No added preservatives will be found in any of their baked goods, and they strive to source ingredients locally using farmers and growers who practice the purest growing initiatives. We love having breakfast here and they have multiple locations in the region.
Full of Life Flatbread
All Full of Life flatbreads are made with organic, locally-sourced ingredients and cooked in a 900 degree wood oven. We love grabbing a bite to enjoy either at the restaurant or to take over to Bodega to enjoy with a glass of natural wine.
PICO
A farm to table restaurant with local, organic, and quality-sourced ingredients. They have outside dining by their garden, which is a big plus with kids because it is closed off for them to roam around a bit without parents needing to worry.
The Lucky Hen Larder
The perfect mid-day stop to grab a picnic lunch to go, sandwiches, and all of the larder essentials for wine tasting.
Shop
Santa Ynez General Store
Adorable general store with endless home goods, wares, and gifts sourced from all over the world.
Campover
Started by the owners of Joshua Tree Cabin, Campover is a simple and beautifully curated shop that offers a variety of modern essentials that make your cabin feel like a home and your home feel like a cabin.
Los Olivos General Store
Located in the heart of Santa Ynez Valley wine country, Los Olivos General Store features a broad selection of merchandise ranging from home goods, gourmet food, books, candles, and more.
Global Eye Shop
A handmade gift shop in Los Olivos with one of a kind ceramics from the owner.
Visit
Studio Amor Fati
A beautiful studio to take a Pilates class if you’re wanting to move a bit while on your trip, not to mention we absolutely love the studio owner, Carly Farmer, and wish we could take classes from her every day.
Ostrich Land
Whether a tourist or local, a visit to this Central Coast landmark is a pretty unforgettable experience. Ostrich Land is a 32-acre farm with 140 ostriches and emus. You can feed them or just admire them from afar!