What to do in the Santa Ynez Valley

While its spotlight has dimmed considerably over the past couple of years, the movie Sideways left an indelible mark on the wine country of Santa Barbara County. But with the pending Michael Jackson "last visit" and public viewing at Neveralnd, in the Santa Ynez Valley, travelers might want to know where the wine bars and tasting rooms that have multiplied like in recent years can be found while friends or family wait in line for entrance to the expected long entrance time.

The bucolic paradise just beyond the Santa Ynez Mountains is anything but a secret. Not all the locals are happy with the surge in popularity, of course. But considering recent events, it's unlikely the region will ever regress to its folksy past life.

From atop the San Marcos Pass, a mere 20-minute drive from the coast, the Santa Ynez Valley spreads out as the ocean and islands disappear in the rearview mirror. Coastal moisture gives way to a dry, chaparral-scented breeze, and gnarled oaks mix incongruously with ruler-straight rows of grape vines. The east-west orientation of the mountains, however, allows coastal fog to filter through the valley—making this one of the coolest viticultural areas in California. The extended time on the vine allowed by this climate helps develop the acids, flavors and tannins needed to produce wines of distinctive character.

Even before the movie Sideways sent would-be oenophiles swarming to the Santa Ynez Valley (where the film takes place), the heart of the Santa Barbara wine country was already a bourgeoning wine-growing area. Once home to just a handful of vineyards, it has come into its own and now boasts more than 100 wineries (primarily in the Santa Ynez and Santa Maria valleys, located 35 miles north of Santa Barbara)—and it keeps on growing. Keep in mind that its winemaking history dates back more than 200 years: Father Junipero Serra was the first to plant vine cuttings he brought with him from Mexico in 1782.

Even if you're not a wine lover, you'll enjoy the soothing landscape. In addition, you'll find fine restaurants, charming inns, unique boutiques, art galleries and tiny museums, as well as an Indian casino and a cowboy saloon tucked into the scenic countryside. Recreational options range from golf and horseback riding to hang-gliding and hiking trails, while scenic country roads offer a great setting for bike rides. Cachuma Lake provides boating activities and birding tours. And while driving from tasting room to tasting room is the most popular pastime, there is plenty to be savored between sips.

Four towns dot the valley map: Ballard, Santa Ynez, Solvang and Los Olivos. Each has a distinct character and flavor. Buellton, located where Highway 101 converges with State Highway 246, is the northern gateway into the valley. Los Alamos, although considered part of the valley, is actually up the road. (For navigation purposes, the suggestions here use Santa Barbara as the point of departure.)

There's a wide range of places to stay in the vicinity, particularly in the tourist stronghold of Solvang. Some of the more upscale lodging choices include The Ballard Inn (in Ballard), Santa Ynez Inn (in Santa Ynez) and Fess Parker' s Wine Country Inn & Spa (Los Olivos). In Solvang, the Wine Valley Inn & Cottages offers a nice mix of old and new, with contemporized Copenhagen-style cottages and chateau suites nestled amongst an acre of lush gardens. The Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort is a world unto itself, with golf courses (one open to non-guests), horseback riding and fly-fishing on Alisal Lake. Gamblers might prefer to stay at the Chumash Casino Resort Hotel & Spa. While its overblown architecture doesn't offer the charm of a cozy "wine country" inn, the property does have comfortable guestrooms and a surprisingly good restaurant: The Willows, an elegant space that feels worlds removed from the cigarette smoke and slot machines downstairs.

If you're serious about tasting, Sustainable Vine Wine Tours, visits wineries that utilize biodynamic, organic and other forms of sustainable agriculture.

Whatever your plans, be sure to pick up free area maps at one of the Visitors' Centers or by contacting The Santa Barbara County Vintners' Association. Tasting room hours and days of operation vary, although many are open from 10 a.m. to 4 or 5 p.m. daily, and all are open on weekends.

First Stop: Cold Spring Tavern
Begin your journey to the Santa Ynez Valley by taking Highway 154 from Santa Barbara up and over the San Marcos Pass. Be sure to stop for breakfast (weekends only), lunch or dinner on your way in or out of the valley at the historic and charming Cold Spring Tavern, a former 19th-century stagecoach stop located just off the highway. The restaurant is known for wild game specials, which are a perfect match with the rustic setting. The turn-off to Stagecoach Road is marked—it's just after the mountain crests and before you cross Cold Spring Bridge.

Continue on and you will pass closer to Cachuma Lake, a popular recreation area for camping, boating and fishing. The 3,250-acre body of water and its seven-mile-long shore are home to deer, blue heron and even resident eagles, depending on the time of year. Boat tours are offered year round for bird and wildlife watching.

Take the turn-off signed for Santa Ynez and Solvang for the first glimpse of pretty rows of grapevines at Gainey Vineyard, where you should stop and visit one of the valley's long-established wineries. The tiny Santa Ynez Airport is nearby; offering glider plane rides for brave souls. Continue on and you'll soon reach the exit to the Western-style town of Santa Ynez. If you haven't had breakfast, and want to hear the valley gossip, The Longhorn coffee shop is the local hangout. If you want to hold off on breakfast until you reach Solvang, consider a Danish pastry at Olsen's Danish Village Bakery, or for a full breakfast head to Paula's Pancake House, a delightful spot to nibble on wafer-thin Danish pancakes while watching the world go by, which happens rather slowly in this neck of the woods. You'll find several tasting rooms in Santa Ynez as well as charming shops. Learn about valley history at the Santa Ynez Historical Museum and don't miss the world's smallest library next door. One unique stop is Artiste, a salon/tasting venue where you may discover local artists at work or Artiste wine label artist Christina Lo Cascio painting with wine—yes, wine—in the art studio that fronts the tasting room. Created as a community gathering place for creative souls, this space was inspired by the salon of French impressionist Claude Monet. Don't miss lunch at Trattoria Grappolo, an area favorite run by two handsome brothers from Italy. Here you can literally rub elbows with local winemakers and celebs if you eat at the bar overlooking the kitchen. Be sure to try the pumpkin ravioli and the stuffed calamari as well as other traditional favorites. Don't miss the homemade tiramisu—you'll think you've died and gone to Italy. Locals also rave about the salads at another popular local lunch spot, The Vineyard House. Go for the beer-battered chicken and Gorgonzola salad.

On to Solvang, the self-proclaimed "Danish Capital of America." With a population of only 4,500, Solvang takes the word "quaint" to new heights. How else to describe a village filled with enchanting windmills, gift shops and a preternaturally friendly populace? A place where the air is scented with an intoxicating blend of Danish baked goods and fresh flowers. The town was founded in 1910 by Danish Americans from the Midwest who bought 9,000 acres here (the name means "sunny field") to establish an ethnic colony and folk school.

Some people love the kitschy atmosphere while others run in the opposite direction from the gingerbread architecture, cobblestone streets and overload of souvenir shops—more than 200. But persevere and you will find treats here—including such rare culinary delights as the Danish-style sweet popovers called aebleskivers, great toy stores and several shops with thousands of quilts for sale. If you're really feeling the Danish spirit, the Honen (Danish for "little hen") provides an incomparable way to explore Solvang. This replica of a 1915 streetcar is pulled around town for 20 minutes by a handsome pair of blond Belgian draft horses. Visit the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art to learn more about Solvang's Danish heritage.Winemaking has added an element of sophistication to Solvang, and for many visitors nowadays, it's the town's main draw. Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards has a display case full of medals and awards as well as gifts, T-shirts and a children's table with toys and books to entertain wee ones while parents sip. Fans of red wine should seek out Stolpman as well as the Presidio Winery Tasting Room—where the assistant winemaker poured with grape-stained hands during our visit—and the oldest tasting room in town, Alisal Cellars. If you want to enjoy a full glass, try the hip Cabana Tasting Room & Wine Bar, which has a wonderful range of wines from both local vintners and other regions. Solvang has several wine-tasting rooms, making it easy to sample the variety of area vintages without having to worry about drinking and driving.

The evolution of "Little Denmark" as a wine country destination has led to new opportunities for shoppers and diners. At stylish boutiques like True Addiction you're not likely to find wooden clogs amongst the hand embellished Fancy Flops and designer jeans. And when you've had your fill of Danish meatballs and pastries, try a fresh, organic salad at New Frontiers Natural foods. Too healthy? How about thinly sliced duck magret at the French restaurant Cabernet Bistro, where you can enjoy distinctly un-Danish dishes such as escargots gently simmered in shallot butter sauce.

Even if you resist heading for the heart of California's ersatz Copenhagen, stop by to tour the Mission Santa Inés on the way into Solvang. Part of the historic chain of California missions founded by Father Junipero Serra, this beautiful old Catholic church is rich with history and offers daily masses at 8 a.m.

Solvang is also home to several offbeat museums, including the Solvang Motorcycle Museum, Hans Christian Andersen Museum (located upstairs in The Book Loft, a great bookstore) and the very charming Elverhoj Museum of History and Art. It's not hard to imagine a Michael Jackson Museum popping up sooner rather than later.

For a casual lunch, stop at The Chef's Touch, owned by Chef Kurt Alldredge, who also teaches cooking classes. Panino, which also has an outpost in Los Olivos, offers tasty sandwiches. Instead of staying in Solvang until dinnertime, head to Santa Ynez or Ballard. If you're in the mood for some action, nightlife in the valley can be raucous at The Maverick Saloon. Every Thursday and Friday night, the live music is guaranteed to get any one on the dance floor.

If you can get a reservation, enjoy a quiet dinner at The Ballard Inn Restaurant in nearby Ballard (Wed-Sun. only). This charming inn with roses surrounding a white picket fence has rooms without phones or TVs—and noteworthy cuisine. A wine-tasting room showcases some of the lesser-known yet admired valley winemakers including Curran, Lane Tanner, Vandale, Arcadian and Carhartt.

One of our favorite stops in the Santa Ynez Valley is charming Los Olivos, with its small-town atmosphere, unique shops, art galleries, including the lovely Wildling Art Museum dedicated to nature art, and a variety of dining options. It's also home to an ever-growing number of wine-tasting rooms, including Daniel Gehrs, Longoria, Andrew Murray, Consilience, Arthur Earl and Los Olivos Vintners. Before you taste, be sure to fuel up with a hearty breakfast. Try the migas (a Mexican egg dish) at Los Olivos Grocery and you probably won't need lunch.

Explore the Santa Ynez Valley Wine Trail by heading east on Highway 264. Be sure to visit picturesque Lincourt, Sunstone Vineyards and Winery and The Brander Vineyard. Buttonwood Farm Winery is another favorite stop. The route also has the advantage of leading past a miniature horse farm. Top picks for lunch in Los Olivos include Panino for fresh sandwiches and salads and Los Olivos Cafe where you can order the Sideways dinner menu here, although we prefer a pizza and a great glass of wine at the bar. Patrick' s Side Street Café is another popular spot. Local farmers, winemakers and others with robust appetites frequent Ellen's Danish Pancake House in Buellton, a bit off the tourist track but with portions so huge you will be well fortified for your day ahead. Foxen Canyon Wine Trail is perfect for exploring, pick up picnic supplies before you head out—sandwiches at Los Olivos Grocery or Panino—and don't forget to pack a corkscrew.

The fourteen winery tasting rooms on the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail range from low-key (Foxen) to glitzy (Fess Parker), and each has a distinctive personality. The trail is roughly divided into two regions, or AVAs (American Viticultural Areas): the upper Santa Maria Valley AVA (known for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and other Burgundy-style wines) and the Santa Ynez Valley AVA (known for Rhône varietals).

A favorite stop is the funky, tin-roofed tasting room of Foxen Winery. A makeshift altar that includes mislabeled wine bottles, various trophies, plastic nun dolls, candles and wacky photos lets visitors know this is not your corporate winery. Bob Dylan tunes are often blasting on the stereo.. but more than likely, "Thriller might be heard these days. Other nearby wineries worth visiting include Zaca Mesa, Bedford-Thompson and Firestone.

A nice place to picnic is Rancho Sisquoc, a 37,000-acre historic working cattle ranch and winery. Sisquoc means resting place in the language of the indigenous Chumash tribe, and we think this is one of the prettiest resting places for a picnic. The property, originally part of an 1852 land grant, includes an historic San Ramon Chapel, and the entrance is a scenic reminder of old California. Visitors enter via a country dirt lane, barely wide enough for two vehicles, that passes cattle guards, tractors and fields.

After an afternoon of tasting, you'll probably be in the mood for a good dinner. Unless you make reservations far in advance, don't expect to get a table at The Hitching Post II on a weekend—since all the Sideways publicity, it has been booked solid months in advance. This is basically a steak-and-potato place. Owner Frank Ostini can often be found flipping steaks on the grill, wearing his signature pith helmet and perhaps even pouring his award-winning wines.

Brothers Restaurant at Mattei's Tavern, a restaurant owned by two brothers and located in an historic stagecoach stop, is always bustling. Dine either in the garden room with its red velvet-flocked wallpaper or the dining room (our favorite) from which you can watch the chef at work in the busy kitchen.

For more information, contact the Santa Barbara Conference & Visitors Bureau and Film Commission, 800-676-1266, 805-966-9222, www.santabarbaraCA.com.