Things to Do in Santa Ynez

This past weekend was spent in Santa Ynez and it couldn’t have been a more relaxing getaway this time of year before all of the holiday craziness. Although only 2 hours from LA, it was our first time visiting the area and it definitely will not be our last! My ideal weekend getaway is a short drive from the city, peaceful, and requires good food & wine – Santa Ynez checks all of those boxes. If you’ve never visited the Santa Ynez area it’s an absolute must for a charming weekend staycation – here’s what I would recommend for a quick getaway.

Things to Do in Santa Ynez

+ Stay at The Landsby

It’s in Solvang (quiet Danish town) in the valley and although it’s a little further from Los Olivos and the wineries, it’s worth it. The hotel has the cutest decor (the rooms are spacious as well) and the restaurant in the lobby has a great happy hour every day from 4-6pm. Staying at the hotel also means you get free or 2 for 1 tastings at certain local tasting rooms and wineries. You’re right in the middle of the small but walkable town and a quick 10 minute Uber ride from Los Olivos. If you’re a fan of pastries you will want to check out one of the Danish bakeries in town.

+ Eat dinner at SY Kitchen.

If you’ve ever seen the movie Sideways you will have a list of spots to hit, but SY Kitchen is newer but a great, more modern addition to the valley.

+ Go wine tasting

The central coast of California is known for its abundance and diversity of amazing wine. Whether you’re a wine connoisseur or amateur, you will find something you like. The vineyards are smaller and less crowder than those in Napa and Sonoma, but equally charming. You can pack a picnic and spend an entire day sipping wine and relaxing. We didn’t have a chance to visit all of the vineyards, but our favorites that we visited were Demetria and Sunstone.

If you’re looking to try more wines, the town of Los Olivos has almost 30 tasting rooms in a couple block radius. We loved how each of the tasting rooms had their own unique story and many were small batch, local vineyards – again you can’t go wrong with any of them, but our favorites were Solminer, Kaena, and Dragonette.

+Outdoor Activities

As far as activities go, you can go kayaking, cycling, and even horse back riding in the region. It really depends on how active you want your weekend to be.