After a long road, the Santa Ynez Valley’s wineries, restaurants, and lodging properties are cautiously and safely opening doors to visitors
(SANTA YNEZ VALLEY, Calif.) — As Americans prepare to resume their love of travel, the Santa Ynez Valley is equally prepared to welcome them back to wine country with the opportunity to once again experience the gem of California’s Central Coast. The Valley’s hotels, inns, restaurants, wineries, and outdoor activities are back to doing what they do best—providing a much-needed getaway or a distinct change of scenery that is welcoming, safe and spacious—just two hours from Los Angeles and a scenic four-hour drive from the Bay Area.
The region’s relatively slow pace of life and charming communities, abundant open spaces and uncrowded rural roads, and the stunning setting painted with lush vineyards and California Oaks as far as the eye can see, are made only more attractive by the times in which we currently find ourselves.
“The journey has been long, but the challenges we all faced through isolation have given us the opportunity to recognize and reprioritize what is most important to us including quality time with family and close friends, a slower pace of life, and of course, traveling,” said Shelby Sim, CEO of Visit the Santa Ynez Valley. “The life and culture of the Santa Ynez Valley have always been something we cherish, but never have we been so excited to get back to it and share it with others at a time when so many people are so eager to return to doing the things they love most.”
The Santa Ynez Valley’s location along the Central Coast of California is ideal for those yearning for a quick yet dramatic change of pace and scenery that is close enough to be within easy reach and just far enough away from the city to offer a deeper experience.
The Santa Ynez Valley’s inns and hotels — including The Landsby, The Santa Ynez Inn, and Skyview Los Alamos, as well as the family-friendly Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort, Flying Flags, Hamlet Inn, Santa Ynez Valley Marriott, Sideways Inn, and The Alamo Motel — are again unforgettable stays for a wide range of budgets.
The Santa Ynez Valley’s many incredible restaurants — including Bell’s Los Alamos, Bob’s Well Bread, The Gathering Table, Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Cafe, Pico, Plenty on Bell, S.Y. Kitchen, Full of Life Flatbread, Leonardo’s, Brothers at the Red Barn, Hitching Post II, and Trattoria Grappolo — are no longer limited to take-out service only and are back to serving up their imaginative culinary creations to diners on the premises.
And whether tasting along the scenic Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, in quaint downtown Los Olivos, the Santa Ynez Valley Wine Trail, Sta. Rita Hills Wine Trail, Buellton Wine Trail, or the Solvang Wine Walk, the Santa Ynez Valley has a world of wine waiting to be rediscovered.
Of course, never have we been more excited to enjoy open spaces. A horseback ride through the vineyards with Vino Vaqueros, a cycling tour along the region’s country roads, and hundreds of miles of hiking trails to explore may just be what we need to feel free again.
“We are all yearning to get back to things we love,” Sim said. “As stewards of the Santa Ynez Valley, our restaurants, wineries, hotels and retailers remain vigilant. All open businesses are operating under RISE, Santa Barbara County’s guide for Reopening in a Safe Environment. By utilizing healthy travel practices, social distancing and the county-required use of masks, the Santa Ynez Valley provides visitors the perfect combination of amenities, activities, and experiences to enjoy a safe and welcome getaway.”
For more information, or to research attractions, book lodging and activities, and create a custom travel itinerary, visit visitsyv.com. For further details on traveling safely in the Santa Ynez Valley, visit www.visitsyv.com/traveling-
About the Santa Ynez Valley:
Barely two hours from Los Angeles and a scenic four-hour drive from San Francisco, the Santa Ynez Valley is home to six distinct towns each with their own culture, vibe and menu of experiences. Blanketed with fruitful farms and vineyards, the California Central Coast wine region’s temperate weather allows for year-round activities of all sorts, spread throughout the historical communities of Ballard, Buellton, Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Santa Ynez, and Solvang. Destination dining and world-class wines await, accompanied by lodging at every level, all painted into atmospheric backdrops that colorfully mesh Old World and Old West. Visit more than 100 wineries, feast on chef-driven cuisine, and enjoy festive events and design details from Victorian-era to mid-century to modern Danish. For more information, including a listing of wedding venues, restaurants, wineries, tasting rooms, and events, go to VisitSYV.com.
