Where are the cheap eats?
- Floriano's Lompoc
Seventeen kinds of tacos on Lompoc's Taco Trail. Go if you're tasting in the Lompoc Wine Ghetto, Santa Barbara County's biggest cluster of small-production tasting rooms, and need lunch. Tacos from $1.69. Source - California Tacos Cantina & Distillery Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang, and McMurray Road, Buellton
Street tacos are $2 all day on Tuesdays at both branches. Go if it's Tuesday. Monday brings a $10 Cali Margarita at the Solvang branch. Source - Highway Tacos Highway 246, Santa Ynez
Chef Cesar Miranda's Airstream on a gravel lot, with homemade corn and flour tortillas. Go if you want the valley's roadside taco. Short menu: tacos, gorditas, burros and quesadillas. Source - Solvang Restaurant Solvang
Three aebleskiver, the round Danish pancakes, for $5.30. Go if you want the most Solvang snack for the least money. Danish plates from 11am. Source - peasants DELI Atterdag Road, Solvang
Picnic-ready sandwiches from the team behind peasants FEAST, which holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Go if you're taking lunch to a winery lawn. There's a market and an arcade too. Source - Gino's Pizza Avenue of the Flags, Buellton
The pizza place that delivers, contact-free. Go if nobody wants to go back out after a day of tasting. Open 11am to 9pm daily, with a kids' menu. Source
What's free or almost free?
- Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden River View Park, Buellton
A native-plant garden open sunrise to sundown, dogs welcome. Go if you want a walk that costs nothing. Free. - La Purísima Mission State Historic Park On Purisima Road, about 7 min by car from Old Town Lompoc
California's most completely restored mission, per State Parks. Go if you want history for the price of parking. $6 a car. Guided tours Wednesday to Sunday. Source - Lake Cachuma Highway 154, 12 miles from Solvang
Boat rentals, yurts and lakeside trails. Go if you want a lake day for $10. $10 day use. No swimming. Source - Gaviota Wind Caves Gaviota coast
Wind-carved sandstone caves above the coast, about 2.5 miles round trip. Go if you can handle a short, steep climb. Free parking on Hollister Ranch Road. No dogs.
For a cheap room, our Solvang hotels guide covers the budget hotels and motels, including the two that lend bikes for free.
