Weekend
vol. 01
fall 2026
This weekend's confirmed events, and how to spend it. An event shows up here only after its host confirms it. Planning further out? The Santa Ynez Valley events calendar marks each date confirmed or expected. Want the town of Santa Ynez itself, with the Parks-Janeway Carriage House and the Maverick Saloon, open until 2am Friday and Saturday? Head to our guide to things to do in Santa Ynez.
Coming up
- Buellton Fall FestivalNov 6–8 · Buellton · Free
- NatureTrack Film FestivalNov 6 · Los Olivos (SYV Grange) · $25
- SYV Historical Museum Vaquero Benefit Dinner & AuctionNov 7 · Santa Ynez · Tickets (early bird from Aug 1)
- Alma Rosa Fall Harvest DinnerNov 7 · Buellton (Alma Rosa Estate) · Not published
- Beaver Dam Analogs workshop at Jalama Canyon RanchNov 7 · Lompoc (Jalama Canyon Ranch) · $175 (limited scholarships)
the plan
A day in the valley
Three routes from LA, each with lunch, walk-in tastings and dinner before the drive.
Weekend guides
Days out
Solvang day trip
Danish pancakes, the 1804 mission and lunch by 1, then Los Olivos for the afternoon. Hour by hour.
Weekend · Santa Ynez Valley
Santa Ynez day trip from LA
Solvang and Los Olivos, Los Alamos and Foxen Canyon, or the Sta. Rita Hills. Leave by 8, home by 9.
Weekend · Santa Ynez Valley
Santa Ynez Valley weekend from LA
One night or two, built around the dinners you have to book and the days the best kitchens close.
Yoga, Pilates and spas in Solvang and Santa Ynez
Drop-in yoga from $20, reformer Pilates in downtown Solvang, yoga in the vines at Alma Rosa, and two spas that take non-guests.
Golf in the Santa Ynez Valley
Which courses take the public (only one of the two at Alisal Ranch), green fees from $14 and the River Grill, where non-golfers eat too.
Horseback riding in the Santa Ynez Valley
Vineyard rides with wine from $150, river trail rides and pony rides for kids from age 2 in Buellton, and beach rides near Santa Barbara.
Zaca Lake: can you visit?
The spring-fed lake up Foxen Canyon is private. Where it really is, how groups book it and the bottomless-lake lore.
Things to do in Santa Ynez
A carriage museum, the new Chumash Museum, steak on Sagunto Street and the valley's latest bar, open until 2am.
Things to do in Buellton
The Sideways steakhouse, Barrelworks sours, ziplines past OstrichLand and a free botanic garden, 6 minutes from Solvang.
Things to do in Solvang besides wine
The 1804 mission, seven museums, ostriches, a waterfall and a balloon flight, with the days each one is open.
Weekend · Santa Ynez Valley
Santa Ynez Valley wedding guest guide
From the porch at Mattei's Tavern to the 1880 Union Hotel: where to sleep near seven open venues, the rehearsal dinner, the brunch after and how to get home when the valley bus has stopped.
Solvang & Santa Ynez Valley museums
A Viking ship museum, the Carriage House's stagecoaches, the new Chumash museum and Elverhøj, with the days each one is open.
Nojoqui Falls: know before you go
An 80-foot travertine falls at the end of a 0.65-mile round-trip trail in Nojoqui Falls Park, a county park south of Solvang: go after rain. Hours, the trail and what's closed.
La Purísima Mission: hours, fees & tours
California's most completely restored mission, per State Parks, for $6 a car. Guided tour times, dogs and what to pair it with.
Gaviota Wind Caves: trailhead & tips
A short, steep climb to wind-carved sandstone caves above the Gaviota coast, about 2.5 miles round trip from free parking on Hollister Ranch Road.
Highline Adventures: ziplines & prices
Three dual ziplines on a ranch across the Santa Ynez River bed from Highway 246, plus the Skynet. From $139, with age and weight rules.
Figueroa Mountain: drive, wildflowers & ride
Spring poppies and lupine from February to April on the Los Padres National Forest mountain above Los Olivos, plus a famously hard road climb.
Chumash Painted Cave: parking & tips
Alaxuluxen, a small sandstone cave of Chumash rock art above San Marcos Pass, seen through a protective gate. Go in daylight, in a small car.
Vandenberg launch viewing in Lompoc
Rockets leave Vandenberg Space Force Base most often in the evening or overnight: 28 of the last 50 went up between 5pm and 4am. Where to watch in Lompoc, and the official alerts.
Jalama Beach camping & the burger
A county park at the end of a 14.5-mile road, with the trademarked Jalama Burger at the Jalama Beach Store grill. Camp sites from $35 a night book up to 6 months ahead.
Lompoc flower fields: when & where
Rotating fields of bloom west of Lompoc's Old Town from April to September, the June Flower Festival and a lavender farm you can actually walk into.
Santa Ynez Valley with kids: a 2-day plan
Feeding bowls at OstrichLand, pony rides from age 2, goats at the Folded Hills Farmstead and a free garden, with each place's kids price.
Things to do in Lompoc besides the Wine Ghetto
California's most completely restored mission, over 30 Old Town murals, Surf Beach and the closest public spot to watch a Vandenberg launch, 26 minutes west of Buellton.
Lompoc beaches: Surf Beach, Point Sal & dogs
Wild Pacific sand made for long walks: Vandenberg shrinks Surf Beach to about half a mile from March to September for nesting snowy plovers, Point Sal is a 12-mile hike and Jalama has camping.
Solvang windmills: where & photo spots
Four wooden windmills within four blocks, from the most photographed one beside the Round Tower replica to the one with Solvang Brewing underneath.
Solvang ghost tours and food tours
The Haunt's $55 ghost hunt hands you an EMF meter; by day, Secret Solvang's 2-hour food walk includes a Michelin Bib Gourmand sandwich.
Santa Ynez Valley wedding venues
Gainey seats 500 in its courtyard, and the 1880 Union Hotel posts prices: weekend buyouts from $35,000, with the saloon open to 2am.
Hot air balloon rides in the Santa Ynez Valley
Sky's The Limit's $265 sunrise flight drifts an hour over the vines and lands to a champagne toast; weekday sunset flights are $300.
Mission Santa Inés: know before you go
Old Mission Santa Inés was founded in 1804 and is still a working Catholic parish. Tour hours, $9 tickets and how to book a docent.
River Course at the Alisal
Solvang's public 18 along the Santa Ynez River; the signature 17th is 123 yards ringed by water and sand.
Weekend · Santa Ynez Valley
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
78 acres of California natives, 100 years old in 2026. Reserve first; dogs get in free.
Solvang shopping
Danish folk costumes, a bookshop open since 1970, antique clocks, vinyl and turquoise in Santa Ynez.
Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden
A free native-plant garden in Buellton's River View Park, open sunrise to sundown with dogs welcome.
Weekend · Santa Ynez Valley
Knapp's Castle: can you visit?
The famous 1916 ruin above Lake Cachuma is private and being rebuilt. Where to go instead.
Lake Cachuma: know before you go
No swimming at Lake Cachuma, but boats, yurts and a nature center, 12 miles from Solvang on Highway 154.
OstrichLand USA: know before you go
Feed 80-plus ostriches and 70 emus from a bowl (hold it with both hands) on a 32-acre farm on Highway 246. Hours, holiday pricing and dog rules.
Solvang nightlife
Solvang goes quiet early, but not everywhere. The Vaquero Bar pours until midnight, plus a vinyl lounge, karaoke in a windmill and a saloon that serves until 2am.
Practical
Photos from Wikimedia Commons and Unsplash. Photo credits and licenses
Weekend guides
Where to stay
The Landsby: know before you go
Park once and walk everything. Mad & Vin off the lobby, peasants FEAST two minutes away and a winery pass with the room.
The Genevieve: know before you go
Wine in The Parlour at 5:30, dinner off the Josper at The Victor, dessert at 8. The former Santa Ynez Inn, from the Landsby team.
Hotels near Chumash Casino
The Genevieve and Polo House sit under a mile from Chumash Casino Resort; Hilton, Marriott and dog-friendly picks with routed drive times.
Hotel Corque: know before you go
The most rooms on Solvang USA's hotel list, owned by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. Which room to ask for, and what's around it.
Polo House: know before you go
Fourteen keys in downtown Santa Ynez with breakfast and an evening wine aperitif included, and dogs welcome in six bungalows.
Weekend · Santa Ynez Valley
Stay at a winery in the Santa Ynez Valley
Sleep at Sunstone, in Carhartt's Sangiovese or in Firestone Vineyard's 1890s farmhouse. Who sleeps how many, what it costs and who takes dogs.
Fess Parker Wine Country Inn: know before you go
A fireplace in all 19 rooms, free tastings at Fess Parker Winery and Epiphany, Nella Kitchen & Bar downstairs and an expansion up for a vote.
Vacation rentals in the Santa Ynez Valley: the rules
Solvang caps short-term rentals at 40 permits downtown, Buellton bans them in homes and the county wants a permit. Here is how to book a legal one.
The Inn at Mattei's Tavern: know before you go
An 1886 stagecoach stop with a Michelin Key, where the $75 resort fee buys cruiser bikes and Mercedes-Benz house cars. Spa prices, The Tavern and the history.
The Ballard Inn: know before you go
Champagne on arrival, breakfast at eight and wine at four. Fifteen rooms and not one TV.
Skyview Los Alamos: know before you go
A 1959 hilltop motel with a 21+ pool: Norman, its poolside restaurant, has a new chef, the bikes are free and there's no resort fee. Which room to book, and how non-guests get in.
Alisal Ranch: rates, day pass & weddings
A 10,500-acre guest ranch open since 1946, and the Alisal River Grill is the one table non-guests can book. What the nightly rate covers.
Lake Cachuma camping
Cachuma's cabins have their own bathrooms and kitchens; tent sites start at $30 in winter, 20 minutes from Solvang.
Where to stay in Los Olivos
Only two hotels in town: the Fess Parker Wine Country Inn, with a fireplace in every room, or The Inn at Mattei's Tavern, an 1886 stagecoach stop with a Michelin Key. How they compare, plus pet cabins.
Pet-friendly hotels in Solvang
A Polaroid of your pup for The Marlo's 'Dogs of Marlo' wall, no size limit at Hotel Ynez and a dog-walk area at Royal Copenhagen Inn. Nine Solvang hotels, with fees and weight limits.
Where to stay in Los Alamos
Every bed in town, all four: Skyview's hilltop 1959 motel, the 1880 Union Hotel, a pirate-ship suite at the Victorian Mansion and the Alamo Motel's fire pit.
Lompoc hotels: Hilton, Embassy Suites & The Village Inn
A space-age 1960s inn where launches can be seen from the property, and two Hiltons 5 to 6 minutes from the Wine Ghetto.
Buellton hotels
Yes, Pea Soup Andersen's Inn is still open, run by the Nielsen family since 1969. Check in under a windmill at Sideways Inn, or pick from six more stays off Highway 101.
Santa Ynez hotels
Polo House's 14 keys built around the valley's polo culture, The Genevieve in the old western township, and a 21+ rooftop pool at the AAA Four Diamond Chumash Casino Resort. Plus quieter inns in Los Olivos and the hamlet of Ballard.
Solvang hotels
Scandinavian-modern rooms at The Landsby, Olsen's pastries delivered each morning at Royal Copenhagen Inn, or no TVs at all at Alisal Ranch. Nineteen stays, each timed from Solvang Park, the village green.
Practical
Photos from Wikimedia Commons and Unsplash. Photo credits and licenses
Weekend guides
Dates and events
Weekend · Santa Ynez Valley
Live music in the Santa Ynez Valley this week
Maverick Saloon's weekend bands, Carhartt's back patio and the last of the winery Fridays. Dates, times and cover from each venue's own calendar.
Solvang Danish Days 2027
Solvang's Danish Days turns 90 in 2027, Sept 17 to 19, with an aebleskiver breakfast on the program. What's confirmed so far.
Buellton Brew Fest 2027
More than 55 breweries, wineries and spirits makers at River View Park in Buellton, and it sells out every year. Tickets, Brew Bus pickups and dinner after.
Wine Country Half Marathon 2027
Solvang to Los Olivos and back, over Corkscrew Hill and down Ballard Canyon, with a wine festival at the finish. Course, prices and the relay.
Solvang Century 2027
A fully supported, untimed ride from Buellton on 104-, 69- or 46-mile routes, capped at 1,000 riders. Registration opens Oct 31.
What's happening every week in the valley
Residents' nights, trivia, karaoke, farmers markets, live music and the Wednesday winemaker takeover at the Mattei's Tavern bar, Monday to Sunday.
Santa Ynez Valley farmers markets, day by day
Buellton on Monday, Solvang on Wednesday and Route One near Lompoc on Sunday, then downtown Santa Barbara's big Saturday market, U-pick farms and what to pair with each.
Santa Ynez Valley events calendar
Danish Days' 90th, Julefest, the Solvang Century and the Wine Country Half Marathon: the next 12 months of valley festivals, rides and rodeos, each date marked confirmed or expected.
Solvang pumpkin patch & night corn maze
A corn maze of more than a dozen acres at The Solvang Farmer Pumpkin Patch, its night maze and the other patches near Solvang. The 2026 season ended Nov 2.
Chumash Casino concerts, spa & resort
The 1,400-seat Samala Showroom is 21+. How tickets work, when to arrive, and the spa and dining.
Solvang Theaterfest
A 700-seat open-air theater where PCPA plays summer. Bring a blanket; umbrellas are banned.
Solvang at Christmas
Hunt Solvang for hidden nisser (Danish gnomes), catch the nightly light and music show in Solvang Park and the Julefest Parade on Dec 5. Julefest runs Nov 27 to Jan 3.
Photos from Wikimedia Commons and Unsplash. Photo credits and licenses