For wine and a horse, ride Buttonwood's vineyard near Solvang ($150, Friday to Sunday) or book a private Vino Vaqueros ride on Foxen Canyon ($190). Presqu'ile's estate ride includes lunch ($250). With kids, Santa Ynez Valley Horseback Rides in Buellton rides daily and takes kids from age 2. For the beach, Los Padres Outfitters rides in Summerland.
This week
- Nov6–8Buellton Fall Festival · Visit Buellton
Avenue of the Flags; Fri 4-10pm, Sat-Sun 12-10pm; carnival rides, live music on two stages; Ales on the Avenue beer and wine tasting Sat (tickets) · Free · by City of Buellton
- FriNov 6NatureTrack Film Festival · Visit NatureTrack Foundation
8th annual; reception 6pm, program 6:45pm at the SYV Grange Hall · $25 · by NatureTrack Foundation
- SatNov 7SYV Historical Museum Vaquero Benefit Dinner & Auction · Visit Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum
42nd annual · Tickets (early bird from Aug 1) · by Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum
- SatNov 7Alma Rosa Fall Harvest Dinner · Visit Alma Rosa Winery
Winery event; check access on the listing · Not published · by Alma Rosa Winery
Go for
- Date night: Presqu'ile Winery
- Families: Santa Ynez Valley Horseback Rides
- No reservation needed: Buttonwood Vineyard Trail Rides
- Views: Presqu'ile Winery, Santa Ynez Valley Horseback Rides and Circle Bar B Stables
- A picnic: Los Padres Outfitters
Map
Map loads here. Each listing also has a Directions link.
Scroll the list and the map follows.
How do the rides compare?
Lowest published price per rider, from each stable's own site. Drive times are routed from Solvang Park, with no traffic.
| Ride | Where | Length | Price | Ages | From Solvang |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buttonwood | Solvang (vineyard) | 1 hour, group | $150 | 7+, 48 in | 3 min |
| Vino Vaqueros | Foxen Canyon, Los Olivos | About 70 min, private | $190 (2+ riders) | Not posted | Not routed |
| Presqu'ile Winery | Santa Maria Valley (estate) | Guided, 2 to 6 guests | $250 + 20% gratuity, lunch included | Not posted | 43 min |
| Santa Ynez Valley Horseback Rides | Buellton (river) | 60, 75 or 90 min; 1-hour pony ride | Pony $114; trail rates at booking | 2+ pony; 8+ trail | 9 min |
| Circle Bar B Stables | Refugio Canyon, Goleta | 1.5 h, 2.5 h, half day | $115 / $195 / $250 | 7+ | 45 min |
| Los Padres Outfitters | Summerland (beach) | 1.5 h private; 2.5 h picnic | $195 (2+); $295 solo | 10+ | About 1 hour |
| Alisal Ranch | Solvang | Ranch trails | With a stay | Guests only | 8 min |
Where can you ride a horse at a winery?
Three vineyard rides, all booked ahead. Buttonwood is a group ride near Solvang; Vino Vaqueros is private, on Foxen Canyon; Presqu'ile, in the Santa Maria Valley, ends with lunch from its estate chef.
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Courtesy of Buttonwood Farm Winery & Vineyard, photo by Heather Daenitz, Press kit Vineyard ride + a glass of wine, Solvang · Edge of Solvang
Buttonwood Vineyard Trail RidesBook
Three minutes from Solvang Park, this is the closest ride to town. It's a one-hour guided ride through the vineyard with photo stops, then a glass of Buttonwood's estate wine. Staff match you to a horse and supply the safety gear, and there's an optional lunch add-on. First-timers are welcome, says the winery.
- Open
- Fri–Sun 11:30am, 1pm, 2:30pm
- Fee
- $150 per rider
- Booking
- Tock; arrive 30 minutes early
- Getting there
- On Alamo Pintado Rd north of the village, about 2 min by car from Copenhagen Dr
Go for A drop-in visit
More details
- 1 hour, guided group ride
- Riders 7 and over, at least 48 inches tall (Tock)
- Wine club members get a discount
- 3 min / 1.0 mi from Solvang Park
1500 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang, CA 93463 · 805-688-3032
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Private vineyard ride, Foxen Canyon · Foxen Canyon
Vino Vaqueros at Demetria EstateBook
Only your group, never mixed with strangers. It's a private, guided ride of about 70 minutes through the ranch and vineyard trails of Demetria Estate on the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, running since 2009. Wine afterward is up to you. Book ahead: there are no walk-ins.
Go if private means two people and their horses, no strangers.
- Open
- Open every day. Daily except most major holidays: 10am, noon, 2pm, 3:30pm
- Fee
- $190 per person, 2-person minimum
- Booking
- Reservation form; $50 deposit
More details
- About 70 minutes, private and guided
- Cancel 24 hours ahead or pay in full; no-shows pay full plus 20%
- Gratuity not included (20% added for 5 or more)
- No outside dogs on site
6701 Foxen Canyon Road, Los Olivos, CA 93441 · 805-944-0493
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Courtesy of Presqu'ile Winery, Press kit Editor's pickEstate ride with lunch and tasting, Santa Maria Valley · Outside Santa Maria
Presqu'ile WineryBook
96 pts Vinous on the 2021 Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Pinot Noir
The only ride on this list that comes with a meal. Presqu'ile's guide takes you across its 400-acre estate with views of the Santa Maria Valley and the San Rafael Mountains, then Estate Chef Julie Simon's seasonal tasting menu comes paired with estate, single-vineyard and sparkling wines. Bring your own horse and the winery says to ask about longer rides.
- Open
- Open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday; closed Tuesday, Saturday, Sunday. Limited availability; winery open noon–5pm weekdays (closed Tuesdays), 11:30am–5pm weekends
- Fee
- $250 per person plus 20% gratuity
- Booking
- Book on Tock, 2 to 6 guests
- Getting there
- About 18 min by car from downtown Santa Maria
Go for The views · Date night
More details
Press Antonio Galloni gave its 2021 Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Pinot Noir 96 points. Vinous
- Guided ride, 2 to 6 guests per booking
- Chef's mezze and wine tasting included
- 20% gratuity added to the $250 price
- Ride length and age limits not posted
5391 Presqu'ile Drive, Santa Maria, CA 93455 · 805-937-8110
Where can you go trail riding without the wine?
One stable in the valley offers rides to the public every day, and it is the only one here that takes kids from age 2.
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River trail rides & pony rides, Buellton · Buellton
Santa Ynez Valley Horseback RidesBook
Families start here: no winery, and pony rides from age 2. Rides leave River View Park in Buellton and cross the Santa Ynez River toward a beaver dam, on 60-, 75- or 90-minute trail rides for adults and kids 8 and up. Kids 2 to 12 get the hour-long Pony Encounter, and kids 6 and up can join a parent on the Family Fun Ride.
Go if kids as young as 2 are angling for a pony.
- Open
- Daily year-round by appointment, except major holidays
- Fee
- Pony Encounter $114 per child; trail ride rates shown when you book
- Booking
- Online, or call 805-693-4600 / text 805-705-5458
Go with The kids
More details
- What's new
- Staying at one of its partner hotels (including Hotel Corque, The Landsby, Sideways Inn and Vinland)? Ask the hotel for the $10-off promo code
- Small-group or private; up to five riders (call for 6–8)
- Pants and closed-toe shoes; helmets provided
- Petting zoo: $15 for 30 minutes
- Cancel 48 hours ahead for a full refund
- 9 min / 4.5 mi from Solvang Park
151 Sycamore Drive, Buellton, CA 93427 · 805-693-4600
Where can you ride near Santa Barbara?
For canyon views or the beach, cross the mountains. Both are on the drive to or from Santa Barbara.
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Canyon trail rides, Refugio Canyon (Goleta) · Refugio Canyon
Circle Bar B Stables
Over the mountains on the coast side, 45 minutes from Solvang. The same family has run the stable since 1939. The 1.5-hour ride drops into Indian Canyon past creek crossings and waterfalls, and the longer rides climb to views of the Pacific and the Channel Islands. Riders 7 and up are welcome.
- Open
- 1.5-hour rides 9:30am, 11:30am, 2pm, 3:30pm; longer rides 9am
- Fee
- $115 (1.5 hours); $195 (2.5 hours); $250 (half day)
- Booking
- By phone, 805-968-3901
Go for The views
More details
- Private rides $175 / $225 / $300 per person, two-rider minimum
- Weight limit 265 lb (1.5 hours), 235 lb (longer rides)
- Gratuity not included
- Guest ranch on site: 805-968-1113
- 45 min / 27.5 mi from Solvang Park
1800 Refugio Road, Goleta, CA 93117 · 805-968-3901
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Beach & trail rides, Summerland · Summerland
Los Padres Outfitters
The beach ride. Every ride is private, and the beach rides start in the hills of Summerland and follow a trail down to the sand, so they are part trail. A 2.5-hour picnic ride is $348 per person. Family owned since 1969, and about an hour from Solvang, past Santa Barbara.
- Open
- Open every day. 7 days a week, year-round
- Fee
- $195 per person (private 1.5 hours, 2+ riders); $295 single rider
- Booking
- Online or 805-755-8687
Go for A picnic
More details
- Riders 10 and up (7–9 with experience: call)
- 220 lb weight limit
- Each extra hour: $80 per person
- Picnic rides add 20% gratuity automatically
- About 1 hour from Solvang Park
Greenwell Avenue & Asegra Road, Summerland, CA 93067 · 805-755-8687
Can you ride at Alisal Ranch?
Only with a stay.
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Courtesy of Alisal Ranch, Press kit Editor's pickRanch guests only, Solvang · Outside Solvang
Alisal Ranch
Condé Nast Traveler Weekend guide pick
Not for day visitors. Alisal advertises riding on 50 miles of trails across its 10,500 acres, but it publishes no day pass, so riding comes with a stay and is booked on top of the nightly rate. Not staying? Ride at Buttonwood instead.
- Fee
- Booked on top of the ranch rate
- Booking
- Ranch guests
- Getting there
- On Alisal Rd south of the village, about 7 min by car from Copenhagen Dr
Nearby
- peasants FEAST · Solvang's only Michelin Guide restaurant · 7 min drive
- Mortensen's Danish Bakery · Bear claws and owl-eye cookies · 7 min drive
- The Gathering Table · Budi Kazali's French-Asian comeback · 7 min drive
More details
Press Weekend guide pick. Krista Simmons, Condé Nast Traveler, Mar 8 2021
- No day pass published
- See our Alisal Ranch guide for what the rate covers
1054 Alisal Road, Solvang, CA 93463 · 800-425-4725
What should you wear and know?
Long pants and closed-toe shoes: Santa Ynez Valley Horseback Rides requires both and provides helmets, and Buttonwood asks for closed-toe shoes and supplies the safety gear. Check the weight limits before you book: 265 lb for Circle Bar B's 1.5-hour ride, 235 lb on its longer rides and 220 lb at Los Padres Outfitters. Buttonwood, Santa Ynez Valley Horseback Rides, Circle Bar B and Los Padres Outfitters all say beginners are welcome. Vino Vaqueros, Circle Bar B and Los Padres Outfitters say the guide's tip isn't included.
How do you make a day of it?
Drive times are between the two addresses and assume no traffic.
Buttonwood, then Solvang
Take Buttonwood's 11:30am ride (Friday to Sunday), then drive 2 minutes (0.9 mi) to Solvang Bakery and spend the afternoon on Solvang wine tasting or the museums.
Vino Vaqueros and Foxen Canyon
Take Vino Vaqueros' 10am ride, then work along the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail and finish with dinner from our Los Olivos restaurants guide. For more booked winery experiences, see wine tasting experiences.
Presqu'ile and Santa Maria barbecue
Presqu'ile is 43 minutes (30.6 mi) from Solvang Park. After the ride and lunch, taste your way along the rest of the Santa Maria Valley wineries, then drive 13 minutes (5.2 mi) to Far Western Tavern in Orcutt for red-oak tri-tip (dinner Thursday to Sunday).
A family morning in Buellton
After a pony or river ride, lunch is close: Industrial Eats is 2 minutes (0.8 mi) away, Firestone Walker's taproom 3 minutes (1.6 mi; see breweries) and the Hitching Post 2 4 minutes (1.8 mi).
Circle Bar B and the coast
Circle Bar B's own site says Refugio State Beach is "just up the road", with fishing, picnic sites and surfing. Pair a morning ride with a round in Goleta from our golf guide.
Who isn't on the list?
Fess Parker's ranch horseback rides stay off the list until Fess Parker's own site has a working page with their price and times. Alma Rosa Winery's own site lists estate tastings, a vineyard tour by seven-seat cart and guided hikes, but no horseback ride. Rancho Oso's site lists horse camping and boarding rather than guided public rides.
Can you stay where you ride?
Yes, at Circle Bar B Guest Ranch, the dude ranch that shares 1800 Refugio Road with the Circle Bar B Stables. Its dinner theater closed in 2014, so plan dinner at the ranch or back in the valley; for a Santa Maria-style steak on the way home, see Santa Maria BBQ near Solvang.
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Dude ranch in Refugio Canyon, Goleta (coast side) · Refugio Canyon
Circle Bar B Guest Ranch
The Brown family's dude ranch sits over the Santa Ynez Mountains in Refugio Canyon, 45 minutes from Solvang Park and just up the road from Refugio State Beach. Stay in a Ranch Room, a Canyon Cabin with a wood-burning stove and canyon-view deck, or the two-bedroom Oak Cabin; meals are home-style and the stables ride into the coastal mountains. Its dinner theater closed in 2014.
Go if you'd rather wake up on a horse trail than in a hotel corridor: canyon cabins with wood stoves, a morning ride, tasting in the valley after.
- Booking
- Book direct at circlebarb.com or call 805-968-1113
Perfect for A dude-ranch weekend (trail rides, ranch rooms, canyon cabins)
More details
- Ranch Rooms, Canyon Cabins and the two-bedroom Oak Cabin
- Horseback riding, spa services, hiking, home-style dining
- Near Refugio State Beach
- 45 min / 27.5 mi from Solvang Park
1800 Refugio Road, Goleta, CA 93117 · 805-968-1113
Plan your day
- MorningBreakfast first: Breakfast in SolvangDanish pancakes to bear claws
- MiddayGo tasting: Wine tasting in SolvangNebbiolo to Rhône in an adobe
- EveningBook dinner: Solvang restaurantsBib Gourmand chicken to aebleskiver
- LateNight out: Solvang happy hoursSpritzes, Industry Night, 8pm deals
- OvernightFind a bed: Solvang hotelsNordic rooms to a 1946 ranch
Good to know
Can you go horseback riding at a winery in the Santa Ynez Valley? Yes. Buttonwood Farm & Vineyard near Solvang runs a one-hour vineyard ride for $150 per rider, Friday to Sunday, ending with a glass of wine. Vino Vaqueros runs private rides of about 70 minutes at Demetria Estate on Foxen Canyon for $190 per person, two-person minimum. Presqu'ile Winery in the Santa Maria Valley pairs a guided estate ride with lunch and a tasting for $250 per person plus 20% gratuity, 2 to 6 guests, booked on Tock.
Where can kids ride horses near Solvang? Santa Ynez Valley Horseback Rides in Buellton runs a one-hour Pony Encounter for kids 2 to 12 at $114, a Family Fun Ride for kids 6 and up, and trail rides from age 8. Buttonwood takes riders 7 and up who are at least 48 inches tall.
How much is horseback riding at Circle Bar B? Circle Bar B Stables in Refugio Canyon charges $115 per rider for the 1.5-hour ride, $195 for 2.5 hours and $250 for a half day. Private rides are $175, $225 or $300 per person with two riders minimum. Book by phone at 805-968-3901.
Can you ride at Alisal Ranch without staying there? Not that Alisal publishes. Its site lists riding on 50 miles of ranch trails but no day pass, so riding comes with a stay. Without one, ride at Buttonwood near Solvang or with Santa Ynez Valley Horseback Rides in Buellton.
Quick answers
Is there horseback riding in Solvang?
Buttonwood, at 1500 Alamo Pintado Road, is 3 minutes from Solvang Park, with rides at 11:30am, 1pm and 2:30pm Friday to Sunday. Santa Ynez Valley Horseback Rides in Buellton, 9 minutes away, rides daily by appointment.
Can you ride horses on the beach near Santa Barbara?
Yes. Los Padres Outfitters runs private beach rides from the hills of Summerland down to the sand: $195 per person for 1.5 hours with two or more riders, or $295 for a single rider. Riders must be 10 or older and under 220 lb.
Sources
tap to open
- Each stable's or winery's own website, linked in its listing above (Buttonwood's Tock listing for ages and height).
- Drive times routed with OSRM. Source log with supporting quotes kept on file for every price, age limit and time.
Last updated Oct 19, 2026. We never copy reviews or business photos; the photo above is representative (National Park Service, public domain). Confirm prices and times before you book.
