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SIMPLE AND
LUXUR IOUS
A
pproximately 30 miles north of Santa Barbara situated
between the Santa Ynez Mountains to the south and the
San Rafael Mountains to the north is the Santa Ynez Valley.
It’s a beautiful gorge, embracing not only coastal influences, but also a
celebrated swath of the nearly 2 million acres that make up Los Padres
National Forest.
The unique transverse (east-west) orientation of the Santa Ynez
Mountain range sweeps oceanic breezes eastward, resulting in one
of the most diverse grape-growing regions in the country. The area
was originally inhabited by and honored as the aboriginal lands of the
Chumash Indians, and the valley has a rich history and culture that spills
over with natural beauty.
Ancient oaks stretch over rolling hills, and vineyards line the
countryside, soaking up the sun and relishing in the moderate
climate of cool nights and warm days. The valley offers up casual
and peaceful country living with a sophisticated edge, boasting an
impressive collection of world-class wines and beer, art galleries,
restaurants, bakeries, hotels, chocolate shops, boutiques, shopping,
orchards, vineyards, top-notch schools, parks, saddleries, hotels, spas,
entertainment, fairs, parades, hiking trails, and markets. A true treasure
of Santa Barbara County, the valley has a population of more than
20,000 residents living in the communities of Santa Ynez, Solvang, Los
Olivos, Ballard, Buellton, and Los Alamos.
The town that gave the valley its name is the township of Santa
Ynez – named after Saint Agnes (the patron saint of virgins) – a rustic
and stylish Old West settlement complete with period-style faux
building façades, a honkytonk saloon, a feed store, and horseshoe-
embedded crosswalks. It is home to the newly renovated Chumash
Casino Resort, the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Society Museum, and
Parks-Janeway Carriage House, surrounded by wineries and vineyards.
The city of Solvang, Danish for “sunny fields,” was founded in 1911
on almost 9,000 acres of the Rancho San Carlos de Jonata Mexican
land grant, by a group of Danes who traveled west to establish a Danish
