Overview
Santa Ynez is a small community in the Santa Ynez Valley winery region of Santa Barbara County in Southern California. It's in a valley of small towns, rolling hills, majestic oaks and friendly people. There are beautiful horse ranches, unspoiled mountains, charming little towns, waterfalls, beaches, scenic drives, breathtaking countryside, fruit orchards, and authentic Spanish missions.
1 things to do · 3 bars & cafés · 2 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Santa Ynez
Chumash Casino Resort
Has big name entertainment, good spa and a steak and seafood restaurant with an extensive wine list.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Jan–Dec. Summer highs reach about 74°F; winter lows dip to about 40°F. Wettest: Feb and Jan. (climate data from nearby Goleta)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- SBA Santa Barbara Municipal Airport, Santa Barbara — 19 mi away. Directions
- SMX Santa Maria Public Airport Captain G Allan Hancock Field, Santa Maria — 29 mi away. Directions
- BUR Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport, Burbank — 103 mi away (major hub). Directions
Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Do
Drink
Wineries
Drink Gainey Vineyard
One of the premier tasting experiences among Santa Barbara wineries. They attract a large crowd, but it's worth dealing with both for their wine and delightful grounds that are a perfect place to end a day of Santa Barbara wine tasting. They also have a nice tasting room reserved for wine club members.
Drink LinCourt Vineyards
This is low-priced sister winery to Foley, but unfortunately not particularly good among Santa Barbara wineries. They do offer a pleasant picnic area.
Drink Sunstone Vineyards & Winery
Sunstone has a nice patio area with a fairly good view. Sunstone Winery overlooks the Santa Ynez River, and has one of the more pleasant settings among Santa Barbara wineries. They have good wine include Viognier, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and others. Their reserve tasting costs a few dollars more, but is worth it.
Sleep
Go next
- Solvang — 4 miles west of Santa Ynez, nearly one million visitors travel to this small town each year to see its Danish architecture and experience its (mostly) authentic Danish culture. Visitors can enjoy Danish food, a replica of the Little Mermaid sculpture, windmills, and the horse-drawn Hønen for sightseeing. The Danish Days festival lasts through the weekend during September and has been held almost every year since 1936.
- Santa Barbara — over the mountains 30 miles southwest of Santa Ynez, the "American Riviera" is a historic mission city that is an incredibly popular getaway destination. Its wide beaches, highly rated wineries, luxurious resorts, art galleries, and a large variety of excellent dining choices, enable the town of just 90,000 residents to enjoy the sort of cultural and social amenities which are usually found only in much larger cities.
- Los Olivos — 5 miles northwest of Santa Ynez, this town has more than its share of wineries and tasting rooms, with around a dozen such businesses despite its tiny population of just over 1,000. The town also draws visitors wishing to pay their respects at Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch, which is 5 miles north of town but not open to visitors.
Nearby
Solvang
City / town · 26 listings · 3 mi away
Los Olivos
City / town · 11 listings · 4 mi away
Buellton
City / town · 20 listings · 6 mi away
Cachuma Lake Recreation Area
Park · 8 mi away
Goleta
City / town · 21 listings · 20 mi away
Lompoc
City / town · 33 listings · 21 mi away
Santa Barbara
City / town · 128 listings · 25 mi away
Montecito
City / town · 5 listings · 29 mi away
My experience
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