Los Olivos Day Trip Santa Barbara Wine Country

Los Olivos is an excellent place to start your trip to the Santa Barbara Wine Country. This charming historic town is known for its art galleries, boutiques, wine stores, and landmark stagecoach stop housing, which date back to the early 20th century. Los Olivos is a serene and rejuvenating destination or a gateway to the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, a scenic route that winds through picturesque vineyards and wineries.

Los Olivos History

Los Olivos got its name from the Spanish words for “the olives,” which refers to the abundance of olive trees in the area. In 1887, it served as the southern terminus for the Pacific Coast narrow gauge Railway that ran to Hanford Pier in Avila Beach, California. However, by 1930, service to Los Olivos was reduced to twice a week and ended in 1933. The train station was located opposite Mattei’s Tavern. A stagecoach line continued across San Marcos Pass to Santa Barbara. Nowadays, the primary reasons for visitors to visit Los Olivos are sightseeing and visiting the vineyards.

Things To Do In Los Olivos

Los Olivos is an easy-to-explore town with several attractions located along Grand Avenue. Even on busy weekends, there’s ample parking available, so you can park your car and take a leisurely walk around this charming little wine-country village. Below, we have listed some but not all of the popular spots to check out while roaming around town.

Refugio Ranch Vineyards Tasting Room

This wine-tasting room is in a warehouse built in 1912 as a fueling station for the Pacific Coast narrow-gauge Railway. Today, visitors can sample distinctive estate wines from Refugio Ranch Vineyards. For a relaxing experience, visit this tasting room that often features a pop-up restaurant on weekends to complement the wine. 2990 Grand Ave, Los Olivos, California. Website.

Waylan Wine Company

Waylan Wine Shop is situated in the heart of downtown Los Olivos. The shop offers top-quality wines, and the staff is known for their friendly and knowledgeable service—the porch area with outdoor seating provides a beautiful view of Grand Avenue. The Waylan Wine Company is family-friendly and welcomes dogs, making it an ideal location for wine tasting and visiting. 2963 Grand Ave, Los Olivos, California. Website.

Los Olivos General Store

Although the general store does not sell groceries, it is still worth visiting. You can find various items such as jewelry, greeting cards, locally-made goods, and gourmet food products. The store also offers vintage items and gifts like books, candles, soaps, and wine. The store also displays works from local artists. It is located at 2900 Grand Avenue, Los Olivos, California. Website.

Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Cafe

Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Cafe is the go-to place for wine and dining in Los Olivos.”The food and service at this restaurant are top-notch. They have a wide variety of wines displayed on a wine wall. You can choose to dine inside or outside, and they also have bar seating available in case you don’t have a reservation. The pizza is excellent, the salads are always fresh and seasonal, and the sandwiches are big enough for two people. 2879 Grand Ave Los Olivos, California. Website.

J. Woeste Home & Garden Treasures

If you’re visiting Los Olivios, check out J. Woeste. It’s an enchanted destination where you can find unique items to decorate your home or garden. Each room is filled with beautiful gifts and decorations, and you could easily spend an hour wandering around this fantastic establishment. You’ll find plants, sculptures, trinkets, water features, miniatures, ornaments, bird feeders, and whatever decoration you could think of for your garden at J. Woeste. Walking around the property is a great experience. 2356 Alamo Pintado Ave Los Olivos, California. Website.

Neverland Ranch Los Olivos

Just a quick drive from downtown Los Olivos lies the former residence of the late pop icon Michael Jackson, Neverland Ranch. For 15 years, the Neverland Valley Ranch served as the home of the King of Pop and was later renamed Sycamore Valley Ranch. Although visitors cannot enter the ranch, they can drive up to the main gate, where many leave notes and gifts for the late music icon.

Getting to Los Olivos

Los Olivos is situated on Highway 154, to the north of Solvang. If you are coming from Santa Barbara, you can either follow Highway 154 to Los Olivos, take Highway 101 North to Highway 154, or get on to Los Olivos. Explore Santa Ynez Valley from Los Olivos. Stay overnight for a more relaxing trip. Solvang, just 20 minutes away, has many hotels. Popular places to stay in Los Olivos include The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern and Fess Parker Wine Country Inn.

Nearby Los Olivos, California

The Santa Barbara Wine Country is situated in the rolling blonde hills, around 20 miles from downtown Santa Barbara. The region is home to massive estates and sprawling vineyards that produce world-class wines. There are over 100 vineyards in the area. The entire region offers a perfect setting for a variety of outdoor activities. Visitors can tour a lavender farm, ostrich, or alpaca farm, go horseback riding, soar over the valley in a glider, or relax and enjoy the scenery.

Solvang Danish Village

South of Los Olivos lies the town of Solvang, which Danish immigrants founded. They reconstructed a complete Danish city, including souvenir shops, cuckoo clock shops, windmills, and six wine-tasting rooms. In addition, several delightful bakeries and restaurants serve old-world dishes and delicacies guaranteed to make your mouth water.

Santa Ynez California

Santa Ynez is a town situated next to Solvang. The downtown area is located along Sagunto Street. Visitors can enjoy coffee, croissants, and baked goods at Baker’s Table. The Carriage House Museum and the Genevieve Santa Ynez Hotel are also on Sagunto Street. The town celebrates its Western heritage every June with “Old Santa Ynez Day.” The event includes a street fair, a parade, and country-western entertainment.

Los Alamos California

Los Alamos is a charming town that has retained much of its old-world charm. Initially established in 1876 as a stopover for stagecoaches between San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, it has since become a popular tourist destination. One of the biggest draws is the Los Alamos Depot Antique Mall. However, if antiques are not your thing, don’t worry; there’s plenty more to see and do in Los Alamos. Art galleries, wine-tasting rooms, and fine dining restaurants are also available for your enjoyment.

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