The Santa Ynez Valley is a year-round destination for fun and relaxation. Each season is uniquely special, but we’re particularly fond of our fall. The perfect break between summer and winter, fall features a profusion of activities that the whole family can enjoy.
Located in California’s northern Santa Barbara County, the Santa Ynez Valley is just 35 miles from the beaches of Santa Barbara, 125 miles up the coast from Los Angeles and 300 miles south of San Francisco. We offer rich autumn colors, small-town charm, California cuisine, and a surprising Danish history - all wrapped into one fabulous adventure.
The six towns of Ballard, Buellton, Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Santa Ynez and Solvang are ready to welcome you in style for a fall Santa Ynez vacation. Fall temperatures range from the mid- 70s to 80s during the day, and comfortable high 40s to low 50s at night. Average precipitation is about an inch per month.
Stop by our website at VisitSYV.com to review our complete listing of things to do in Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Ynez Valley restaurants, and Santa Ynez hotels and inns, or check out our suggestions below for the Top 25 fun things to do in the Santa Ynez Valley this fall.
Enjoy Fall in the Santa Ynez Valley! (www.visitsyv.com)
Top 25 Fun Fall Things to Do In The Santa Ynez Valley
1. The Wine is Always Fine: The Santa Ynez Valley produces some wonderful wines for your sipping pleasures. The grapes are ready, the vintners are producing their very best wines, and sampling is a must! The SYV is home to four distinct American Viticulture Areas (AVAs), which produce more than 1 million cases of wine each year. You’ll enjoy Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier, and so much more.
2. Beer is Here, Too: Three major players in California craft beer make their brews in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley wine country. In addition to outstanding breweries, a host of specialty tasting rooms, bars and restaurants offer international beer tastings.
3. You’ll Need Some Food to Wash That Down: Enjoy fabulous food, fresh from the field. Santa Ynez Valley restaurants cook up everything from down-home American to authentic Danish and smorgasbord, to sushi and modern Italian- American cuisine. You’ll find restaurants featuring local cuisine, romantic hideaways, family-friendly pancake houses, brew pubs, and plenty of outdoor dining options, often with musical accompaniment.
4. Or Cook Your Own: The Solvang Village Farmers Market is open every Wednesday afternoon year-round. Here you’ll find just-picked produce, lavender, olive oils and more, adding to the strong rural flavor of the area. This non-profit was founded in 1983 to provide California farmers with direct access at landmark locations to market their agricultural products directly to the local community.
5. Be Cultured: The towns of Ballard, Buellton, Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Santa Ynez and Solvang each have their own personalities and colorful histories of ranching and agriculture as well as Native American, Danish, Spanish and Mexican influences. This rich heritage is celebrated every day in vibrant museums that celebrate each town’s unique history. You can also appreciate the arts by visiting local galleries and artistic communities that capture and preserve the nature and charm of these six distinct towns.
6. Be Natural: If you’re not the indoor type, there are plenty of outdoor activities to get your juices moving. Rolling hills, wild flowers and well-loved hiking trails beckon you to explore our beautiful region. Walk, bike, golf, ride a Segway, drive a Jeep, or saddle up a horse and you’re on your way to the great outdoors!
7. Learn About Santa Ynez Valley: The Santa Ynez Valley Historical Society Museum and Parks-Janeway Carriage House celebrate the rich history of the Santa Ynez Valley, its pioneering settlers and the five early townships that formed the foundation of this unique region.
8. Try Your Luck: The Chumash Casino & Resort in Santa Ynez is worth a visit all on its own. Games of chance, entertainment, fine dining, club, pool, and a relaxing spa are all waiting for you!
9. Shop ‘Til You Drop: Shop more than 200 independent and family-owned boutiques. Find local artisans’ wares, jewelry, apparel and crafts from contemporary to vintage, fine art, glassware, porcelain, silver, wood and garden treasures. Incredibly chic yet affordable women’s, men’s and kid’s clothing, fine leather good and accessories, shoes, boots, and clogs will keep you strolling. Porcelain figurines, handmade lace, ironworks and music boxes excite collectors. Best of all, there is a year-round Christmas store to celebrate the holidays every day! At Solvang Third Wednesday, over 60 merchants, restaurants, wine tasting rooms and professional offices offer special discounts and sales all day.
10. Appreciate Nature: The Wildling Museum is a unique art museum that showcases paintings, photography, sculpture and other mediums that focus on themes of wild places and their wild life. Visitors can also enjoy art classes, nature walks, and a gift store of unique and handcrafted items. The Wildling strives to inspire a greater appreciation of the natural world.
11. Find Peace and Serenity: Local spa offerings rejuvenate your senses with a wide range of services, including aromatherapy, Swedish massage and hot stone therapy.
12. Dine Like a Local: Head to Hitching Post II on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday and dine at the bar for this mega indulgence – the Hitching Post II burger. This option is only available Monday - Wednesday and at the bar only.
13. Stay in Comfort: Experience the beauty and charm of the Santa Ynez Valley with an overnight stay in one of our 33 member hotels in the communities of Solvang, Santa Ynez, Los Olivos, Los Alamos, Buellton and Ballard. You’re sure to find a great location within walking distance to fun activities for all.
14. Get a unique perspective: Take a hot air balloon ride over our rolling hills to get an irreplaceable view of the changing fall colors in the valley.
15. Get Your Motor Running: The Solvang Motorcycle Museum displays a collection of vintage and rare motorcycles as well as European race bikes. The collection is quite broad with something for everyone, ranging from a 1910 FN to the present, and across all makes. The emphasis is tilted toward racing motorcycles, with names such as AJS, BMW, Ducati, Gilera, Matchless, Moto Guzzi, MV, Norton, Triumph, Velocette and Vincent. The museum rotates some of the bikes each month so that the bikes on display are constantly changing and expanding.
16. Visit Old Mission Santa Inés: Founded in 1804, this was the 19th of 21 missions built in California from 1769 to 1836 by Franciscan priests. It was also the first European settlement in the Santa Ynez Valley. Mission treasures include artwork, artifacts, manuscripts and vestments.
17. Hans Christian Andersen Museum: Hans Christian Andersen wrote more than 160 fairy tales which have been translated into more than 100 languages. His stories, such as The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor's New Clothes, The Little Mermaid and The Princess and the Pea, are told to children throughout the world. The Museum's display of Andersen's Princess high atop many mattresses is delightful.
18. The Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden: Dedicated to fostering the discovery and deeper understanding of the natural world and an appreciation of the significance of nature in our lives.
19. Learn Danish History: The Elverhøj Museum is the former residence of one of Solvang’s most artistic families. It is now a community museum devoted to the history of Solvang, the Danish-American pioneer spirit, the colorful heritage of Denmark, and the arts.
20. Get to Know Ballard: Ballard is the smallest of the region’s towns, yet it still holds some of the valley’s most treasured gems. A “Little Red Schoolhouse” has been educating young Ballard residents since 1883. You’ll also see historic homes, churches, miniature donkeys, and experience the serenity and charm of a well-preserved country burg.
21. Get to Know Buellton: Buellton is a friendly, hospitable community where dining options are plentiful, offering up everything from a steak cooked to perfection on an oak fire pit, to restaurants focusing on a cornucopia of locally inspired dishes, and exceptional wood fired pizza. Buellton has two distilleries offering tastings of fine whiskey, vodka, moonshine, limoncello, tegave, and more.
22. Get to Know Los Alamos: Los Alamos is a small town with an Old West heritage. Founded in 1876, it looks and feels vintage, yet boasts a burgeoning food, wine, arts and antiques scene. Buildings old and new house art galleries, antique shops, food and wine tasting rooms and a surprising variety of restaurants for every type of diner.
23. Get to Know Los Olivos: California history melds seamlessly with modern-day wine tasting rooms, art galleries and upscale shops in this picture-perfect country town. Victorian homes and businesses cluster around the community hub, while vineyards, lavender farms, orchards, ranches and horse trails surround Los Olivos. The town dates back to the 1860s, when the stagecoach route began to pass through.
24. Get to Know Santa Ynez: Santa Ynez is a sophisticated cowboy town, where it is sometimes hard to tell if it’s present day or 1884 with its period-style false-front building facades housing shops, saloons, feed stores and random horses hitched to posts. The town also boasts plenty of conveniences for modern-day trail riders. A variety of restaurants serve up delicious options from casual burgers, pancakes, and waffles, to steaks, seafood, regional Italian fare, Latin fusion and locavore cuisine.
25. Get to Know Solvang: Founded in 1911, Solvang is an authentically Danish-American town, oozing Danish traditions of language, folk dancing, music and cuisine. The streets are flanked with Danish farm-style architecture and windmills of all sizes. Get drawn into Scandinavian culture strolling Solvang’s flower-lined streets, or step into authentic bakeries and local restaurants that feature not only Danish cuisine but also wine-country, international and traditional American favorites.
Mark Your Calendar for These Annual Events in the Santa Ynez Valley
There are always plenty of fall things to do in Solvang and the lovely towns of the Santa Ynez Valley. Mark your calendar for this year’s activities, or come back next year for more fun:
September: September is the annual celebration of Danish Days in Solvang, where we all get to “live like Vikings!” This is perhaps one of the biggest and best celebrations of all things Danish! You might also enjoy the Los Alamos Old Days Celebration, which is held each year to honor, preserve and celebrate the town’s authentic Western heritage. October: Celebration of Harvest is held over Columbus Day Weekend each year. Local vintners take a break from the vineyards and cellars to pour wine and share harvest stories at the Festival Grand Tasting. Taste wines, enjoy food sampling from the area’s finest restaurants, and listen to live music. Peruse our website to put together your very own Santa Ynez wineries map, and then head out for your own wine tasting adventure. November: Don’t miss the Annual Vaquero Show & Sale, a three day event at the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Society Museum that honors the lifestyle and renowned horsemanship of the California Vaquero, or cowboy. Then join the fun at the annual Solvang Turkey Trot. After stuffing yourself with turkey, pie and other holiday treats, work it off with a "just for fun" 5K run/walk the day after Thanksgiving. Christmas in the Santa Ynez Valley: Solvang is known for its delightful Christmas celebrations. You’re invited to celebrate Solvang Julefest which includes holiday festivities such as a tree lighting ceremony, parade, wine and beer tastings, Nativity pageant and holiday lights tour. And don’t miss the Los Olivos Olde Fashioned Christmas in early December.
About Visit Santa Ynez Valley: Visit Santa Ynez Valley provides listings of the best places to eat in Solvang, best Santa Ynez wineries, and lists things to do in Santa Ynez Valley. Visit the website at http://www.visitsyz.com for complete visitor services. “Like” the Facebook page for ideas on planning Santa Ynez vacations. Call 805-450-8841 or email [email protected] to arrange a fall visit to the Santa Ynez Valley.