Whether you’re looking for a quick getaway or the perfect place to gather with friends and family, a Los Olivos wine-tasting weekend and a trip to the Santa Ynez Valley checks all the boxes. The just over two-hour trip from Los Angeles lands you in this peaceful and picturesque small California town that is a haven for wine lovers, foodies, and anyone who wants to play rancher for the day.

The area is home to some of California’s finest wineries, tasting rooms, and notable restaurants. Offering everything from amazing farm-to-table cuisine, Bar Le Cote, Los Olivos Wine Merchant Cafe, and Industrial Eats (in Buellton only 10 minutes away) to unique experiences feeding ostriches and emus at Ostrichland USA and horseback riding along the rolling hills offered up by Vino Vaqueros. Take a walk down Grand Avenue to explore the area’s charming boutiques, taste some of the local produce, and stop by the Carhartt Cabin for a glass of estate-grown Pinot and hang with the locals. Whether it’s oil from Olive Hill Farm or wine from one of the many wineries and tasting rooms, the epicurean in each of you will be delighted while visiting this area filled with so much we love about California.

Don’t miss the Los Olivos General Store at 2900 Grand Avenue, right in the middle of town. Here, you can stock up on oh-so-wonderful smelling candles, curated bath and body items, and books on living the ideal rancher lifestyle, complete with recipes, cocktails, and cutting boards. Have a seat in one of the welcoming Adirondack chairs and take in all this quaint piece of paradise has to offer.