After speaking at the Democratic National Convention Monday night, President Joe Biden may be vacationing in the Santa Ynez Valley with First Lady Jill Biden for the rest of the week.
Citing “VIP” as the reason and mentioning the Office of the President of the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration issued temporary flight restrictions for Tuesday through Sunday around the Santa Ynez Airport.
The notice to pilots remains in effect from 12:15 a.m. Tuesday to 10 p.m. Saturday.
Multiple military aircraft also have attracted attention while flying and landing around the Santa Ynez and Santa Maria airports in recent days.
The vacation reportedly will follow the president and first lady speaking at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago to make the case for Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
Once expected to accept the Democratic nomination for president, Biden stepped aside in July, saying he believed it would be “in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down.”
The timing of a vacation some 2,000 miles from the convention and in a sleepy community likely helps avoid Biden inadvertently upstaging Harris and Walz as the party moves to a new generation.
The Bidens’ destination remains uncertain, but billionaire Joe Kiani, a big political donor, owns a Santa Ynez Valley ranch. Biden’s son Hunter reportedly visited the ranch in March 2023.
Kiani is the founder and chief executive officer of the medical technology company Masimo Corporation.
The Kiani Preserve boasts 8,000 acres spanning hills and canyons “in the shadow of Figueroa Mountain.”
The pending arrival by the high-profile vacationers has prompted chatter around the Santa Ynez Valley and on social media.
If they’re looking for Central Coast-unique attractions beyond wineries and beaches, the Bidens’ visit will coincide with Santa Barbara County Farm Day on Saturday with several Santa Ynez Valley sites among participants.
Additionally, they likely will be in the area for the SpaceX launch of Starlink satellites, reportedly aiming for early Friday morning at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Santa Barbara County has seen top-level visits before.
President Ronald Reagan visited his 688-acre Rancho del Cielo in the hills above the Santa Ynez Valley several times a year during his two terms in office, leading the location to become known as the Western White House.
The ranch was sold in 1998 to the Young America’s Foundation.
And President Bill Clinton stopped in Santa Barbara during the 1996 campaign.
More recently, then-Vice President Mike Pence visited Vandenberg in July 2019.
And in April 2022, Vice President Kamala Harris stopped at the base, speaking out against anti-satellite tests conducted by other nations and adding to space debris.