Will you be having company for the holidays? Looking for something to do with minimal interaction with people in general, due to current health concerns? Maybe a short road trip is the best answer.
You can show your company the outstanding beauty of Santa Barbara County and find some fun things to do. Here is one good plan, and I’m sure you could bring up a map and find more. Maybe send this column to your company to whet their appetite for adventure.
Santa Barbara County’s Wonderland Loop car trip begins by heading north (toward the mountains) on Hwy. 154 from the 101 freeway, and cruising over San Marcos Pass. Pause to enjoy panoramic views of the enchanting Channel Islands to the south before going over the mountaintop.
Several miles later, visitors are rewarded with another visual gift — a luxurious oak and chaparral valley with shining Lake Cachuma setting it off perfectly. Paradise and Stagecoach roads are great side trips if you have the spare time.
The Santa Ynez Valley boasts many fine wineries, where you can stop in for a taste and take home a few bottles or cases. You will be drinking the rewards of this adventure for weeks.
Hwy. 246 intersects Hwy. 154. Take Hwy. 246 to its intersection with Hwy. 101 for a very pretty drive, with a couple of must-see spots along the way. It would be difficult to not notice the Chumash Casino near Santa Ynez.
This landmark has undergone amazing growth that proves how much our community supports the enterprise and our Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. If you enjoy gaming, you will certainly stop.
Just a little further along Hwy. 246 is one of our precious local resources, the Danish-style community of Solvang. The town’s thematic architecture is a pleasure to admire, and the unique shopping is fun (Try the fudge!). To make a full weekend of the wonderland loop, spend the night at one of the many hotels in this cute community.
Between Solvang and Buellton, is a beautiful stretch of equestrian enterprise. Buellton has some fine eating establishments right along the highway, including the long famous Pea Soup Andersen’s Restaurant. You will see the cutesy signs.
Take the southbound ramp onto Hwy. 101 and drive through the pretty, and often windy, Gaviota Pass. The rest of the trip back to Santa Barbara is along the ocean, where you may be tempted by some of the best beachside campgrounds and vista spots the area has to offer.
This loop trip can be done in as little as a couple of hours, but making a day of it, with plenty of stops along the way, enhances the rewards of the adventure.
— Capt. David Bacon operates WaveWalker Charters and is president of SOFTIN Inc., a nonprofit organization providing seafaring opportunities for those in need. Visit softininc.blogspot.com to learn more about the organization and how you can help. Click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.
