The California Coast Guide - Santa Barbara County Part Two
Los Olivos, Los Alamos and Lompoc (Triple L)
Hey hey! I’m back with another installment of The California Coast Guide. Today, we’re focusing on Los Olivos, Los Alamos and Lompoc - heavy on the quaint, idyllic wine country vibes. I’ve visited this area a few times in recent years, and every time I come back, there’s even more to see (hence alllll of the spots on my radar for this list).
As a frame of reference, each of these towns is no more than a ~15-20 ish min drive from the others (including the towns featured in SB County Part 1). It’s an easy commute, but please drink responsibly and assign a DD before your day of wine tasting! And don’t worry… I have plenty of food options for you to choose from as your baseline. Let’s dive in!
Los Olivos
Drink
Stolpman Fresh Garage - let it be known that there are TONS of tasting rooms covering Alamo Pintado Ave. But… I am almost exclusively a natural wine gal these days and always head straight for Stolpman’s Fresh Garage. If you’re unfamiliar, you may have seen their “Love You Bunches” labels at the store before!
The Other Room - from the people that brought you Bell’s and Bar Le Côte (both featured below) - a very chic beer hall
Shop
Los Olivos General Store - cute boutique & gourmet goods shop, perfect for picking up a souvenir or gift
On My Radar
Bar Le Côte - upscale fresh seafood that I’ve seen on stories one too many times. This is a must-stop next time I go!
Olive and Lavender Farm - I passed signs for this on my most recent trip and immediately dropped a pin on Google Maps so I could plan for next visit! Looks so cute
Fess Parker Inn - winery meets boutique hotel at Fess Parker, creating an ideal setting for a relaxing weekend away. I may have to wait an extra beat on this one though… nightly stay is $$$. *A note on stays - If you are planning overnight stay in the general area, I recommend looking at Santa Ynez, Solvang and Los Alamos for more affordable options
Los Alamos
Stay
Alamo Motel - adorable ranch-style boutique hotel; same ownership as Ojai Rancho Inn and Capri Hotel!
Skyview Los Alamos - perched on a hill overlooking Los Alamos, Skyview is a slightly higher price point but offers a pool and bigger rooms. If you don’t stay here, check out Norman their restaurant for breakfast to get a taste!
Eat
Bob's Well Bread - pastries, sandwiches, breakfast… ugh, everything is good here
Norman at Skyview - breakfast + coffee
Bell's - incredible pre-fixe dinner!! Also open for lunch but recco balling out and doing din **need to make a reservation far in advance!
Drink
Bodega - a MUST. Adorable wine and gift shop with a lovely backyard. Bocce ball and loungey seating in back!
On My Radar
Pico - craft cocktails and farm to table fare - I’ve heard its a great option for drinks, or dinner if you can’t get into Bell’s
Lo-Fi Wines - more natty wine
Babi’s Beer Emporium - beers on beers and they serve food too!
Lompoc
Eat & Drink
Presqu'ile Winery - arguably more of a destination for their mezze platters (see HERE) over their wine. Stunning presentation and fun to eat some slightly different fare!
Ticket to Sarahdise Event Digest - Week of 9/4
Every week, I’m sharing events you should be checking out in LA. Here’s this week’s download:
TRAINS! - Union Station is hosting a train festival this weekend and it looks cute as hell! More info here
Majordomo x Anajak - EPIC COLLAB ALERT! Majordomo and Anajak are coming together for 2 nights only - 9/11 and 9/12 - reservations are live now, so snag expeditiously ;)
Cutie Flea Market Alert - 88Trade is back with another adorable small biz flea market in Echo Park ish / Downtown ish this coming Sunday 9/10. Shop till you drop while sipping on some Olipop!
And that’s on part 2 SB County! Come back next week for part 3/3 of the Santa Barbara County guide. I’m also sharing tons of coastal content up on TikTok as a part of this series, don’t miss it! Thanks for reading, watching, etc!