Vineyards and Feasts of the Santa Ynez Valley

There is no doubt about it: Los Alamos has food on the brain. And lucky for you, it's here to be explored. From flatbreads to wine emporiums to a bakery that would make a Frenchman cry, there is a lot to explore on Bell Street, Los Alamos's main street. We suggest you have breakfast at Bob's Well Bread and stock up on lunch items you can bring on your hike for an afternoon picnic on the coast.

Today you are back in Los Olivos for wandering, wine tasting and gourmet food shopping. Start at Stolpman Vineyards, a winery housed in a red farmhouse known for their superb syrahs and l'Avion, a white wine made with rich Roussanne grapes. If you are looking for range and efficiency, the Los Olivos Tasting Room & Wine Shop offers over 90 wines for sale and ine to taste, with changes made weekly. The building was originally a 19th century general store and became California's first independent tasting room. If you didn't find any picnic goods in Los Alamos, merchants in town are likely to have just what you need. Or graze for lunch as you go.

From November to February, monarch butterflies congregate at the Ellwood Monarch Butterfly Preserve at Ellwood Mesa, sometimes by the tens of thousands. While the showing has been generally diminishing, every year is different, and even a sighting of a few hundred monarchs is stunning. Look for clusters of light brown that look like leaves—these are butterflies clinging to branches with their wings closed. If you miss this winter window, this walk through eucalyptus woodlands on coastal cliffs is well worth the stop at any time of year. Take as long as you like, perhaps even head all the way to the shore, before you head to dinner in Santa Barbara.

It's been a busy two days, so stop by the Santa Barbara Public Market for dinner before you head home. The lively food hall of has a little something for everyone, from Asian noodle bowls to Mexican classics to sushi platters.

If you have the energy after dinner, walk a few short blocks northeast to State Street to take in the scene—a beautiful, Spanish Colonial-style promenade filled with trendy boutiques, bustling bars and big name brand shops. From Sola Street to Gutierrez Street—an area known as Lower State —the street is closed off to car traffic to enable restaurants and merchants to spill out into the street for a lively and festive atmosphere, especially on weekends. Walk south (towards the Pacific) on State Street until you reach the Funk Zone, just past the 101. In this district you'll find several tasting rooms from vineyards surrounding the city.