Given it being Valentine's Day Eve, it seems quite appropriate to review a Santa Barbara gem. The…read morelocals--particularly UCSB students--know it as "Kissing Point." You don't need to use your imagination why: Simply venture here at sunrise/sunset and you'll be macking with whomever is closest to you due to the natural romance in the Californian air. It also helps that the temperature is sometimes +10* warmer since it is in the mountains. ;) History: Kissing Point is about a third of the way up (or three-quarters of the way down depending on your route) Old San Marcos Road. This was the original stagecoach route to cross over the mountains prior to the current San Marcos Pass/Route 154 between 1861 and 1901. There are a few weathered historical markers along the way but anyone will easily be impressed by the hard work put into carving out the road. How to get here?: The easiest route to reach Kissing Point is by exiting off the 101 Freeway at Patterson Rd and going toward the mountains, turn right on Cathedral Oaks, then turn left when you've reached San Marcos Rd. Kissing Point consists of only two unmarked dirt pull-offs (one now with bollards due to erosion). There is also a third and fourth pull-off much further up hill but with very limited space. What do I see?: The views are from the Santa Ynez Foothills down into Santa Barbara and Goleta Valley with easy landmarks being the Santa Barbara Airport, University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB), Old Town Goleta, the Pacific Ocean's Santa Barbara Channel, and almost all of the Channel Islands in the distance on a clear day (from north to south: San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz--the most obviously, and Anacapa Islands). I am spoiled to have this scenic drive only minutes from my house since it offers not only some of the best aerial views (ie particularly from Kissing Point) but also a backroad option to access Route 154 that goes over the Santa Ynez Mountains toward popular destinations including Lake Cachuma, Santa Ynez Valley Wine Country, and Solvang. A few tips: - I have included the precise location on the Yelp map, in addition to GPS coordinates, in the Quick Tips. - Check out my video of the drive down this twisty road with views for days: https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select_video=OgU4LsTKlJ7Eqyh60KKdcA&userid=4DyMRBKrokax6d8LCI3GAw. - People love to drive extremely fast up and down (including myself). Be cautious of mountain bikers and motorcycles, particularly around the two hairpin U-turns toward the top. - As the signs heed, put on your headlights during the night AND day. - Please clean up after yourself. Unfortunately there is plenty of trash and glass bottles left behind. Don't be this person.

Was a fun roadtrip got there a bit late and it was cloudy unfortunately but it was still a…read morebeautiful sight and relaxing to sit and view with your significant other

Wow! Like we stumbled upon the perfect street of trendy beautiful shops of children's clothing,…read moresnacks, wine tasting and more. More modern by centuries than Los Alamos with lots of wine tasting, restaurants and shopping. We entered several stores and I pretty much found and bought things from each one.

How do you not love this place. A very cute Hallmark movie town but with a major punch of cuteness…read more It's alway quite busy during the weekend so parking can be a tight squeeze but there's plenty if you just drive around. The town square isn't that big as everything is centered right in the middle. Loads of cute boutique and gifts shops. And of course all the amazing shops and tasting room. One after the other which makes it nice so you don't have to drive anywhere. Besides the tasting room, there's a couple breweries with great beer on tap. Perfect for an afternoon on the patio and just people watching and enjoying the day. Most places will have some kind of live music during the weekend. There's also an olive oil tasting room. But if you're looking for dining, loads of amazing places for an excellent meal. From something fast and easy with the cafes to fine dining. Bar le cote and Nellas kitchen are a favorite of mine. If you're looking for some places for a nice night cap or a drink, there's always The Tavern at Maddie's Inn. There's something for everyone. A cute town that is tucked in wine country that most people will drive by and not even know about it.

Want to visit a town that is proud of their danish heritage? Come to Solvang…read more Like how Bruges, Belgium is big on chocolate shops, here bakeries are everywhere with loads of tourist souvenir shops. There are free public parking lots. Ice cream, trolley rides and a miniature Little Mermaid statue are here. A few wine tasting rooms, restaurants and lodgings are visible.

GETTING HERE: Head…read moreNorth on the 101 and at the city of Buellton you'll navigate to the 246 East. REVIEW: ^^^^^^^ Once again, Yelp is not keeping the photos. There are several photos. I have attached that are visible on the.com but are not visible on the app. Oh, how I love Solvang! As a kid, I would come up here once a year and walk around and buy a piece of fudge for the drive home. As an adult, I cannot believe the amazing history that is held in this city! First and foremost, the Mission Santa Ines is a MUST see and do. Beyond that, the streets have historical-looking buildings and shops that will take you straight to Denmark: shopping, bakeries, restaurants, wine tasting experiences, etc. etc. It's an incredible environment to immerse yourself in that is a great way to take a quick "staycation" if you're in Santa Barbara, Ventura, or even Los Angeles Counties. Via a quick search on the G train, the city of Solvang was founded in 1911. Also see: https://solvangusa.com/ There is so much to do and see in Solvang! Check it out and be sure to get a piece of Solvang fudge! Enjoy!

This is a beautiful wind chime and sculpture near the entrance of Hans Christian Andersen Park in…read moreSolvang, the artwork producing a pleasant sound on a breezy Saturday afternoon. The area is peaceful, and there's a bench right next to the wind harp, making it convenient to spend a few moments here appreciating this unique piece and its history.

This wind harp is located at the Atterdag Village of Solvang care center where there's also a…read morenursing home. This originally topped one of the towers at the Danish Pavilion at San Francisco's 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition. After the expo was over, the buildings were demolished and this wind harp was transported to its current location in Solvang. It plays peaceful music when the wind blows but it's not something I would go out of my way to visit. I was in, took a couple pictures, and left within minutes.

I never realized just how close I was to Avila Beach each time my husband and I would take…read moreroadtrips to Santa Barbara. I'd passed Avila Beach off the 101 countless times and never knew! Actually, I had never known about Avila Beach until one night, as I was scrolling through instagram, it showed up on my feed. Someone I was following had posted a short reel and I immediately took to how pretty it was. Anyhow, fast forward to just a few days later (and this is the part that seemed 'meant to be'), we were on our way to Pismo for a little weekend trip when I see an exit for Avila Beach just shortly before Pismo. "No way!" I thought .... This whole time it was just right there? And so, as we checked into our hotel in Pismo we quickly diverted our original plan - rather than Pismo it's off to Avila we go. Just a short 10min drive and there we were. Shops, restaurants, the pier .... Just beautiful. I have to say - that little discovery really made our weekend memorable. I don't know what it was but my family and I really enjoyed the afternoon that we'd spent here. There was something for everyone. I had my jolt of much needed caffeine from Kraken coffee (located right off the beach), my daughter got ice cream (husband did as well). The whole afternoon in this little newfound escape was perfect. The beach is beautiful, there are a few shops and eateries that offer both sweet and some savory. It's a lively place to hang out and relaxing enough to bum out too.

Nice, clean beach with some extras - swings, slide, volleyball setup, picnic area - right on the…read morebeach. We thought the water would be cold but it was just right. The waves were calm for some easy boogie boarding and feet wading. There's a big parking lot a block away ($9).

From start to finish, this was a fantastic experience. Rod…read morewas great and did everything to make sure we had a 5 star time.

We had a fun, safe and memorable experience with Rod on the Sidecar wine tour of Santa Ynez,…read moredefinitely a 5-star experience! He picked us up as scheduled in Los Olivos and took us on picturesque backroads in the Santa Inez Valley with rolling hills, ranches, old oak trees, miniature horses, and vineyards. We stopped at the beautiful Rideau winery for some wine tasting which was a nice, relaxing break. Rod also took us to Nojoqui Falls which was a nice short hike...and we were lucky to see the beautiful waterfalls flowing. We also drove by downtown Solvang and Ballard Canyon which is between Solvang and Los Olivos. Rod was personable and informative and took good pictures for us. The Sidecar was also very comfortable. We loved our tour and highly recommend Rod!

When I heard that this vintage 4 sided, cast iron Ansonia clock was the only one on display in the…read moreworld, I knew hubby and I had to check it out last weekend! It's located in Downtown Solvang and is quite a sight! You cannot visit Solvang without checking it out, especially if you love antiques like myself!

Review 87 Meet the…read moreonly 4 sided cast iron Ansonia Clock on display in the world, it was originally manufactured in 1914 and put here by Edwin Skytt who now is the current Mayor of Solvang. This clock actually works, the internals are not original thou. It was updated to an electrical mechanism that is wired to the house on the property. The clock is a great piece of history that many don't know much about. Plan B.

Amazing Tour of one of Johnny Cash's first homes with first wife Vivian and four daughters . Our…read morehostess and tour guide Lisa was amazing!!! Knowledgeable warm interesting and inviting .. loved the whole experience. Highly recommended.

Perfect!! Amazing!!!! Coolest place ever!!! It's just the way interior is so cool. How about the…read morepink room??! Wow!

Ask my husband - as we pulled into the main heart of the Village, I kept saying, "I want to live…read morehere!" The charming mix of unique architectural styles with varied textures and accents is reminiscent of many of the old Gold Rush-era towns in the Sierra foothills. I definitely prefer vintage character to contemporary glass and steel, so felt right at home. We grabbed a sandwich at Branch Street Deli, then wandered several blocks to check out the window displays and real estate postings. We even ventured out onto the swinging bridge, and noted the gazebo nearby. Free parking is also a plus. As we left the business district we cruised on several adjacent residential streets. It seemed like each cottage was cuter than the one before. The Village of Arroyo Grande is loaded with character. Can't wait to go back and explore more.

The Village of Arroyo Grande is always a pleasure to visit. Be it for the harvest festival, the…read morestrawberry festival, the farmers market, or ... Every time it is a fun stop and the stores and restaurants are so welcoming. Come on in and take a walk and enjoy

A winery with relaxing outdoor grounds and delicious wine. Think of the perfect picnic spot nestled…read moreaway in the Santa Ynez hills. Viogner is their speciality, if you're a wine enthusiast. We enjoyed the following: Signature Flight - 5/5. $30 - A tasting consisting of 2 white and 3 red wines. Adobe Flight - 5/5. $30 - Similar to the signature flight, but focused on oak barrels rather than steel. Charcuterie Board - 5/5. $28 - Everything we dreamed of. More bread would've been great though. French Plate - 5/5. $8 - 3 savory and sweet tarts. Service was laid back and staff members were kind. We ended up signing up for their wine membership, which goes to show how much we loved this spot!

What a Hidden Gem! We recently had the pleasure of visiting Rideau Winery and it was an absolutely…read moreamazing experience from start to finish. In the heart of beautiful Solvang, the winery has picturesque grounds that are nothing short of breathtaking. The views of rolling vineyards especially during sunset provide the perfect backdrop for a relaxing day out. Whether you're sipping wine inside or strolling through the grounds, the scenery alone makes this place worth a visit. Speaking of wine, the selection here is top-notch. We tried the Signature tastings and ended up leaving with 3 bottles. Every glass was a delight and Scherina was so kind and knowledgeable. The wine is clearly crafted with care, and the staff is more than happy to help you find the perfect pairing to suit your tastes. But what really took this experience to the next level was the food! The lobster roll was out of this world, fresh, flavorful, and packed with lobster that had just the right amount of seasoning. If you're in the mood for something a bit more casual, the smash burger is a must-try. It's juicy, perfectly cooked, and served with a side and a side of chips. It went well with a red blend. The live music added to the overall vibe, creating a laid-back and fun atmosphere. It felt like the perfect soundtrack for an afternoon of good wine, great food, and fantastic company. All in all, Rideau Winery is a must-visit destination for anyone who enjoys great wine, delicious food, and an unforgettable atmosphere. Whether you're a seasoned wine connoisseur or just looking for a relaxing place to spend the day, you won't be disappointed. I can't wait to come back!