Buellton

Buellton is in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County in Southern California. Located where US Route 101 crosses the otherwise inaccessible Santa Ynez Valley, most travellers to the wineries of the valley pass through Buellton. Solvang and Santa Ynez are nearby, also on Highway 246, and Los Olivos is another nearby city in the valley.

See
The wineries and vineyards are world class, so call the Santa Barbara County Vintners Association in Santa Ynez for a touring map (805) 688-0881. See for individual businesses.

There are ubiquitous horse ranches who sell their foals to Middle East sheiks but you would have to call them to visit whereas the wineries love for you to come in and taste the juice.



Eat
Ostrich burgers are featured on many local menus; the meat, while red, is very lean and a great favorite among the health-conscious.



Go next
Buellton, Solvang and Santa Ynez are all located along Highway 246 and flow into each other.


 * Solvang - Located four miles east of Buellton, nearly one million visitors travel to this small town each year to see its Danish architecture and experience its (mostly) authentic Danish culture. Visitors can enjoy Danish food, a replica of the Little Mermaid sculpture, windmills, and the horse-drawn Hønen for sightseeing.  The Danish Days festival lasts through the weekend during September and has been held almost every year since 1936.
 * Lompoc - Eighteen miles west of Buellton, Lompoc is nicknamed the "City of Arts and Flowers", with more than half the world's flower seeds grown in the fields around the town. The city celebrates its association with flowers every June during the Lompoc Valley Flower festival. The area is also home to Vandenberg Air Force Base, America's west coast spaceport, where rocket launches can sometimes be seen.
 * Goleta - 36 miles southeast of Buellton, Goleta is adjacent to Santa Barbara and offers similar beaches and resorts to its neighbor. It is also home to a grove of trees that is an overwintering area for monarch butterflies, with the insects gathering in huge numbers each year from mid-November until mid-February.
 * Los Olivos - Located nine miles southwest of Buellton, this town has more than its share of wineries and tasting rooms, with around a dozen such businesses despite its tiny population of just over 1,000. The town also draws visitors wishing to pay their respects at Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch, which is located five miles north of town but not open to visitors.