Exploring the Santa Ynez Valley

Situated just a mile from the intersection of State Highways 154 and 246, Santa Ynez celebrates the area's western heritage.

The Santa Ynez Valley Historical Society Museum & Parks-Janeway Carriage House, founded in 1961, has eight fascinating rooms of memorabilia from Chumash Indians through 20th-century ranching days and contains the largest collection of horse-drawn vehicles and accessories west of the Mississippi (Sagunto and Faraday Streets, 688-7889). This turn-ofthe- 20th-century style village serves modern trail riders at a historic saloon, signature restaurants, a luxury inn and a bed & breakfast. Old Santa Ynez Day each June includes a street fair, a parade and country-western entertainment.At the intersection of State Highway 154 and Grand Avenue, the community of Los Olivos offers an authentic slice of Americana with numerous art galleries, boutiques, more than a dozen wine-tasting rooms, a top-notch inn and cafés from casual to gourmet.

Wildling Art Museum, located at 1511-B Mission Drive, is an educational institution dedicated to presenting American wilderness art. The museum offers four exhibitions annually, as well as nature-related art classes, field trips and lectures (2329 Jonata Street, 688-1082).

Los Olivos (Spanish for "the olives") celebrates its namesake fruit each June with the Olive & Jazz Festival.

Los Alamos (Spanish for "the cottonwoods"), at the junction of US Highway 101 and State Highway 135, has an oldtime western feel to the seven-block-long main thoroughfare offering an antique mall in an historic train depot, quaint shops, several restaurants and wine-tasting rooms, an 1880s hotel and two motels. Each September, Los Alamos Old Days honors the town's founding in 1876 with a weekend- long celebration.