Things To Do
Tasting rooms
BARBIERI
Owned by the only master sommelier on California’s central coast. Excellent sirah and cheese selection.
DREAMCOTE
Airy and intimate tasting room. We love the sauvignon blanc and carbonic pinot.
FOUR BROTHERS
A family-owned tasting room with delicious wines and an outdoor rose garden.
STRANGE FAMILY VINEYARDS
Incredible chardonnays. We recommend getting the flight and chocolate pairing!
DAFOE
A curated selection of unique wines from Santa Barbara grapes.
STORY OF SOIL
A modern space with locally sourced wines from a variety of vineyards.
CARHARTT
A family run winery with live music that produces over 30 wines from their vineyard.
Restaurants
BAR LE CÔTE
Local central coast seafood imagined as European-style tapas. Owned by Michelin-recognized chefs and one of our favorite places!
NELLA
Modern California cuisine prepared with locally sourced ingredients.
Quick eats
PANINO
Fresh and delicious sandwiches and salads.
GANDOLFO FAMILY MARKET
A family-owned market, providing quality beer, wine, delicious deli sandwiches, and convenient essentials.
LEFTY’S COFFEE CO,
A coffee and pastry shop that doubles as Los Olivos’ only bookstore! We recommend the dirty horchata.
Fun little stops!
OLIVE AND LAVENDER FARMS
A beautiful lavender farm with estate grown and locally sourced olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Stop by for a tasting of about 10 olive oils with freshly baked pre-sliced bread samples.
LOS OLIVOS GENERAL STORE
A charming, curated boutique in downtown Los Olivos focused on local artisan products. It carries gifts, home décor, gourmet foods, jewelry, books, and unique vintage items.
If you’re feeling adventurous —
Local hikes
LOVER’S LOOP HIKE
A 4 mile moderate loop hike with gentle hills, oak woodland, and grasslands. It takes about 2 hours. The trail is about a 10-minute drive from downtown Los Olivos. The route includes scenic views of the Santa Ynez Valley, Grass Mountain, and Figueroa Mountain, with some elevation gain.
GAVIOTA STATE PARK
The popular Gaviota Wind Caves Trail is a moderate, 2-mile round-trip hike with about 490 feet of elevation gain, taking roughly 1 to 1.5 hours. It leads to unique wind-carved sea caves and offers ocean and mountain views. For a longer hike, Gaviota Peak Trail is a 6.5-mile loop with significant elevation gain, taking 3 to 4 hours. The park is about a 30-minute drive from Los Olivos.
Easy and Active
GOLF
Alisal (premium, two 18 hole courses), and Zaca creek (casual, 9 holes) are short 10 minute drives. Sandpiper is 40 minutes, but features ocean views throughout.
YOGA
Olde Oak Meadow Yoga is a peaceful studio located on a private ranch a 3 minute drive from Los Olivos. It offers indoor and outdoor classes led by certified instructors, suitable for all skill levels. The studio provides a retreat-like atmosphere with options for heated, non-heated sessions.
E-BIKES
Rent an e-bike through Pedego for a self-guided adventure across the Santa Ynez Valley or opt for one of their guided tours.
About Los Olivos
Los Olivos is a small town in the Santa Ynez Valley, a region in Santa Barbara County. It began to take shape in 1885, when Alden Boyd, a 22-year-old from Albany, New York, bought 157 acres for some land overlooking Alamo Pintado Creek and planted 5,000 olive trees, naming the property Rancho de los Olivos. At the time, the area was also an important stagecoach route through the Santa Ynez Valley between San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara. And the Pacific Coast Railway was actively being constructed.
Recognizing the potential of the town’s scenic setting, Swiss-American immigrant Felix Mattei built a Tavern in 1886. When the Pacific Coast Railway arrived a year later, the town grew with the addition of a post office, school, and a church. Mattei’s Tavern became a vital social hub for travelers and locals alike, offering food, drink, lodging, and a gathering place for stagecoach passengers, ranchers, cowboys, and railway travelers. Known for its lively parties during Prohibition, Mattei’s Tavern remains a historic landmark today—and the venue of our wedding!