Attractions

Located in the heart of the Santa Barbara Wine Country, in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley, the historic village of Santa Ynez is a charming vacation destination with historic museums, wonderful restaurants, art galleries, boutiques, antique shops, saloons, wineries, wine tasting rooms and horse ranches.

Experience winery and cycling tours, sample gourmet wines, learn about the local history at Mission Santa Ines and breathe in the tranquil, relaxing vibe of Santa Ynez. Santa Barbara Wine Country Hotel

Explore the Santa Ynez Valley.

Just beyond our peaceful town, the Santa Ynez Valley - comprised of the charming townships of Ballard, Buellton, Los Alamos, Los Olivos and Solvang - is a magical landscape of over 70 boutique wineries, lush vineyards, fruit orchards, lavender farms, horse ranches, and spectacular vistas of the Santa Ynez Mountain Range. Savor acclaimed Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah at world-class wineries and tasting rooms throughout Santa Ynez and the Valley. Golf, hike, bike, fish, see wildlife, tour a horse ranch or lavender farm, horseback ride or soar through the sky in a glider or hot air balloon. Have a picnic in a vineyard, enjoy boat cruises at Lake Cachuma, hike the trail to Nojoqui Falls, explore the Los Padres National Forest and enjoy gaming and entertainment at Chumash Casino. Savor gourmet wine country cuisine and distinctive wines as you take in the breathtaking mountain and valley landscapes.

Santa Barbara Wine Country & Santa Ynez Valley Attractions

Santa Barbara County Wine Country.

Journey through the Santa Barbara Wine Country where breathtaking valleys are dotted with sun-kissed vineyards and colorful wildflowers and mountains are studded with ancient oak trees. The Santa Barbara Wine Country is one of California's most beautiful and exciting viticultural regions, producing some of the most brilliant wines in the world. Experience a taste of the land in Santa Barbara's wine appellations - Santa Maria Valley, Los Alamos Valley, Santa Ynez Valley, and Santa Rita Hills. With over 70 wineries, Santa Ynez Valley is celebrated for its stellar Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Merlot and Rhône and Italian grape varietals. From colorful valleys to mountain vineyards, from passionate pinot noirs to sumptuous syrahs, Santa Barbara Wine Country has an aura all of its own. Explore country roads, lush vineyards and 117 charming wineries, as well as exceptional tasting rooms, delightful restaurants, museums, art galleries, and exciting attractions. The wine country is a wonderful destination for hiking, golfing, horseback riding, glider rides, wildflower viewing and touring. Visit www.sbcountywines.com .

Santa Barbara Wine Country Cycling Tours.

Embark on a spectacular cycling journey with guided cycling tours through the Santa Barbara Wine Country. Cycle through the scenic heart of the Santa Ynez Valley, and immerse yourself in a breathtaking landscape of vineyards, wineries, lavender farms, apple orchards and horse ranches. Ride through picturesque country roads with sun-kissed vineyards and breathtaking vistas of oak-studded rolling hills with majestic mountain tops. Descend into beautiful canyons lined with rolling hills of vineyards and tall oak trees. Enjoy a wonderful gourmet picnic lunch and wine tasting at one of the charming wineries in the valley. Daily cycling tours from Santa Ynez include bike rental, helmet, map, water bottle and tour guide. Choose from day tours or half-day tours: Leisure Valley Stroll, Ballard Canyon Loop and Happy Canyon Route - depending on your level of ability. Visit www.winecountrycycling.com .

Solvang.

A favorite vacation destination in the Santa Ynez Valley, the charming Danish inspired village of Solvang offers an array of attractions and activities. Enjoy shopping in 200 European style shops, antique stores, art galleries, boutiques, antique stores, and Danish bakeries. Savor delicious cuisine-from Danish to gourmet wine-country fare - and local wines at charming restaurants and tasting rooms. Discover the area's rich cultural Native American, Spanish, Mexican and Danish heritage at Elverhoj Danish Heritage and Fine Arts Museum and the 1804 Old Mission Santa Inés, a national historic landmark. Enjoy gaming and entertainment at the Chumash Casino Resort. Take in a live concert at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts and see PCPA Theaterfest's summer performances under the stars in Solvang's Outdoor Festival Theater. Visit www.solvangusa.com .

Chumash Resort Hotel, Spa & Casino.

Located on Highway 246 - just outside of Solvang - Chumash Casino Resort Casino offers action-packages Las Vegas-style video gaming, a card room, high-stakes Indian bingo, live entertainment, dining and a spa. The exciting casino features 2,000 slot machines, 40 blackjack tables, high stakes area, a poker room, and friendly high stakes Bingo. The resort also features four restaurants, a showroom, a gift shop, and a 5,000 square foot Spa. Visit www.chumashcasino.com .

Santa Barbara.

America's Riviera, Santa Barbara is a relaxed, sun-drenched vacation destination between Los Angeles and San Francisco with incredible Pacific Coast beaches, spectacular golf courses, beautiful resorts, delectable restaurants, world-class shopping, charming wineries, theaters, and thrilling activities, events and festivals. Annual highlights include Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Harbor & Seafood Festival, Old Spanish Days, Amgen Tour of California, and the Santa Barbara County Vintners' Festival. From State Street and the Channel Islands to the Santa Ynez Mountains and the famed wine country, Santa Barbara is one of California's ultimate vacation getaways. Beach hangouts such as East Beach, Rincon Beach Park, Leadbetter Beach, Hendry's Beach and Goleta Beach County Park are hotspots for swimming, surfing, picnicking and sunning. Visit www.santabarbaraca.com .

Los Padres National Forest.

Encompassing 1.75 million acres of the scenic Central California Coast, Los Padres National Forest frames Solvang and the Santa Ynez Valley with majestic sights. The vast and beautiful forest stretches 220 miles along the coast, and consists of two separate land divisions, including Monterey County and the beautiful Big Sur Coast and lands within San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura and Kern Counties. Explore beautiful streams, rivers, beaches and scenic byways. Los Padres National Forest is a natural destination for recreational activities, such as hiking, biking, horseback riding and wildlife viewing. A member of the California Condor Recovery Program, the forest manages the 1200-acre Sisquoc Condor Sanctuary in Santa Barbara County and the 53,000-acre Sespe Condor Sanctuary in Ventura County. Take in scores of remarkable scenic vistas, explore miles of beautiful trails and learn about the forest's ecological and wildlife diversity. Visit www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres .

Cachuma Lake Recreational Area.

Located about 15 minutes from Santa Ynez, Lake Cachuma is a pristine reservoir and nature lover's utopia with over 250 species of birds such as migrating bald eagles to witness. Hop aboard the 45-passenger "Osprey" for a 2-hour lake tour with a naturalist for a closer look at birds, deer, coyote, bobcat and mountain lion. One of Southern California's finest fishing and boating lakes, Cachuma is a honey hole for catching large mouth and small mouth bass, crappie, bluegill, redear, sunfish, channel catfish, and rainbow trout, and is host to many popular annual fishing derbies. Cachuma Lake is a wonderful destination for boating and regattas. The Cachuma Lake Nature Center features exhibits, events and displays on plants, wildlife, birds, history and geology. The marina offers boat, pontoon, and water bike rentals. Visit www.sbparks.org/DOCS/cachuma2.html

Nojoqui Falls and Park.

A popular recreational destination in the Santa Ynez Valley, Nojoqui Park offers a refreshing landscape just beyond civilization. Tall oak and sycamore trees surround large playing fields and picnic areas. Hike the short 15-minute trail up to Nojoqui Falls, a 100-foot waterfall where fresh water falls from the high cliffs into a natural pool. In summer, you'll see a refreshing gathering of moss rock, ferns and shade. This beautiful and secluded county park features the lush Sylvan Canyon, ball fields, BBQ grills, benches, picnic tables, hiking trails and a playground. Visit www.sbparks.org/scripts/parksdetail.asp?parkid=14 .

Glider Rides.

Experience the magic of silent flight over the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley - one of the most picturesque gliding areas in the country. Soar silently above the breathtaking valley, taking in spectacular views of vineyards, wineries, ranches, horse facilities, farms, mountains, national forests and scenic Lake Cachuma. Climb aboard two-seat gliders with professional FAA certified glider pilots and experience the adventure of a lifetime. Visit www.gliderrides.com .

Rancho Oso Guest Ranch and Stables.

Located 20 minutes from the Inn, Rancho Oso's beautiful mountain landscape makes you feel like you're horseback riding far from civilization. Embodying the spirit of the Old West, Rancho Oso is a spectacular resort blessed with California's natural scenic beauty, access to Los Padres National Forest, equestrian facilities, and Western hospitality. Enjoy horseback riding through the coastal mountain back country, national forest trails and historic sites. The ranch offers trail rides, private rides, wagon rides, riding lessons, demonstrations, a petting zoo, calf roping, campfires, sing-a-longs, western-style BBQ, wine tasting events, pools and a spa for a refreshing natural vacation in the Santa Ynez Valley! Visit www.rancho-oso.com. Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center - www.alamopintado.com - 3 miles

Santa Ynez Valley Arabian Horse Association.

The Santa Ynez Valley Arabian Horse Association is dedicated to breeding, showing, racing and riding the Arabian and Half-Arabian horse. The association hosts Regional and National Championship Competitive Trail rides and meetings for people who show, race, breed, and pleasure ride their Arabian horses. Santa Ynez Valley is home to the most accomplished Arabians, nationally accomplished trainers and internationally acclaimed Arabian breeding farms in the world. There are more Arabians per square mile in the Santa Ynez Valley than anywhere in the United States. Visit www.syvaha.com .

Santa Ynez Valley Wineries.

Taste distinctive Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah and Rhone varietals at over 70 world-class wineries and charming tasting rooms in the Santa Ynez Valley. Stop by these wonderful local wineries - just minutes from the Santa Ynez Inn - and experience a taste of the Santa Barbara Wine Country.

Welcome! to the Official Website of Old Mission Santa Inés, the nineteenth of the twenty-one California Missions established by Franciscan priests from 1769 to 1823. Having experienced many changes - sometimes tumultuous ones - since its founding, Old Mission Santa Inés remains rich in tradition, legend, and history.
The Mission was founded on September 17, 1804 by Father Estevan Tapis, and was named in honor of Saint Agnes, an early Christian martyr of the fourth century. The Spanish for Agnes is Inés, hence the name of the church; the American Yankees anglicized the spelling of the Spanish pronunciation and named the town Santa Ynez.

The Mission, which commands a superb view of the Santa Ynez River Valley and the Santa Ynez and San Rafael mountain ranges, continues its central role in the spiritual and social life of the Santa Ynez Valley as an active parish church of approximately 1,000 families, and is administered by the Capuchin Franciscan order. We hold regular religious services as well as special services for baptisms, confirmations, weddings, and funerals. The Mission staff conducts religious education classes, youth groups, and various programs for adults.

Community groups are allowed to use Mission facilities for public functions such as the annual Story Telling Festival and the yearly Rancheros Vistadores horse-riding event, and the Mission grounds are used as the staging area for parades and cycling events. The popular annual Fiesta benefits restoration work at the historic Mission.

Today the process continues to restore, preserve, and return the "Mission of the Passes" to its former grandeur of the early Mission era. Mission Santa Inés is the proud and fortunate possessor of a rich collection of paintings, statuary, vestments, manuscripts, and artifacts.

Visitors are always welcome. A taped audio tour is available in our gift shop to guide visitors through the Museum rooms, church, and garden. As you tour this picturesque Mission, may you be enriched spiritually by the drama, history, and tradition contained within the walls and grounds of Mission Santa Inés, called "The Hidden Gem" of the Missions.

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Saint Agnes
Saint Agnes (Santa Inés) was a beautiful young Roman girl who had accepted Christianity early in life. When the son of a Roman governor sought her as his wife, she refused, stating that she was already betrothed - as she had dedicated her life and heart to Jesus.

This statue of St. Agnes, dating from the 18th Century, is located in a niche above the main altar at Old Mission Santa Inés. Furious at discovering her Christian faith, the Roman official commanded that she be forced to become a temple prostitute for the Roman pagan religion, and had her taken to a brothel where she was stripped. According to legend, her hair grew long enough overnight to cover her nakedness and protect her purity. The young man attempted to see her but was blinded; Agnes then prayed for him and his sight was miraculously restored. Because of these events, the people of the time viewed her as a sorceress, and she was brought out to be burned at the stake, but again the Lord protected her and the fire was miraculously extinguished.
In 304 AD she was beheaded, and became one of the best known and most widely honored of the early Roman martyrs. Saint Agnes is the special patroness of bodily purity and chastity.

Throughout its 203-year history, Mission Santa Inés has overcome natural disasters, political turmoil, and financial hardships to emerge as one of the most successful of the Southern California Missions. The Mission has endured rebellions, social upheaval, neglect, and decay only to rise again through restoration and repair as one of the hidden gems of the California Mission chain.
In order to serve the Chumash Indians in the Santa Ynez Valley area and to serve as a link between the Missions in Santa Barbara and Lompoc, the Mission was established in 1804. While still in its formative years, the Mission was devastated by the great earthquake of 1812. The Mission continued to rebuild and repair, and actually became very prosperous during the first part of the 19th century, when the Indian population was at its greatest. The Mission acreage produced plentiful harvests, and its livestock numbered in the thousands. Mission Santa Inés also became linked to one of the earliest Anglo settlers in California.

After Mexican independence from Spain, secularization caused the departure of the Spanish Missionaries and the Indian neophytes, which nearly wiped out the Mission. Despite the fact that the first college seminary in California was temporarily situated at Mission Santa Inés in 1844, it would have fallen into complete ruin were it not for the arrival of the Donahue family in 1882 and Father Alexander Buckler in 1904. Father Buckler began the repair of the Mission building and enlisted the talents of his niece to restore the art and artifacts. The Capuchin Franciscan Friars from Ireland, who followed them in 1924, continued their good works and efforts in this regard.

Today the process continues to restore, preserve, and return the "Mission of the Passes" to its former grandeur of the early Mission era. Mission Santa Inés is the proud and fortunate possessor of a rich collection of paintings, statuary, vestments, manuscripts, and artifacts. The Santa Inés Mission Museum houses a collection of vestments, artwork, documents, and artifacts that were used in and around the Mission throughout its history.

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Pre-Mission History
Portuguese navigator Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was credited with the discovery of the Santa Barbara Channel during an exploratory voyage in October 1542, in which he claimed the land in the name of the Spanish king. Sixty years later Sebastian Viscaino named the channel in honor of Saint Barbara when he sailed in on the eve of the feast of St. Barbara, December 3, 1602.
In the following century, Franciscan Missionaries joined the Spanish military in settling alta or upper California with the goal of a political and spiritual conquest of the new land. The Spanish Missionary effort was to educate and convert the Indians to the Christian faith. As historian Maynard Geiger described it, "This was to be a cooperative effort, imperial in origin, protective in purpose, but primarily spiritual in execution."

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The Chumash
The Spanish explorers and Missionaries were quite taken with the Indians of the Santa Barbara Channel region - the Chumash. The peaceful natives impressed the explorers with their friendliness, hospitality, creative abilities, and talents. The chaplain for the 1776 Anza Expedition, Father Pedro Font, described the Indians in his writings:
"I surmise that these Indians who are so ingenious and so industrious, would become experts if they had teachers and suitable tools or implements, for they have nothing more than flints, and with them and their steady industry they make artifacts."
The Chumash populated a wide area - from Santa Paula to San Luis Obispo. They had a diversified and interdependent economy based on their many talents and craftsmanship. The Chumash even developed an excellent astronomical system, which was on a par with Europe in terms of accuracy. Their small, well-organized villages, called rancherias by the Spanish-speaking settlers, were made up of many large huts built from poles interwoven with reeds. The Indians gathered and leached acorns, and they also harvested nuts, seeds, and berries. They were skilled fishermen and enjoyed a variety of sea food, and they hunted animals as well. Al though their only tool was flint, the resourceful Chumash created remarkably well-constructed sea-going plank canoes.

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The New Mission: Site Selection
Previous to the founding of Mission Santa Inés, eighteen Missions had been established, each one being approximately one day's journey from the next. The first, Mission San Diego, was founded in 1769 by Father Junipero Serra, followed by the establishment of other Missions along the coast of California. After Father Serra's death, Father Fermin de Lasuen picked up the reins to continue the chain of Missions.
The founding of a Mission between La Purisima and Santa Barbara had been on the minds of the Missionary fathers for several years. An inland Mission north of Santa Barbara would solidify their work in the area; they would be able to take advantage of the Chumash Indians' already favorable disposition to being converted to Christianity - In addition, a very militant Indian tribe, the Tulares, lay to the northeast, just beyond the region controlled by the peaceful Chumash. A Mission in the Santa Ynez Valley would secure the region as a buffer zone.

After completing the initial chain of Missions to the north, Father Lasuen directed Father Estevan Tapis of Mission Santa Barbara to accompany Captain Felipe de Goycoechea to survey possible Mission sites northeast of the coastal mountains. In the fall of 1798 the expedition surveyed the Calahuasa rancheria (presently the Santa Ynez Indian Reservation) and another Chumash site called Alajulapu (presently Solvang). Father Tapis reported that there were 325 dwellings at 14 sites at Calahuasa, so Lasuen requested Governor Diego Borica to recommend Calahuasa as a suitable site for a new Mission.

It would be a number of years before the Franciscans were able to launch their new Mission. The governor died, so approval was then needed from his successor, Jose de Arrillaga, in Baja California. Unfamiliar with the area, Governor Arrillaga wrote to Father Lasuen in April 1803 concerning the number of guards that would be needed for the new Mission, but then Father Lasuen died.

In June of 1803 the new President of the Missions, Father Tapis, responded to Arrillaga's letter, detailing the number of Indians in the area and significant events such as the small group of Indian outlaws who had been committing murders throughout the region. In September the Father Guardian of the Franciscan order came from Mexico to survey the site and determined that a guard of six men would be sufficient to protect the Mission.

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Construction
In 1804 a row of buildings was constructed, measuring 232 feet in length and 19 feet in both height and width. This wing contained the temporary church (about 86 feet long), a sacristy (14 feet long) the padres' quarters (approximately 29 feet long), and the granary (103 feet long). With the aid of an initial group of Chumash converts from Missions Santa Barbara and La Purisima Concepción, this portion was constructed six months prior to the formal founding of Mission Santa Inés. The 30-inch-thick walls were made of adobe (regional soil that contained much clay). The roof consisted of poles over which sticks were laid side by side, then covered with a layer of adobe soil that hardened, thus sealing out the elements.
On September 17, 1804 Father Tapis officially dedicated the Mission to Saint Agnes. A temporary brushwood shelter was constructed at which 200 Indians attended solemn High Mass. Twenty-seven children were baptized and fifteen men enlisted for instruction. Fathers José Rumualdo Gutiérrez and José Antonio Calzada were selected as the first resident priests, and by the end of 1804 the Baptismal Register already contained the names of 112 Indian converts of all ages.

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Early History: 1804 to 1850

The cemetery is located behind the Mission bell-tower. The first entry in the burial register is dated January 23, 1805.
In the end-of-the-year report for 1805, Fathers Caldaza and Gutierrez stated that another row of buildings similar to the first one had been erected; it was 145 feet in length and 19 feet high and wide. In the report at the end of the following year, 1806, Fathers Caldaza and Taboada noted that yet another building had been added, 368 feet in length. To protect the walls from rain, a gallery or corridor covered with tiles was built measuring 75 feet long and 6 feet wide. By this time the quadrangle typical of the California Missions had been completed at Mission Santa Inés, a square of about 350 feet on each side.
Although it was the last of the Southern California Missions, Mission Santa Inés was growing quickly because it could draw upon the support, tradition, and experience of the older, established Missions. In 1807 new dwellings were constructed for the Missionaries, and five double homes were built in 1810 for soldiers and their families, plus a storehouse and guardhouse.

Changes in the political air were soon to have their effect on Mission life. After the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence against Spain in 1810, support from Spain was no longer available to the Missions, which meant their activities had to be self-supporting. Furthermore, soldiers were not receiving their wages and supplies regularly. This pushed the presidio commanders to become increasingly, if not unreasonably, dependent on the Missions. The Missions were to supply food and clothing to the soldiers, for which they were given IOU receipts.

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The Earthquake of 1812
Eight years of accomplishment and growth were damaged or destroyed in just fifteen minutes at the end of 1812. The year-end report of Fathers Uria and Olbes included the following observation of the great earthquake of 1812:
"December 21, 1812, at about 10 o'clock in the morning two earthquakes occurred at an interval of a quarter of an hour. The first made a considerable aperture in one corner of the church; the second shock threw down the said corner, and a quarter of the new houses contiguous to the church collapsed to the foundation. All the thin walls of the upper houses fell down, demolished all the tiles, and opened a main wall. All remain serviceable, however, if no greater tremors occur."
For safety, a temporary church was erected outside the quadrangle area. Reconstruction of the damaged buildings continued over the next four years, and a new and larger church facing east was built of adobe and brick. It measured 140 feet long, 25 feet wide, and 30 feet high, with heavily buttressed walls 5 feet thick. Heavy pine timbers brought from the San Rafael Mountains supported its ceiling and re-tiled roof The ceiling height was lowered on the residence of the friars, and the flat roof was replaced with a gabled roof covered with tiles. These buildings, which were dedicated on July 4, 1817, are all that remain today of the Mission from that era.

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Days Inn Windmill Buellton
114 E Highway 246, Buellton, Ca, 93427
(805) 688-8448

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