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(map) DTGraphix p18-19_Roadtrip.indd 19 www.bcaa.com/santabarbara California's Santa Barbara Mission Country to S ant aria aM 101 Los Alamos Purisima Mission on 1 y Ca n A l i s os R o a d Los Olivos Buellton Lompoc Santa Inés Mission S a nta Rosa R oad 1 Foxen C anyon Roa d From Upper State Street, drive Hwy. 154 over the chaparral-covered hills to San Marcos Pass, then detour onto narrow, winding Stagecoach Road past the 1886 Cold Spring Tavern, all old logs and mossy roofs and still popular for lunch and dinner (weekends, it opens at 8 a.m., so stop for coffee). Just beyond, look back to a high-arched steel bridge, built to carry the new highway over the great gulch of Cold Spring. Return to the highway and continue northwest, admiring the views of the hills across Lake Cachuma. At the first main intersection (signposted to Solvang), keep driving northwest to Los Olivos. Founded when the railroad originally whistled through in 1887, this is where Swiss immigrant Felix Mattei built his famous Mattei's Tavern, now home to the Brothers Restaurant and as hospitable as ever. The village itself, dominated by wine shops, tasting rooms, antique shops and art galleries, makes for an idyllic walkabout. Then drive back to Hwy. 154 and hang a right into the heart of wine country via famous Foxen Canyon Road, one of the loveliest, meandering back roads anywhere. Even in winter, the surrounding hills are vivid green, patterned with clipped vines and sprawling oak trees. In fact, Foxen is dotted with vineyards and wineries all the way to Santa Maria (approximately 32 km north). But for today, turn left after 15 km onto Alisos Canyon Road to connect with Hwy. 101, for a short drive north to the tiny town of Los Alamos and its old-world hostelry, built in 1880, and huge antique mall and wine pub in the vintage train depot. From Los Alamos, the narrow, steep and mostly unpaved Drum Canyon Road leads across the Purisima hills to Hwy. 246. Turn right toward Lompoc, then right again onto Purisima Road to another old Spanish mission, La Purisima Concepcion de Maria Santisima, now a State Historic Park, the buildings and extensive gardens restored to their original 1787 condition. Painted a deep and glowing pink, La Purisima is one lR o ad DAYTRIP (APPROX: 250 KM) the Aebleskiver (tiny, round pancakes) with lingonberry sauce at the Solvang Restaurant. Mission lovers can explore the nearby charms of Santa Inés. Leading west out of Solvang, Alisal Road is a narrow, leafy link back to Hwy. 101 via Nojoqui Falls Park for a coastal return to Santa Barbara, with three state beaches en route (each temptingly scenic and, in winter, virtually deserted). If you only have time for one, choose Refugio Beach and its line of tall palms and pounding surf; it's then less than 40 km back to Santa Barbara. And if the vineyards around the city look familiar, that could be because 2004's Oscarwinning film Sideways was filmed here. The Santa Barbara Convention and Visitor's Bureau has a Sideways tour map plus guides to local wineries, along with other helpful publications (santabarbaraca.com). Y Santa Barbara is an excellent home base for several additional roadtrips, including the coastal route to Ventura and circuit tours of the tiny Spanish town of Ojai and citrus-growing Santa Clara Valley, with its heritage towns of Santa Paula and Fillmore. California Tour Books and TripTiks are available in B.C. at the nearest BCAA sales centre. Member savings on Santa Barbara travel — and California travel in general: of the prettiest missions on California's historic Mission Trail, El Camino Real – or the "Royal Road," named for Spanish royalty who funded exploration in California (lapurisimamission.org). Returning to Hwy. 246, continue through fields of flowers (even in winter) and almost to Lompoc. Turn left onto Hwy. 1, and, within minutes, left again onto Santa Rosa Road – another scenic byway, through orchards, ranches and a lavender farm backdropped by hills dotted with red-berried manzanita trees – to the town of Buellton (known for Pea Soup Andersen's Restaurant in the windmill-bedecked hotel). Here, turn right onto Hwy. 246 to wend past a lively ostrich ranch to Solvang. At first glance, the village of Solvang is a Danish Disneyland, all thatched roofs (real and mock), red-brick bell towers, heavy black timbers, windmills – even mock storks on some of the chimney pots and Danish flags everywhere. In summer, the tiny town is jammed with tourists. But in winter, there is room to putter about the shops, bakeries and chocolate makers. Just before Christmas, it's also a great spot for decorations and gifts, particularly at Jule Hus, which celebrates the holiday year-round. For Danish treats, try Dru m Canyon Road Brophy Brothers Restaurant & Clam Bar's harbour-front seafood (805-966-4418). Good sleeps: From small B&Bs to palatial waterfront haciendas, Santa Barbara enjoys a wealth of accommodation. For historic downtown, though, near the waterfront: check out Hotel Virginia, an early hostelry and now an immaculately refurbished Holiday Inn Express (hotelvirginia.com). Al i s a 154 Santa Ynez No Nojoqui Falls Park Gaviot Gaviota State Beach Lake Cachuma Solvang Cold Spring Tavern Moun tain s Refugio El Capitan State State Beach Beach Mission Santa Barbara 101 Santa Barbara Carpinteria CALIFORNIA PACIFIC OCEAN WESTWORLD >> W I N T E R 2 0 1 1 19 10/25/11 11:53:01 AM

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