This post highlights our favorite family-friendly things to do in Santa Ynez Valley.
We recently spent a long weekend in Santa Ynez Valley with our kids and our whole family had such a great time. Here are all our recommendations for a family-friendly trip to the Santa Ynez Valley.
Our home base is typically Solvang since we stay with family – however, you will see from my list of recommendations, you would be well situated in Solvang, Los Olivos or the town of Santa Ynez. There have been a number of incredible hotels added to the areas recently – but I also think an AirBnB or VRBO would be a great home base.
Kid-Friendly Things to Do in Santa Ynez Valley
Farm Stand and Animal Feeding– We love this little farm across the road from Folded Hills Winery – for $5, you can purchase vegetables to feed the farm animals. Our boys loved it! There are plenty of other farms to visit in the area, from Emu and Ostriches, to miniature ponies – any of them will be a big hit for the kids.
Sunny Fields Playground – This is a fantastic park very centrally located between Solvang and Los Olivos – perfect for little ones to run around before you sit for a meal or head to a wine tasting.
Book Loft – we love to have the boys pick out a new book every trip we go on. The Book Loft is right in the center of Solvang with a great kids section.
Refugio State Beach – this is just about 20 minutes from Solvang via the 101. You pay $10 to enter but there is always plenty of parking right by the beach and well kept bathrooms. If you go on a weekday it will be really quiet, but even during the weekend, it’s easy to find your own space. Our kids loved the little stream that runs right into the ocean – perfect for collecting rocks, digging, etc. 
Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Santa Ynez Valley
Bob’s Well Bread Ballard – we love this place for breakfast – they have fun savory items and a huge assortment of pastries. The line can get long so we try to go right when they open at 8 for breakfast. The line does move quickly if you find yourself in one. For lunch, we like to order sandwiches to-go for the beach or to bring along in a picnic at a winery. They have online ordering for sandwiches to-go which helps you skip the line.
Panino – this isn’t anything original but the sandwiches/salads are always well received by everyone in our family and it is just easy. There is an outpost in Solvang, Los Olivos and Santa Ynez.
S.Y. Kitchen – our absolute favorite restaurant in the Valley. I couldn’t remember if it was family friendly the last time we were there but were happy to see highchairs, welcoming service and many items on the menu our boys loved (pizza, meatballs, etc.).
Nella’s – from the same chef’s of S.Y. Kitchen. Situated in the center of Los Olivos, we also loved this one as a family. Great pizza, cocktails, and energetic vibe sitting on their patio, which is right off the main square.
Recommended: All About How to Plan a Road Trip with Kids
Kid-Friendly Wineries/Breweries in Santa Ynez Valley
Buttonwood Farm – we spent Mother’s Day here and had lunch on the patio. The wines are great and the setting is the perfect mix of beautiful and comfortable. There were many other families, kids playing in the trees and babies crawling in the grass. The food menu was fun, we loved the smashburger and the kids ordered a grilled cheese. They also have a sweet little farm shop with lots of local goodies to take home.
Koehler Winery – we had read this was kid-friendly, and it exceeded our expectations. A beautiful setting, with very friendly staff and good wine. They have a large green space, plenty of seating and you don’t need a reservation. We showed up at 11AM on a Sunday and it was quiet, with all the guests being able to find their own little space. We loved visiting the emu’s who live right on the property and the kind person doing our tasting brought a basket of toys for the boys, which they really enjoyed.
Figueroa Mountain Brewing Buellton – great beer, family friendly vibe and a casual food menu. We like both the Buellton and Los Olivos locations. The Buellton location has a large outdoor area that is fenced off with lots of different types of seating areas. The Los Olivos location also has a great outdoor area, with live music. It is not fenced, so you get the energy of people walking around the square, but means you need to keep a closer eye on the kids.
Places/Things for our next visit
Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon – we watched the finishers come through Solvang and we can’t wait to do this fun race! The weather in May is perfect, still cool in the mornings but the sun is out by the time you cross the finish line.
This post was all about our top things to do in Santa Ynez Valley with Kids. I hope you got some inspiration for your next trip!
