Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Touring Santa Ynez Valley

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 Rolling Hills and Mountains at Santa Inez Valley
The Santa Ynez Valley is a beautiful wine region encircled by mountains on four sides. The valley is a mix of vineyards, ranches, horse farms, open spaces, rolling hills and small towns. This is one of the popular quiet escapes from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, California.
@ the Vineyard
Perhaps, to most people visiting Santa Ynez, a visit here is not complete without wine tasting. If you take a look at wine tasting tours app, you will find that California accounts for 90 percent of the country’s production, selling $22 billion annually in the United States. California’s wine industry traces its roots to Franciscan missionaries in the late 18th century. California wineries gained international recognition after the Judgment of Paris in 1976, a blind tasting that surprised the world when two of the state’s wines: Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 1973 and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 1973, beat their French counterparts. 
Through Wine Trail Adventures social media app, it is now easy not to miss wine sampling of some of the best wineries in the country when you travel. Wine Trail Adventures is a Social App for wine lovers to share wonderful experiences from over 5000+ wineries across the nation. This Social App makes it easy to make plans for trips with some of the best vineyard stops because you see the strategic locations of the wineries with reviews, and what else to do in the area.
What I like about visiting vineyards, is that it is not all about wines in a bottle. Instead, you see the progression of wine making from the vine to the bottle. My favorite part of course, is seeing the grapes on the vines. :) Have never been surrounded by too many grapes before, and seeing so many grapes in a vineyard makes me just as giddy as seeing wildflowers in the hiking trails. :)
Wine Tasting Next to the Grapes
Touring Santa Ynez Valley however is not all about vineyards. Though with the abundance of vineyards and wineries around, visiting tourists may need more than 2 nights of stay to take them all in. Aside from vineyards, Santa Ynez also have orchards and other farms. This is a quiet, beautiful farming town tucked in between mountains.
There Are Orchards in Santa Ynez too
Coriander Farm
Lavender Farm
Aside from vineyards, orchards, and farms, another tourist attraction in Santa Ynez is the Santa Ynez Mission. 
Santa Ynez  Mission
The mission was constructed of adobe, a mixture of clay and straw. Santa Ines Mission is the 19th of the 21 California missions. It 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 Mission
The Mission is a true treasure in California's History, a reminder of the Spanish influence, the foundation of California. The mission grounds are preserved to give you a real sense of what the area looked like back then. There is plenty to see and discover inside. 
The towns in Santa Ynez valley are also tourist attractions by themselves. Probably the most popular town in Santa Ynez is Solvang. 
@ downtown Solvang
Windmill at downtown Solvang
Santa Ynez Valley is also a gastronomic delight for the food lovers. Perhaps, it is because of the more than 100 vineyards in the area that good food is always capped with good wine!
Dining at Santa Ynez
The next time you visit Santa Ynez, if you are a wine lover, you may want to download the social media app for wine map tours, so you could share to your friends the experience you got. 
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14 comments:

  1. That's the kind of place where I want to live - a rustic place. I just hope they don't use chemicals in growing their fruits.

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  2. A social media app for wine map tours..now that is something hubby would truly love! hmmm I have to say I am so thrilled at your smiling photos here! your framed smile by the grapes and your pose by the door has got to be my favorites next to of course the grapes and the apple shots which make me hungry for some!!! :) psstt are you done with the laundry? :)

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  3. such a charming place i would love to visit with you one day, Beth!

    what captured my eyes was your beautiful photos wearing your long hair. magpahaba ka ulit ng buhok, not that you don't look good in short hair though but you look great in long hair. psssst, don't tell KTL otherwise he will scold me for encouraging you to grow your hair. he prefers short hair, diba? hehehe!

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  4. What a wonderful place to discover and enjoy, Betchai. My oldest son would love to tour this place as he is a sommelier!

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  5. I envy you all who have a way with your cameras.I have seen your photos and boy, aren't they wonderful? The magnificent church and other places make me melancholy. It's like pictures in a story. Hope to come back again.

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  6. Now the last set of fotos got me, it made me hungry lol. Love your smiles Ate Beth. It must be fun to explore the vineyard.

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  7. Oh! that's hubby thing, he loves wine tour with wine tasting,lol and the funny part no one could believed my age when they asked my id and usually they said "really". You look great on your photo Betchai.

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  8. i am back!!! i just realized Sta Ynez Valley is a wine, food and scenic paradise. i want to teleport myself there now. :)

    have a great weekend to you and angels, Beth!

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  9. I am not really a wine fanatic, but wine tasting in Napa Valley is one of the things in my bucketlist. Hopefully, soon....

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  10. Oh my, what I would do just to see a place like this, almost like paradise. BTW, its nice to see you included in your photos.

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  11. Again, another beautiful pictures from places I have yet to see with my own eyes. My hubby loves wines and this place will be the best for him to tour. I have heard of Santa Ynez as my aunt mentioned it while visiting LA few years ago but we never had the chance to actually go there due to lack of time. I am convinced now that this place must be included in our itinerary when we visit the West Coast.

    I like the rustic look and feel of the place. I and my daughter will probably have fun picking apples in the orchard or going through the historical places around the vicinity and immerse ourselves in the culture, art and history that the place boasts of.

    Great pics sis! You never cease to amaze me! :)

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  12. I love the third photo, Ms. Betchai, and that of the Coriander farm. At higit sa lahat....ang posing mo hehehe

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  13. You always supplied us with photos of places many of us wish to visit. Yung vineyard farm is one place I love to see.

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  14. Wow, again, I am like watching post card pictures. I am so looking forward to seeing a grape and apple tree/vine. Apple looks delicious and the grapes look like they are plastic toys because of their colors. The fruit's picture are already amazing in picture, how much more if I would be able to see it for real. Hay...I really wish...

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THANK YOU SO MUCH!!