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 SANTA
MARIA VALLEY
Just
as rocky coastlines and golden hillsides conjure up visions
of California, the sight of sprawling vineyards brings to
mind the state’s unique landscape. Why are wines from the
Santa Maria Valley creating such a stir? According to wine
and viticulture experts, the region’s unique topography
and its early springs and cool summers give it one of the
longest growing seasons in the world, primary factors in
achieving intensely flavored wine grapes. In particular,
Santa Maria Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Chardonnay, considered
to be among the best in the world.
Visitors
can experience Santa Maria Valley’s fine wines by exploring
the scenic Foxen Canyon Wine Trail. They can enjoy the trail
on their own or take advantage of one of the many local
companies that offer guided wine tours. The Santa Maria
Valley offers several opportunities to brush up on food
and wine pairing skills. Santa Maria’s Hancock College offers
Food and Wine Pairing classes, taught by a popular local
chef and winemaker. The classes run Friday through Sunday,
with plenty of time for students to do some “extra-curricular”
wine tasting on their own.
The
Santa Maria Valley offers a multitude of activities to round
out any wine vacation. Outdoor recreation seekers will appreciate
the valley’s varied terrain, stunning scenery, and mild
climate. The area features several beautiful and affordable
golf courses, plus opportunities for nearly every type of
recreation under the sun, including hiking, fishing, mountain
biking, surfing, and more.And that’s not even counting the
area’s uncrowded beaches or a stroll through the flora and
fauna inhabiting the tide pools and bird refuge of Oso Flaco
Lake.
Adding
to the area’s many cultural attractions is the world-famous
Santa Maria-style barbecue. Visitors cruising down Broadway
on any given weekend will be greeted with the mouth-watering
aroma of superb barbecue. In fact, Santa Maria is known
as the “Barbecue Capital of the World.” For a world-renown
dining experience, visitors stop by one of the area’s many
legendary barbecue houses.
Cultural
attractions in Santa Maria include the Museum of Flight,
with its collection of vintage aircraft; live theater at
the PCPA Theaterfest, Great American Melodrama, or the Santa
Maria Civic Theater; and the Philharmonic Orchestra. Visitors
looking for something else may enjoy an evening at the Santa
Maria Speedway, where exciting stock car races thrill audiences
every Saturday night, April through October.
Fantastic
festivals and special events also take place year round.
Don’t-miss highlights include the Santa Barbara County Fair,
Autumn Arts Grapes & Grains Festival, Harvest PassportWeekend,Winter
Solstice Celebration in the Dunes, Classic Aircraft Fly-In,
Strawberry Festival, Elks Rodeo, All-Automotive Weekend,
and much more.
Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitor &
Convention Bureau
800-331-3779 • 805-925-2403
www.santamaria.com
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