We started our morning satisfying our craving a good old fashioned breakfast at Ellen's Danish Pancake House in Buelton. It's become our regular spot when we are in the area regardless of the wait- which actually wasn't too bad this time. The food here never disappoints and we know our food, so that's saying something! The staff is always so pleasant and accommodating and holy moly does your food come out quicklyt! I ordered the biscuits and gravy, which can feed a small army as I found out on our last visit, but I'm proud to report that I did a good amount of damage on my own. I also made sure to grab a jar of their delicious house made jam- it is to die for! This place is directly across from the original Pea Soup Andersen's so if you're looking for more of a dinner place then be sure to check it out!
We then headed to the adorable town of Los Olivos a short drive away. This town in the Santa Barbara valley became a boom town in the late 1880's and still has so much of that old Western charm that I love.
We then headed to the adorable town of Los Olivos a short drive away. This town in the Santa Barbara valley became a boom town in the late 1880's and still has so much of that old Western charm that I love.
Figueroa Mountain Brewing wins the award as the cutest brewery I've ever been to. The entire town of Los Olivos has this cute and whimsical feel so it was nice to see the Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company stayed true to the style and opened up this place. The service was excellent and the beer was enjoyable, but my favorite thing about this place was sitting outside and listening to the giant wind chimes of the place that is across the street, which is my next stop.
Jowoeste is the store of my dreams. The first thing you notice is the large wind chimes hanging on a tree up front. The sound is heavenly and if the goodies in the front of this place didn't already grab your attention from the street, the wind chimes definitely will.
There is mixture of hand crafted metal decor, plants, and pottery and it really is hard to walk out without a basket full of goodies.
I wasn't kidding when I said the town was whimsical. Everywhere you look is beautiful and full of so much charm. It feels like you stepped straight into a Hallmark movie.
The lemonade stand was closed the day we stopped by, but it's a cute stop and is right next to a cute park and this covered wagon which is the perfect photo op.
So many wineries! Wine lovers need to visit Los Olivos and experience their flavor. Because of digestion issues, I can't have wine, but I do enjoy checking out the venues and every single one was cuter than the last.
We didn't get to do everything we wanted so on Our list for next time is Olive Oil Tasting at Olive Hill Farm and the Clairmont Lavender Fields nearby.
The next day we headed to Los Alamos which has even more of that Old West style and history you know I love.
Union Hotel is hard to miss when you drive down the main street of this little town. It looks like it hasn't changed a bit in the past 100+ years and I've been dying to see inside for years. Unfortunately, it was closed the day we went so I will have to wait even longer to see it. I have seen many pictures online, though, and it looks as authentic as the outside. I'm a huge Tombstone fan so I feel like this is as close to that experience as I will get in this area so I will be eagerly awaiting our next visit when hopefully I'll finally get to sit in the saloon.
We visited the Sisters Antique store which is inside of a historic home from the 1880s. They have so many beautiful home decor pieces throughout the entire home and beautiful original walls and fireplaces.
We also explored the Los Alamos Antique Mall which is GIANT. Give yourself plenty of time to explore this space and all of its gems. I found these Victorian women's shoes and couldn't leave without a pic.
So many of the buildings are true to the style of the late 1800s like this General Store. It's so refreshing to visit towns that value their history and are making such efforts to preserve them.
If you are staying at the Skyview in town you can rent out some of their bikes to explore the town and carry your finds in the basket in the back. They're so cute and a fun way to venture around.
Los Alamos also has a couple of wineries like Casa Dumetz Wines and the adjoining Babi's Beer Emporium where we stopped. They are inside of a store that in 1890 sold everything from coffins to liquor, but the inside feels a bit like walking into a Spanish restaurant. You can get a tasting for $20 or experience some of their wide variety of craft beers and ciders. This is a great place to hang out and enjoy the town and the staff is wonderful.
There is also a beautiful Bed and Breakfast in town aptly called the Victorian Mansion that has 6 themed bedrooms such as the Egyptian suite and the French Suite. If you've stayed in the Madonna Inn in San Louis Obispo and like the themed rooms there then you'll be sure to enjoy a stay here!
And that's it! I feel like there is still so much we didn't get to see in both of these adorable little towns so we will hopefully be stopping in again soon to knock those off of the list. If there is anything we missed that you have enjoyed be sure to let me know!
Check out my posts about nearby Solvang and Cambria too!
