Smart Meetings

Santa Barbara’s wine country, encompassing more than 24,000 acres of grapes and 100 vineyards, extends from the Santa Ynez Valley (solvangcc.com) to the Santa Maria Valley (santamaria.com)—only 45 minutes from the city. Linking the seasonally changing vineyards is the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, one of several in the region (another, of course, being the famous Sideways Trail, named after the film). This wine country is unique for its history dating back to the days of Spanish ranchos and vaqueros, and many of its communities—Los Olivos, Santa Ynez and Santa Maria among them—retain their western flavor with Old West facades and horse farms. Solvang, perhaps better known for its Danish village, also counts rolling vineyards and ranches among its attractions.

South County has an entirely different ambience and palette—one inspired by green-fringed palm trees, Moorish and Spanish Colonial-influenced architecture, red-tiled roofs, white-sand beaches and the blue Pacific. Only 92 miles from Los Angeles, there’s glamour and a celebrity frisson in both Santa Barbara and Montecito, just to the south. “There are many stars, like Oprah Winfrey, who make their homes here, which lends a certain cachet,” says Mulgrew.

Santa Barbara is the county’s hub for meeting properties and accommodations, which reflect the romance of their setting—with more to come. For instance, El Encanto (elencantohotel.com), a storied hotel dating back to 1918, was purchased by Orient-Express Hotels, Trains & Cruises last year and recently closed for an extensive restoration. It’ll reopen in late 2007/early 2008, as the only Orient-Express property on the West Coast. Also, the Four Seasons Biltmore, now a AAA Five Diamond-rated property, has just concluded a $200-million re-do.

The largest group that the city can accommodate would be about 700, for which they’d be based at Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort (fpdtr.com), with a little overflow at another nearby hotel, she says.

For large events and shows of another type, however, the Earl Warren Showgrounds (earlwarren.com), a 34-acre property, has two meeting hall facilities (13,000 sq. ft. and 22,000 sq. ft.) plus an equestrian center and reception garden.

North County wineries offer numerous meeting and event venues. Try Sunstone Vineyards & Winery (up to 125 guests; sunstonewinery.com), in Santa Ynez, which will remind you of wineries in the Provencal countryside. It’ll take you further into the experience if you hold your event in the Cuvee Cave, which accommodates up to 72.

Do you have a recently merged company? A board of directors prone to squabbling? In other words, a group in need of team building? If so, try Flag is Up Farms (montyroberts.com) in Solvang, where Monty Roberts, “the man who listens to horses,” demonstrates his unique method of communicating with horses using their natural body language. Pair the inspiring demo—really, a life lesson—with a ranch-style lunch or barbecue dinner in this Santa Ynez Valley location.

In South County, act out your “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” fantasy and charter the Channel Cat (channelcatcharters.com), a 85-foot luxury catamaran, for a meeting or a dinner cruise. The 149-passenger catamaran can provide setups inside, including A/V—plus shades to keep your attendees focused; afterward, dine and cruise for the evening. All of the city’s major caterers work with this company.

Santa Barbara’s whale-watching season is year-round. Board the Condor Express (condorcruises.com), a 75-foot high-speed catamaran and head out to sea with its naturalist-trained crew. From May through November, the Channel Islands National Park (nps.gov/chis/) contains one of the largest concentrations of feeding blue whales and humpback whales in the world. In winter and spring, you’ll see California gray whales on both their southern and northern migration.

Santa Barbara also boasts the best-endowed art museum (Santa Barbara Museum of Art; sbma.net) on the West Coast, and groups of up to 1,100 can socialize and dine among its impressive Asian, European and American collections.    

Getting There

Not To Be Missed

Do you have a recently merged company? A board of directors prone to squabbling? In other words, a group in need of team building? If so, try Flag is Up Farms (montyroberts.com) in Solvang, where Monty Roberts, “the man who listens to horses,” demonstrates his unique method of communicating with horses using their natural body language. Pair the inspiring demo—really, a life lesson—with a ranch-style lunch or barbecue dinner in this Santa Ynez Valley location.

In South County, act out your “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” fantasy and charter the Channel Cat (channelcatcharters.com), a 85-foot luxury catamaran, for a meeting or a dinner cruise. The 149-passenger catamaran can provide setups inside, including A/V—plus shades to keep your attendees focused; afterward, dine and cruise for the evening. All of the city’s major caterers work with this company.

Santa Barbara’s whale-watching season is year-round. Board the Condor Express (condorcruises.com), a 75-foot high-speed catamaran and head out to sea with its naturalist-trained crew. From May through November, the Channel Islands National Park (nps.gov/chis/) contains one of the largest concentrations of feeding blue whales and humpback whales in the world. In winter and spring, you’ll see California gray whales on both their southern and northern migration.

Santa Barbara also boasts the best-endowed art museum (Santa Barbara Museum of Art; sbma.net) on the West Coast, and groups of up to 1,100 can socialize and dine among its impressive Asian, European and American collections.