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Lowdown

  • Established

    1804. Guest ranch since 1946

  • Manager

    Kathleen Cochran

  • Tel

    (888) 976-4992

  • Open

    All year

  • Nightly Rates (per adult)*

    $595 - $875

  • Minimum Stay

    Summer: 1 day
    Winter: 2 days

  • Maximum Guests

    250

  • Works with travel agents?

    Yes

  • Great For

    Romance, Action & adventure, Peace & quiet, Diverse scenery, Large family reunions, Corporate Retreats, Weddings

  • Memberships

    Dude Ranchers Association, Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Historic Hotels of America
* Rates will vary based on Season and Accommodation selection. Please contact the ranch directly for Date Request, Availability and exact Rate quote/proposal

There are few places in the world where time seems reluctant to move forward. The Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort, nestled in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley in the renowned Santa Barbara County wine country, is one such rare retreat.

The Alisal has been a hideaway for generations of families, couples and groups since first welcoming guests in 1946. Today, the romance and majesty of the ‘Old West’ remains in the ranch’s wide-open spaces and unspoiled natural beauty.

As California's premier guest ranch, the Alisal transports guests back to a bygone era. Set on a 10,000-acre working cattle ranch, this one-of-a-kind resort blends the best of nature with exceptional golf, horseback riding, tennis, fishing, first-class accommodations, spa services and fine dining.

Children at the Ranch

Great for children aged 0 and over

Children 6 and Under are Free! Alisal Barn Yard - Come by and meet all the little barn yard animals. See what special things we have planned for the day. Egg gathering available daily at 1:15pm.

Other activities include grooming, steer head roping lessons, chicken feeding and educational programs. All ages welcome, however, we ask that adults accompany children during their visit to the Barn Yard.

Kids Lead Around - Parents lead small children on horseback around the corral with a wrangler.

Youth Programs and Activities - Arts and Crafts are available year round in the Laurel Room. We offer a variety of crafts that will please a wide range of ages. We ask that children under the age of six be accompanied by an adult.

Additional summer youth and teen programs include:

* Kiddie Korral (ages 3-6) * MAC Club (ages 11-12) * Teen Times (ages 13-17)

Minimum age children can ride

7 and over

Arts & Crafts

play-doh, coloring, sketching, Please see our summer activities guide on our website for daily activities such as arts & crafts and tie dying

Activities

hiking, biking, outdoor play area, cookouts, petting zoo, e-bike tours (ages 15+), sky gazing, ropes course, karaoke, swimming, barnyard

Games

scavenger/treasure hunts, board games, horseshoes, volleyball, badminton, ping pong, pool table, archery, air rifle, family bingo

Baby Sitting

From age 0 to 17. Hourly cost $15.

Baby Sitting Provided By

Please contact our guest services department for babysitting information at (805) 688-6411. The Alisal also offers a Kids Club for $40/child. 

Ranch History

The Alisal has a rich ranch history dating back to 1810 where this land was originally used for hunting and gathering. Original inhabitants called this land 'Nojoqui'. To new arrivals it became known as 'Alisal' (meaning grove of sycamores). Please visit our website (alisal.com) to view our in-depth ranch history.

Socially, the Alisal has consistently ranked as one of the country's top resorts. Clark Gable married Lady Silvia in The Alisal's old library. A prominent Hollywood magazine featured a large front page story on Doris Day while on one of her regular visits to Alisal. Through the years, The Alisal has remained in the Jackson Family ownership and has welcomed multi-generations of famlies each year.

Your Manager, Kathleen Cochran

Kathleen has managed multiple high-end luxury hotels and resorts across the US, and most recently served as the managing director at The Resort at Paws Up. No stranger to California, the Santa Ynez Valley represents a homecoming of sorts for Kathleen, who has roots in nearby Santa Barbara. She is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration General Manager program and in her spare time she enjoys cooking, and spending time with her family and friends.

Your manager

Lowdown

  • Enjoy

    Gourmet, Ranch-style, Health oriented

  • Meals served

    family style, buffet style

  • Alcohol

    wine provided with dinner, available for purchase

  • Enjoy dining in

    nature settings, patio, dining room (formal attire), bar & grille, lounge, private dinners

  • You'll definitely love

    farm fresh eggs, ranch garden, organic produce, locally grown produce, fresh daily bread, fresh daily desserts

  • Dietary restrictions catered for

    lactose intolerant, vegans, vegetarians, Gluten free

When staying at Alisal you will enjoy our Modified American plan with breakfast, dinner, and an impressive list of beverages (non-alcoholic, house wine, house beer, well liquor) included in the room rate.

Breakfast buffets are lavish, brimming with fresh fruit, homemade cinnamon rolls and your favorite morning entrees. A wide array of á la carte selections are also available. Enjoy lunch throughout the day at our poolside snack bar and two golf course grills. Dinners are a time to dress up and enjoy menus that change daily and include several entrees nightly.

Guest Favourites

  • In the Summer, Grand BBQ on Saturday evenings: We close down the usual dining rooms and turn our full attention to creating a lavish ranch-wide feast. Our grillmasters will be serving the finest cuts of meats, cedar plank salmon, Maine lobster tails, smoked ribs and much more. The event is a time to hang up your coats, relax and enjoy delicious food, live music and dancing.
  • Vaquero BBQ on Wednesday in the Summer evenings following the Alisal Rodeos in the adjacent Rodeo Arena Dining Area. This unique dining experience embraces the spirit of the Old West. Our chefs fire up the grills and serve some of the tastiest Central Coast country cuisine imaginable. Rounding out the festivities is live country music, family entertainment, and a full bar.
  • Lake Side Coastal BBQ Seafood Fest on Monday nights in the Summer: Join us for a dinner lakeside featuring California coastal cuisine from neighboring Gaviota down to Baja. Oak grilled sustainable seafood and meats will be featured on our gourmet taco bar, perfect for enjoying a cold beer or cocktail. Live Entertainment is also included, and a Full Bar is available.

Lowdown

  • Address

    1054 Alisal Road
    Solvang
    California
    93463
    USA

  • Remote Location

    No

  • Elevation

    505 ft

  • Private Land

    5000-10000 acres

  • Public Land

    more than 50k acres

Nearest Town - Solvang

Solvang has a population of 5332 (approx), and is situated 3 miles / 15 mins from the Ranch.

Facilities in Solvang include: grocery store, pharmacy, church, school, post office, medical clinic, hospital, bank, atm, gas station, museum.

For shopping Solvang offers: small hometown necessity shops, boutique shops, malls, western wear.

Ranch shuttle

Complimentary by appointment

Nearest Airports

Santa Barbara Airport, Santa Barbara

Distance

30 miles / 45 mins

Airlines

Delta, United, Skywest, Allegiant, Alaska, United Express, American Airlines

LAX, Los Angeles

Distance

130 miles / 2 hours

Airlines

Delta, United, Skywest, Allegiant, Horizon, Northwest, Alaska, United Express, American Airlines

Santa Maria Municipal, Santa Maria

Distance

30 miles / 30 mins

Airlines

Allegiant

Private Air Travel

Nearest location(s)

Santa Ynez

Travel by

Helicopter, Airplane

Distance

5 miles

Ranch shuttle

Complimentary

Lowdown

  • Type of Riding

    Western Riding

  • Riding opportunities for

    Beginner, Intermediate, Experienced

  • Most riders are

    Intermediate

  • Rides are grouped by

    Age, Ability, Pace of Ride, Rides tailored to guest requests, Families ride together

  • Max riders per ride

    10

  • Wranglers per ride

    1

  • Pace of ride

    Walk, Trot, Lope

  • Guest Horses

    110

  • Horse Types

    Quarterhorse, Draft Cross, Paints, Geldings

  • Hours in the saddle

    Morning - 2 hours
    Afternoon - 2 hours

The Setting

Private Land (5000-10000 acres)

The land is nestled in the Western passage through a temperate coastal valley, bound by a river on the northeast and a coastal mountain range on the southwest. The range barricades the coastal flow, producing warmer valley days and cooler valley nights. The rolling hills are dotted with valley and coast live oaks. The moist glens and river banks, shadowed by the mountain backdrop, support healthy groves of western sycamores. Deer graze throughout the property along with a 10 year old family of Bald Eagles.

Public Land (more than 50k acres)

Our ranch is nestled against the Los Padres National Forest. Elevations range from sea level to 8,831 feet. At times, we will venture into the wooded area for a trail ride.

Our Riding

Scheduled rides

Departure times are set each day, staggered by ability levels - i.e. advance at 8:30am, itermediate at 9:00am and beginner at 9:30am on non-breakfast ride days.

Guided rides

Fully guided, we offer riding lessons, private rides, group trails rides, horsemanship classes, and children's rides.

Program rides

Our signature breakfast ride - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday during summer months. Wagon ride to breakfast is available for non-riders! Evening rides, all levels during the summer months- Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

Good to know

We offer faster rides for the more proficient rider.

Weight limit for riding

Up to 225 lbs

Riding considerations

no riding experience needed, We consider height and athletic ability as well as a guest's weight

Hours in the saddle

Our rides generally last approximately 2 hours.

Why our riding stands out

  • Over 50 miles of riding trails throughout the Ranch and an extensive horseback riding program. Lead around rides are available for children under 7.
  • Riding on 10,500 private acres in sunny Southern California - rolling hills and oak trees, 100 acre lake, amazing vistas.
  • Wranglers are chosen on their ability to entertain diverse age groups and interests.

Sample Riding Itinerary

Breakfast ride on Tuesday

Daily Rides in the morning and afternoon

Breakfast Ride on Thursday

Evening Ride on Friday

Breakfast Ride on Saturday

Riding Lessons

Daily, one-hour private riding lessons are offered and are available between 12:30 and 1:30pm. Lessons are recommended for infrequent riders who wish to join a higher level group ride and those who want to assess their riding ability in a safer setting. Lessons may be scheduled through our Guest Services at (805) 688-6411. We ask that you please schedule your lessons at least 24 hours in advance.

Details

lessons are additional, basic riding lessons

Given by

wrangler

Location

on the trail, in the arena

Cattle work - pasture gathers

We do have around 1200-1500 head of steers on our property. On your scenic rides, you may be riding through our pastures and bump into a number of these animals. Although we don't offer cattle work per se, we do offer a round up of cattle three times per week during the summer:

When

All year

Frequency

On Request

No. of cow/calf pairs

1200

Interaction

Guests participate

Arena Work

Join us for a Country Fair and Rodeo extravaganza every Wednesday during the Summer at 5:30pm. The Alisal wranglers demonstrate rodeo events including roping, barrel racing, team sorting and quick draw. We are offer a lesson from 12:30-1:30pm on rodeo day for those adults who wish to participate in the team sorting competition. We pair 2 guests with 2 wranglers for the competition. Throughout the summer, we keep track of this timed event and the group who has the best time at the end of the summer wins a Signature Alisal Belt Buckle! During the event, wranglers are in the arena holding herd to help the participants. You may be loping your horse at certain times during this event. We will have groups coming finishing the event in 30 seconds to a minute! After the rodeo, enjoy our Western-style BBQ at the arena complete with live country music and dancing.

Type

outdoor arena, professional rodeo arena

Activities

penning, sorting, barrels, rodeo

Lowdown

  • Nightly Rates (per adult)*

    $595 - $875

  • Minimum Stay

    Summer: 1 day
    Winter: 2 days

  • Preferred Arrival Day

    Summer: Any day is fine
    Winter: Sun

  • Preferred Departure Day

    Summer: Any day is fine
    Winter: Fri

  • Style of accommodation

    Ranch rustic, Western rustic chic, Luxury 5-Star

  • Packages available

    2 night, 3 night, 1 week
* Rates will vary based on Season and Accommodation selection. Please contact the ranch directly for Date Request, Availability and exact Rate quote/proposal

Alisal Ranch can cater for up to 250 guests. Accommodation includes Rooms and Lodges. See below for details and indicative rates.

Room | Luxury Studio

Rates (Per Couple)*

Summer: $625 - $925
Winter: $505 - $595
* Rates will vary based on Season and Accommodation selection. Please contact the ranch directly for Date Request, Availability and exact Rate quote/proposal

Minimum Stay

1 night

Description

Large studio room with king or twin beds. Rates Included: full breakfast, dinner, and drinks for two people per night as well as a long list of inclusive activities. 

Rooms

8

Bathrooms

Private bathroom

Amenities

safe, fridge, hair dryer, seating area, plush bathrobes, air conditioning, wood fireplace, washer / dryer, Disabled Accessible

Lodge | Deluxe Studio

Rates (Per Room / Accommodation)*

Summer: $610 - $700
Winter: $610 - $700
* Rates will vary based on Season and Accommodation selection. Please contact the ranch directly for Date Request, Availability and exact Rate quote/proposal

Minimum Stay

2 nights

Description

Large studio room with king and outside patio. Items Included: full breakfast and dinner for two people per night. Additional amenities: iron and board, clock radio, coffee maker and coffee. Nine Deluxe Studios have privte patios.

Rooms

28

Bathrooms

Private bathroom

Amenities

safe, fridge, hair dryer, seating area, plush bathrobes, wood fireplace, washer / dryer

Lodge | One Bedroom Suite

Rates (Per Room / Accommodation)*

Summer: $635 - $725
Winter: $635 - $725
* Rates will vary based on Season and Accommodation selection. Please contact the ranch directly for Date Request, Availability and exact Rate quote/proposal

Minimum Stay

2 nights

Description

Large bedroom with king bed, spacious sitting room with studio beds. Items Included: full breakfast and dinner for two people per night. Additional amenities: iron and board, clock radio, coffee maker and coffee. Enjoy spacious, high-beamed ceilings.

Rooms

16

Bathrooms

Private bathroom

Amenities

safe, mini-bar, fridge, crib, hair dryer, seating area, plush bathrobes, wood fireplace

Lodge | Select Suite

Rates (Per Room / Accommodation)*

Summer: $710 - $800
Winter: $710 - $800
* Rates will vary based on Season and Accommodation selection. Please contact the ranch directly for Date Request, Availability and exact Rate quote/proposal

Minimum Stay

2 nights

Description

Large bedroom with king bed, spacious sitting room, some with two full baths and some with one-and one-half bath and wet bar. Items Included: full breakfast and dinner for two people per night. Additional amenities: iron and board, clock radio, coffee maker and coffee. Enjoy open, high-beamed ceilings.

Rooms

19

Bathrooms

Private bathroom

Amenities

safe, fridge, crib, hair dryer, seating area, plush bathrobes, wood fireplace

Lodge | Accommodations Overview

Rates (Per Couple)*

Summer: $550 - $800
Winter: $550 - $800
* Rates will vary based on Season and Accommodation selection. Please contact the ranch directly for Date Request, Availability and exact Rate quote/proposal

Minimum Stay

3 nights

Description

Seventy-three Guest units decorated in classic California ranch design are configured in either comfortable studios or spacious one bedroom suites. There are no in-room TVs or telephones. If you need to make a phone call, just stop by or call the front desk from any house phone. Cellular reception is limited at the Alisal. Verizon is the only carrier that provides good coverage in the immediate vicinity of the Ranch. Public telephones and televisions are located throughout the property. Wireless high-speed Internet access is available.

Rooms

73

Bathrooms

Private bathroom

Amenities

fridge, hair dryer, seating area, wood fireplace

Booking Policy

Rates are based on double occupancy, two-night minimum is required, rates are subject to change without notice. Advance Deposits are refundable up to 30 days prior to your date of arrival. Any cancellations, deletion of nights, and/or date changes, within 30 days, result in a forfeiture of your deposit. All group reservations are subject to a six-month cancellation policy. There is a processing fee of $150.00 per room for cancellations outside of the 30 days.

Included in your stay

meals, lodging, full breakfast, dinners, and beverages

Extras

Tax

Tax

Gratuity

22% Ranch Fee

Massage

Massage

Yoga

Yoga

Guided Fly Fishing

Guided Fly Fishing

Other

Horseback riding, tennis, golfing

Lowdown

  • You can borrow

    Riding helmets

  • Communications

    Wireless Internet/Wifi, telephone.

  • Cell Networks

    verizon. other cell service can be sporadic.

  • Business Services

    Executive business center , Conference center, computer and fax hookups, printers, common computer.

  • Meeting Rooms / Conference Facilites

    For groups of 100 & over.

Onsite

Shopping

Our Fitness Center and Spa offers a delightful selection of Western amenities along with our full line of skin care and home decorations.

Outdoor Activities

mountain biking, tennis, Yoga, Golf - 18 hole course, wagon rides, bird watching, Archery, Air-Rifle, Nature Walks

Water based Activities

outdoor pool, hot tub, lake water sports

Spa

relaxation massage, deep tissue massage, rock treatments, couples massage, scrubs, manicures, facials, pedicures, Exclusive Therapeutic Mud and Herb Wraps

Fishing & Wildlife

The Alisal lake is teeming with bass and bluegill ready to be landed by rod and reel or fly. We offer private guided excursions during early morning or late evening hours, since feeding habits of different fish vary. If you wish to hone your angling skills, our lake staff is glad to provide traditional fishing and fly fishing pointers or lessons Fishing

Fishing on Alisal Lake is reserved for guests of the Ranch exclusively. All bass are natural spawn wild fish and fishing is "catch and release." This combination keeps the lake and the fish unstressed and provides some of the best bass fishing in the state.

Fishing on offer

spin, fly, lake, equipment available, guided non-inclusive, unguided, instruction available, BYO equipment

Wildlife

Deer roam the hillsides and golf courses throughout the Ranch. A family of bald eagles have called Alisal Lake their home for over 10 years.

Additional Services

Corporate Retreats

For groups of 100 & over.

Alisal is among the West’s most sought-after destinations for group meetings and corporate retreats. Our secluded locale and excellent facilities make meeting here both a relaxing and productive experience.

Weddings

Please contact our Wedding Sales Manager directly for wedding guidelines at (805) 686-7618.

Local Attractions

City of Solvang

The quaint village of Solvang is just three miles away dotted with building straight from Denmark and authentic Danish Food and Collectables. Solvang is the home to the Old Mission Santa Inez. Visiting Solvang is like taking a vacation to Denmark with no passport required. It has been named one of the 10 best Historic Small Towns in America by USA Today and was named by Trivago as one of the best "Hidden European Towns in America.

Solvang means "sunny field" in Danish; and was founded in 1911 by three Danish-American educators who discoved a place in the central coast jof California where land was plentiful and their culture could prosper.

Festivals are traditional parts of Solvang's charm. Danish Days annual celebration emerged in 1936 and continues to commemorate Solvang's heritage every September with artisans, folk dancing, three parades, aebleskiver breakfasts and free entertainment for the whole family.

Distance

3 miles miles / 15 mins

Ranch shuttle

yes

Highs

  • 10,000 acres of privately-owned land in the beautiful California countryside
  • Wide range of package offerings, from mother/daughter getaways, to wine tasting weekends
  • Good-sized facility to accommodate large corporate retreats, with a variety of outdoor activities in an ideal climate
  • Family-oriented with a petting zoo for the children

Lows

  • There are plenty of activities included in the price you can get involved in, however some aren't included in the basic cost, so please be sure to double-check with the accommodating staff - they'll be happy to advise you
  • The rooms are basic, however they are very clean, comfortable and relaxing

Visitor Reviews

Dont just take our word for it, see what visitors like you say...

Alisal guest Ranch -should be on your bucket list!

I stayed at Alisal guest ranch recently with a group of 20 women friends-! The grounds are so beautiful, Super friendly staff, and so much to do! I loved the horse back ride to the adobe for breakfast was so much fun! Chris, the cowboy was great-! The scenery is picturesque- cows stopped to watch us, we saw deer by the lakes, and lots of birds-! I felt like I was in a live postcard! Our guide was so informative and learned a lot of the history of the ranch from her. The food was very delicious-!! The room was very comfortable and the bed extra comfortable. The room came with a bottle of wine, snacks, and water. I felt very pampered! Thank you Kathleen Cochran and staff for making this a very memorable weekend! I highly recommend Alisal Guest Ranch for retreats, reunions, families , or a romantic weekend away. I will be back!!

5 stars

You can find more reviews for Alisal Ranch on TripAdvisor