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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)*

    $1,000 - $1,001

  • 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

Ranch History

Your Manager, Kathleen Cochran

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

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

Riding Lessons

Cattle work - pasture gathers

Arena Work

Lowdown

  • Nightly Rates (per adult)*

    $1,000 - $1,001

  • 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

Lodge | Deluxe Studio

Lodge | One Bedroom Suite

Lodge | Select Suite

Lodge | Accommodations Overview

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

Extras

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

Why we love it

  • 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

What to consider

  • 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