Like many people, we’ve had lots of cancelled travel plans due to COVID-19, and depending on how the next few weeks go, potentially more to come. Instead of focusing on the trips we are missing out on, I thought I would revisit a day trip that Patrick and I took to Knapp’s Castle and Los Alamos. Once things get back to normal (hopefully soon), I can’t wait to go back to the Los Alamos area and potentially stay overnight.
We drove from our house via the 154 to Knapp’s Castle (about a 35-minute drive). It’s a gorgeous drive through the Los Padres National Forest to reach Knapp’s. Park on the side of the road as you will have to walk around a metal gate and down a half-mile path to access the property. Technically, the estate is on private property, but it has remained open to the public. The home was built in 1916 but destroyed by a fire in 1940, so you are viewing the ruins of the mansion. There were people working on-site while we visited, so it seems like maybe the property will finally be used as something else eventually?
The views of the Santa Ynez Valley are absolutely stunning. You can walk around the property and envision what this amazing estate looked like back in its heyday.
Next, we drove to Los Alamos, which is a small, but very cute, little strip of restaurants and tasting rooms. It reminded me of a town from an old Western movie. Unfortunately, we were there right before a holiday and on a weekday, so a lot of places were closed (whoops). We did visit Municipal Winemaker’s adorable tasting room, which I loved, and we walked around peering into other tasting rooms and restaurants.
We then stopped by the renovated Skyview Hotel for a cocktail at Norman’s. We sat at the bar and also outside by the pool where you can see the old, gleaming “Motel” sign. The hotel is situated on a hill, so again, beautiful views.
We ended the night by meeting up with friends for a planned, set-course, Mexico-City-inspired dinner at Industrial Eats in nearby Buellton. The restaurant had a laid-back vibe and a delicious, eclectic menu. After dinner, we drove 45-minutes back home – overall a wonderful and easy little day trip!
