Wine Tasting in Los Olivos with kids!

Wine tasting has been one of my husband and I favorite thing to do. We don’t always have a sitter to get out as often as we like and with Covid, date nights or any escape alone has been non-existent. Napa was our favorite destination “before we were blessed” with kids. However, Napa Valley is a little far from L.A. to attempt a day trip. Luckily, Santa Ynez Valley has a great offering of vineyards that are only a couple hours outside of the city and it’s the perfect place to spend the day – even with the kids in tow!

Santa Ynez Valley is located just 2 hours up the coast from Los Angeles. It encompasses 6 different communities and there are plenty of wineries, dining and atmosphere to choose from on any particular visit. I chose to visit two particular wineries in the Los Olivos region because of how friendly they are to bringing kids with you and especially during this time, their vast and beautiful open spaces.

Our first stop was Koehler Estate Winery. Located at 5360 Foxen Canyon Road in Los Olivos, it is a 45 + year old Estate Vineyard. Their grounds are extremely spacious, perfect for the kids to run around and stretch their legs after that long drive! They have plenty of areas to picnic that are wonderfully spaced out. Bring your own food! They do not sell any food. But I especially loved that they moved their winetasting pours to an outdoor bar so you don’t have to go inside at all! Best of all, they have Emu’s on the grounds that the kids love to look at! There is plenty for kids to run and explore while you enjoy a lovely tasting flight of 6 wines of your choice. Tastings are 20$ per flight. Since there are 6 pours, and we were visiting two wineries that day, my husband and I shared and it was perfect! We left with two bottles of our favorites to enjoy at home!

Tasting menu from Koehler Winery and beautiful valentine charcuterie board from Honey Plate Co.

Our second stop was a couple miles down a most scenic road, to Saarloos + Sons at 2971 Grand Ave. I love visiting Saarloo because they have a great outdoor space. It is not as big as the previous, so to avoid overcrowding, you do have to make a reservation at this time. But this small effort is well worth it because at Sarloo + Son they pair their wine tastings with CUPCAKES. Yes, that is correct, CUPCAKES! When you make your reservation you will also have the option to reserve a cupcake flight too. At this time there is no tastings, but you can choose a glass of your favorite wine to enjoy a flight of cupcakes with. It is the perfect treat to end the day!

Most wineries open from 10 – 5 so plan your stops accordingly. There are plenty of places to stop for dinner on Grand Ave in Los Olivos or in Buellton before heading on your drive home! I hope these picks encourage you to venture out on a day date, even with kids – while staying safe! As always, you should do what you feel comfortable doing for you and your family and follow all CDC guidelines when in public places. I’d be happy to answer any questions in comments! You can check out the Los Olivos story highlight on Instagram to see our whole day!

Cheers!