On Hwy-154, 34 miles South of Santa Maria. In Santa Ynez, the Pleasant Valley Historical Society Museum (http://www.pvhsonline.org/index.html), 3596 Sagunto Street, allocates a room to the Chumash Indian life, highlighting their basketry and canoe-making skills, and stocks several of the wagons, stagecoaches and buggies that were used locally from the late 19thC. Within a few minutes’ drive, the Gainey Vineyard (a mile east) and the Santa Ynez Winery (2 miles south) both offer tours and tastings.

Detour – Solvang

On Hwy-246, 3 miles East of Santa Ynez. Solvang was founded in 1911 by Danish professors based in Illinois, hoping to establish a college to pass on Danish traditions in the style of Denmark’s folk high schools. What they would make of the fake-thatched roofs, wooden storks, windmills and souvenir shops that fill the moderately-sized town today is anyone’s guess. Nonetheless, Solvang is an amusing phenomenon – take a peek at the Hans Christian Andersen Museum (http://www.solvangca.com/museum/h1.htm), 1680 Mission Drive, then sample the produce of the bakeries.

On the eastern edge of Solvang and predating the arrival of the Danes, Mission Santa Inez was founded in 1804 as part of a plan to convert the Chumash living in the inland valleys. Sheer isolation meant that the mission never thrived, though a large cattle holding enabled it to survive. The mission’s small museum and its church’s trompel’oeil paintings merit a quick visit.