I have driven by the old Far Western Tavern many times and was never brave enough to go inside.

Before my golf group disbanded, we used to go to Chef Rick's, both the original and the nicer one that was briefly open. Is he still around or just catering?

The other restaurant we liked was Brothers at Mattei's but haven't been back since it reopened last year. Have you heard anything lynni (or anyone else in the area)?

The Far Western in Guadalupe was a wonderful piece of history, owned by two families, and lived and tended to, now by the third generation. The food is great, and even though they atebeibs more modern building, it still has the western flair and they are still serving their tried and true steaks and raviolis with a few more modern dishes too. We like to eat in the bar... And I often host business luncheons there... They have the nicest banquet room on the central coast.

Chef Rick is only catering but you can order take out and he can also be found on Friday nights at the Costa de Oro Winery tasting room ... Appetizers and super live music... Off the 101 at the Stowell Exit near Cool Hand Lukes.

We used to love Mattei's Tavern but went last year for a special dinner and were completely disappointed. The food was just okay and the service was horrid. We vowed to not go back... So many other great restaurants here!

Brothers now have the Red Barn restaurant in Santa Ynez and the reviews are good... I just haven't been yet!

Trattoria Uliveto, also in Old Orcutt is another favorite. Their sister restaurant in Sana Ynez is Trattoria Grappolo... You just cannot go wrong with either one!

That Costa de Oro event sounds like it's worth putting on the agenda...and a good place for a meetup.

Too bad about Mattei's but at least the new owners didn't tear it down. We loved eating on their enclosed porch even when we had to bundle up a bit.

Chef Rick needs to put out a cookbook. I found his website and there are just a few recipes there. I want the one for the asparagus soup (with the shrimp). That, lamb/eggplant salad and jalapeno/cheese rolls with a bottle...good times. Although now that I think about it, the last time we went the service was bad and I had to send my salad back (it was shoe leather) Rick was in the kitchen focussed on some catering job.

For the OP regarding hotels and campgrounds:

Have your family check out the El Capitan Campground or Refugio Campground. Those are my favorites! Both are just north of Santa Barbara and almost to wine country. (Does your family have one of those little cars that they pull along with their RV or will they really be driving the RV all week long?)

I would consider staying near the marina in Santa Barbara. (Best Western, Eagle Inn, etc.) That way you are in walking distance of shops and restaurants and a short bus ride away from State Street, the Mission, the Maritime Museum, the SB Museum of Natural History and just across the street from the beach! You can certainly drive into Solvang or Los Olivos for day trips but you wont have to move your car the rest of the time. I'm afraid if you stay in Lompoc or even in Solvang, you'll be moving your car to go somewhere every five minutes. There are several hotels in that area and if you call and book now, I think you'll be able to find somewhere to fit everyone's budget. In the long run, I think that will make the best sense for a group like yours. Happy to answer specific questions about the hotels or the areas.

Okay. Here's an idea: http://www.vrbo.com/477625

Great spot. Stayed there for a week last year. Two bed, great big deck. Fully loaded kitchen. Gracious host. Quiet (at the end of a dead-end street).

Anudder idea… add this to your ‘recipe’ list:

Considering you have two toddlers, two teenagers, 1 young adult, some middle agers, one MIL who sounds like she’s in her 70’s, and possibly one large RV…. Thanks for making this easy by the way!!

May be at the top end of what you want to pay for lodging but everything nearby makes up for it…just get some designated driver(s) or use a limo service.

http://www.avilavillageinn.com/

Benefits:

• Mid-point between Santa Ynez wine trail and Paso wine trail (about 40 minutes to start of each trail). Should make clear (for readers) the areas you designated are not the SB Urban wine trail.

• The Foxen Canyon and Santa Ynez wine trails can be accessed off Betteravia Rd in Santa Maria. Drive it south (my favorite way) into Los Olivos then the back way into Solvang and Santa Ynez.

• Minutes from Edna Valley wine trail just out of SLO http://www.classiccalifornia.com/edna-wine-map.htm

More nearby stuff:

• Has nice breakfast, lunch deli very close (with good wines) http://woodstoneavila.com/woodstone_menu.shtml

• Right on the Bob Jones hiking trail which is great for walking, jogging, bicycling and baby buggying, and if energetic enough can take it to the beach. Rent bikes.

http://www.avilabeachpier.com/inform...ike-trail.html

• Avila Beach is a great beach for all ages, generally warmer and good for tanning; has a golf course nearby

• On weekends there is a free trolley that takes you around

BIG plus – there is an RV camp spot at the end of Avila Beach at Port San Luis (a jog up from the beach) and has some of the best views you can imagine. Some sites have hook-ups.

http://www.avilabeachpier.com/inform...s-camping.html

• Avila Barn http://avilavalleybarn.com/

• Sycamore Hot Springs swimming pool close by

• Every Friday night in summer there is a beach-front farmer’s market in Avila

https://www.facebook.com/AvilaBeachFarmersMarket

• Ten minutes away in SLO on Fridays in summer there is a free concert in the Plaza in front of the old mission

• SLO on Thursdays there is a much larger farmer’s market with tons of everything

• Sycamore Springs Resort 'The Gardens Restaurant' and mineral springs hot tubs are nearby

Just some thoughts from a local wino! ;)

A large crowd that includes toddlers and teens/$180 per night budget per room/and 4 - 5 nights. To be candid, I'm not sure that your group won't get bored after two nights. Aside from wine tasting and tooling around Solvang, there isn't that much to do in the Santa Ynez/Solvang/Los Olivos area that would work for such a diverse group. Notice all the suggestions that you head to the beach. Also, I don't think you'll find anything above motel grade for your budget. One party arriving in an RV.

The El Alisal Ranch has lots of activities but at $500+ room per night, that doesn't work. As you noted, a B & B would not work well either.

I would very sincerely like to suggest that you rent a private home with a pool that could sleep your whole crowd. www.vrbo.com has lots of nice looking listings. This will be the most economical and has the added benefit of allowing space for informal/impromptu conversation and socializing around your own private pool or in the living room or in the kitchen as you have fun making meals together. It also allows early and late risers the ability to all have breakfast on their own schedules. Figure that the group will not all want to do the same thing at the same time.

Here is a link to just one example. At $1,000 per night with 6 bedrooms, a pool, even a tree house!

http://www.vrbo.com/375421

I worked on the main drag in Solvang and drove through Buellton daily. Buellton in Aug = very hot weather, fast food (or expensive food), nothing to do when you step out the door.

Solvang is a "one-time" walk through with expensive eats. A coffee and Danish will cost you $7. Make it a stop while doing the wine tour. Lompoc is a bit larger but outside of wine-tasting and the mission, not a whole lot to do for a family as yours. Surf Beach is where great white sharks eat surfers. Gang activity is high in some areas. Just saying....

Another VRBO in Avila (new/under construction),fewer rooms but sleeps 10 for $700/night, near the beach.

http://www.vrbo.com/630005

Someone is pushing Avila Beach, aren't they.

By next August I may be pushing Lompoc! :S-

Bear900 when was the last time you were in Buellton? It has changed quite a bit in the last year or so. Granted a lot of that change is not for toddlers.

It is kind of a happening spot in the valley. Fig Mt Brewery has events and music all year around, there is a fab new eatery Industrial Eats, Ken Brown (one of the pioneers of Santa Barbara winemaking) just opened a tasting room there, and Alma Rosa winery is about to open a tasting room there. Another cool place is Standing Sun Wines where they have live music many nights during the summer. I honestly don't know where kids fit into this picture but I imagine they are allowed at least in the parking lot :) and there is the ostrich farm, if not.

http://www.figmtnbrew.com/
http://industrialeats.com/
http://www.standingsunwines.com/
http://www.kenbrownwines.com/

Solvang has changed a lot too. It is not just Danish pastries anymore...

Two weeks? Will be there again this weekend. Will leave the kids behind in Lompoc and have a rip snorting time. Thanks

Well, I'm ba-a-a-a-ack, and there is a bit more focus to our planning.

My husband would like to rent a house for all of us-- history of family get-togethers be damned!--, so it looks like we'll be looking at vrbo.com for choices. That's fine. The fun part will be looking for a house with room to park a VERY large RV...! :o

It does look like Avila Beach might give us a nice balance of activities for this motley crew. But I'm still focused on the wine tasting-- check out MY priorities!--, so would that put us close enough to wineries with tasting rooms? And we would be close enough to Hearst Castle for a visit if we want, right? It's not a huge priority for my husband, but the rest of us are Hearst Castle virgins....

Or would we be smarter to look elsewhere in SLO County (Paso Robles), or even down in Santa Barbara County, as originally envisioned? Options, options....

As always, your input is greatly appreciated, even if we end up with different choices. And thanks to our apparent brain damage, we usually do.

I wouldn't stay in/near Paso Robles in August if you paid me! I can handle heat if I don't have to do anything, but sightseeing/wine tasting in that kind of heat wouldn't work for me.

I would stay near the beach. Any beach.

How about Goleta (closer to SB)?

http://www.vrbo.com/489666
[check last photo for RV parking]

Or Cambria (closer to Hearst Castle)? It's a cute little town.

There is wine tasting very near Avila. See Canyon, Arroyo Grande and Edna Valley are handy if you decide to stay near AVila.