Will be going to san ynez..staying at Rancho Santa barbara (Buelton) with my husband and my 3 yr old daughter..any must see places that you can recommend..thanks!

Santa Ynez is really beautiful, but the only thing that I can think of would be visit the wineries (this may not work with your daughter). You could go over the hill into Santa Barbara and visit the zoo, Stearns Wharf, rent bikes or pedal carts along the ocean (Cabrillo Avenue), take a boat trip, etc. From Santa Ynez valley it is about 25 minutes down the hill.

The entire Santa Ynez Valley is gorgeous and there are at least two attractions there I would not miss, aside from scenic drives anywhere in the valley. Fitst is Mission Santa Ynez, one of the string of early Spanish Missions that were a primary colonizing factor in the European settlement of California. It is one of the nicer Missions I have visited. Second is the Danish town of Solvang, just next to Santa Ynez. It's a bit touristy but the town is fashioned after Denmark architecturally (is that a word?) and there are lots of neat little shops, cafes, and snack shops, all on a Danish theme, to visit.

We have friends in Santa Ynez that we stay with every now and then. If any of you are at all interested in horses there are two possibilities to consider:

1) Monty Roberts (the famous trainer) has a beautiful horse farm there that welcomes visitors (no charge)

http://www.montyroberts.com/fiuf/

2) your daughter might enjoy visiting a miniature horse ranch (I think it's called Quicksilver). Our daughter absolutely fell in love with the miniature horses when she was 3 or so and visited the place. (Just be prepared to spend the next ten years of your life listening to her tell you all the reasons you too need to get a miniature horse!)

thanks for all the info! really appreciate it..