We set anchor in the Santa Barbara Channel and boarded the tender for a 25-minute ride to port. There were lots of friendly volunteers awaiting our arrival, to welcome us and provide tourist information. Lucky for us, we were being met by our friend Mike Houser who offered to show us around. Mike lives in Camarillo, south of Santa Barbara, and we’ve enjoyed his company on several trips, including the 2024 World Cruise.

We headed out across the Santa Ynez Mountain range which was rich in color with blooming Yucca and Scotch Broom. Our first stop was Mission Santa Ines, one of 21 Spanish missions in California, established between 1769 and 1823 along the coast from San Diego to Sonoma. Founded by Franciscan missionaries, these sites were spaced roughly a day’s journey apart (approx. 30 miles) to facilitate travel along the 650-mile El Camino Real trail.

Santa Ines, founded in 1804, was mostly destroyed on December 21, 1812, in an earthquake centered near Santa Barbara that damaged or destroyed several of the California missions. A new mission was built in 1817, constructed with 5-to-6-foot-thick (1.5 to 1.8 m) walls and great pine beams brought from nearby Figueroa Mountain. Today, the mission is an active catholic church that serves the Solvang area.

Solvang is a quaint town, often referred to as “The Danish Capital of America”. It certainly could be, based on the number of Danish bakeries we saw there. The town was established by Danish immigrants, seeking a better climate than the cold winters of Wisconsin, Minnesota and other midwestern states. The community began building Danish-themed architecture in 1947, and has since become a tourist destination with 1.5 million visitors per year. The community attracts tourists from Nordic countries, and has been the subject of several Danish royal visits including Prince Henrik in 2011.

After a bit of pastry and coffee, we moved on to a local winery, Gainey Estate Vineyards. We learned of the 60-year history of the three-generation wine making family.  We sampled some terrific wines and enjoyed a beautiful charcuterie lunch, complete with warm bread and local olive oil. The weather was beautiful and so was the view of the vineyard.

Mike drove us down the 101 Pacific Coast Highway on our way back to Santa Barbara, affording beautiful views of the ocean. It was a great day, with great friends.

Tomorrow: Ensenada, Mexico