Get a taste of the region’s vintages in surprisingly hip hangouts.

Ventura may be best known for its sun-baked stretch of coast-hugging highway, but turn off that infamous strip to discover a new trend in town: appealing wine bars, showcasing the region’s sultry vintages. With inviting outdoor patios and live entertainment, Ventura’s wine bars make a temping way to sample local Pinots and Petite Sirahs, complemented by inventive tapas or other small-plate noshes. Click here for a sampling of Ventura’s wine bars .

If you want to venture further, follow the Ventura County Wine Trail . Stop in at over a dozen wineries, from intimate, like family-run Ventavo Cellars , to grand—Herzog Wine Cellars has an elegant tasting room and a splashy restaurant, Tierra Sur.