Take a Summertime BBQ Tour

Wine may be the Santa Ynez Valley’s sexiest draw, but hidden among its vine-covered hills—and just beyond—meat remains king.

Around here, locals enjoy some of the world’s best--according to locals--barbecue (Santa Maria–style) and wild game (venison, rabbit, buffalo). You haven’t lived until you’ve spooned up Cold Spring Tavern’s wild game black-bean chili.

And while the movie Sideways put the Hitching Post in Buellton on the map, the original Hitching Post (owned by the same family) serves killer barbecue in the tiny town of Casmalia (12 miles south of Santa Maria). These are places where the price is right, where bikers chow down alongside priests and octogenarians, and bluegrass bands stomp lively while grill smoke fills the air.

The trip itself is a magical step back into an old-style California not so often seen anymore. Country roads wind through oak-dotted pastureland punctuated with grazing cattle, rolling hills, and the occasional red-tailed hawk. Choosing where to start is a win-win matter, but you also can’t go wrong with the Hitching Post in Casmalia.

Insider's Tip: Be sure to order the fries, guaranteed to be among the best you ever tasted.