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SADDLE UP SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA STYLETHE ALISAL GUEST RANCH AND RESORT
Since 1843 when conquistador Raimundo Carrillo received a land grant and became the first cattle rancher of the Santa Ynez Valley, the Alisal (meaning "grove of sycamores" in Chumash, a Native American language) established itself as a working cattle ranch. In 1943, the property was purchased by The Jackson Family and evolved into a guest ranch. The exclusive hideaway opened its doors to summer vacationers with 30 initial guestrooms after the cattleman's quarters were converted into bungalows. Today, the Alisal boasts a title as one of the "50 best dude ranches in the West" by Sunset Magazine. It has also received the “Family Resort of the Year Award” by Family Circle. Its rich heritage and idyllic setting makes it a haven for rest and relaxation offering an experience of the well preserved civilized past. Couples honeymoon here, families enjoy reunions and executives find a welcome respite from urban life. THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Back at the ranch, children as well as adults, can participate in caring for the ponies, bottle feeding the goats, calves, exotic miniature horses and sheep seven days a week at The Petting Zoo. Animal lovers also participate in egg gathering, grooming and exercising the animals in the corral. Cart rides with miniature horses are a favorite of younger Alisal guests. A recreation center unto itself, the 100-acre spring fed Alisal Lake is filled with bass and bluegill for great fishing. This sportsman's paradise attracts bird watchers and guests who can rent a canoe, row boat, peddle boat, kayak or sail boat. Fly fishing and boating lessons are available for children as well as adults. Evening highlights for families include singing and storytelling around the campfire. Visitors rarely leave the Alisal during their stay and for good reason. Leaving at dawn, guests enjoy more than 50 miles of equestrian trails on horseback circling through the magnificent hills and sycamore groves. Twice daily group rides, private rides and breakfast rides to the historic Adobe Camp are available. Avid riders venture out on their own on moonlight rides to the lake and aspiring equestrians can hone their riding skills at The Corral with private lessons. Children delight in the Alisal Rodeo with stick horse races, gunny sack races and boot relays in an authentic Western arena. Wranglers show off with quick draw demonstrations, calf roping and barrel racing. Following the rodeo is an extravagant western barbecue with live entertainment and traditional line dancing. For those seeking more civilized pursuits, two 18-hole championship golf courses -- the par 72, 6,500-yard newly-renovated Ranch Course and the par 72, 6,800-yard River Course with four lakes - provide impeccably-manicured fairways and greens that offer spectacular views of the Santa Ynez River and nearby Santa Ynez Mountains. A full range of facilities and services are offered at both courses including a clubhouse, driving range, putting green, rental carts and golf clubs. Both private and group lessons by PGA and LPGA professionals can also be arranged. A complete tennis center, with a well-equipped tennis shop, is situated on a scenic area of the ranch. Tennis buffs can choose from seven courts. Tennis professionals, one of whom is nationally ranked, offer both clinics and private lessons by appointment. After a lengthy day of horseback riding, the Alisal’s outdoor heated swimming pool and adjacent eight-seat spa are the perfect way to unwind. SERVING UP FRONTIER-SIZED PORTIONSThe Alisal's talented kitchen staff assures guests of a delectable dining experience for breakfast and dinner. The Ranch Room, the resort's discriminating restaurant, serves American and Western style favorites. Diners at The Ranch Room are provided with a choice of a hearty a la carte American breakfast menu items that include Linguisa Scrambled Eggs over a Grilled Portobello Mushroom, savory Huevos Rancheros and the Alisal's own Buttermilk Pancakes. Guest can also indulge in a lavish Ranch Room breakfast buffet of Eggs Benedict, Corn Beef Hash or Biscuits and Gravy served with freshly squeezed orange juice and homemade baked muffins, pastries and breads. Dinner is formal and frontier-size portions of juicy barbecued steaks, tender prime rib of beef, and a catch of the day are served. Specialty dishes such as Moroccan Spiced Lamb Osso Bucco, Sage Polenta Stuffed Pork Loin and fresh fish are prepared with the freshest ingredients for the guests' dining pleasure. The Alisal operates under a Modified American Plan. Menus are rotated seven days a week, year round. Other sumptuous American favorites are offered at two golf course restaurants: The Ranch Grill which serves breakfast and lunch and The River Grill which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. For an alfresco dining experience, the resort treats guests to a full ranch breakfast including buttermilk flapjacks, scramble eggs, bacon, sausage, ham and more at the historic Adobe Camp, complete with a whimsical performance by Jake Copass, resident wrangler and cowboy poet, accompanied by Dave Stamey, the Alisal's singing cowboy on guitar. For those guests who enjoy dining outdoors, a picnic lunch can be prepared by Alisal Executive Chef, Pascal Godé. During the summer months, the ranch hosts a Cal-Mex barbecue at the rodeo arena, a seafood barbecue at Alisal Lake and a romantic evening under the stars with live entertainment at the poolside barbecue where an array of smoked meats are served. A SOUGHT AFTER EXECUTIVE RETREATWith 6,000 sq. ft. of diverse meeting space, the Alisal is a relaxing and productive experience for group meetings and corporate retreats. For smaller conferences, the intimate Library features residential living-room style seating, a wood-burning fireplace and private bar. Ideal for larger meetings, the handsome 2,800 sq. ft. Sycamore Room, seating 150, is fashioned with high-beamed ceilings, expansive windows and a large stone hearth with wood mantle. The Western-themed Cottonwood Room is appointed with hardwood floors, Navajo-style painted ceiling and allows for plenty of natural light, making it a popular choice for mid-sized meetings. The 925 sq. ft. Laurel Room is another meeting option and is ideal for smaller meetings with its paneled walls, high-beamed ceilings and plush carpeting. CELEBRITY SIGHTINGSThe Alisal’s languid landscape and secluded location have made it a hideaway for Hollywood’s “A” list for more than 50 years. In 1949, Clark Gable rode in to marry Lady Ashley in the resort’s Library. The guest register also bears the signature of other luminaries including Jeff and Beau Bridges, James Brolin, Kevin Costner, Doris Day, Nanette Fabray, Goldie Hawn, Don Knotts, John Longenecker, Tom Poston, Kurt Russell, Barbra Streisand, John Travolta and Paul Williams. GETTING THERENestled in the secluded Santa Ynez Valley, the Alisal lies 152 miles north of Los Angeles and 306 miles south of San Francisco. Visitors can arrive via scenic Highway 101, Santa Barbara Airport or Santa Ynez Airport by private aircraft. The Alisal Guest Ranch And Resort has long been considered one of Southern California's premier full- service guest ranches for vacationers. This secluded hideaway in paradise is undoubtedly one of the few places where time seems reluctant to move forward. For travel and accommodation information, call 800-4-ALISAL or contact the ranch via the Internet at www.alisal.com Photos courtesy of Alisal Guest Ranch Edited by Dave Shultz |
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Nestled in the scenic
rolling hills of the lush Santa Ynez Valley lies The Alisal Guest Ranch and
Resort, a unique destination that has distinguished itself for 52 years as a
vacation tradition, attracting families, couples and executives from throughout
the country.
The
full-service 10,000-acre resort combines the elegance and comfort of the
Western lifestyle with a working cattle ranch where 2,000 cattle and 100 horses
graze leisurely. Beautifully manicured
lawns weave throughout the terrain connecting 73 California ranch-style cottage
studios and suites to restaurant and recreational facilities.
Hiking trails meander around the resort's rich flora and fauna.
Nature lovers can take a self-guided hike
through Deer Canyon where some 64
different animals including deer, opossums, bobcats, mountain lions, wild boar
and black bears reside. One hundred
species of birds, including the bald eagle and a rare California Condor, can be
heard from a distance.