Buellton, CA — Visitor Guide
Buellton sits at the junction of US-101 and Highway 246 — the front door to the Santa Ynez Valley. Hitching Post II, Ostrichland, Pea Soup Andersen's, and a growing tasting room district make it more than just a gas stop.
At a Glance
5 miles
To Solvang
40 miles
To Santa Barbara
145 miles
To LA
Hwy 246
US-101 exit
What to Do in Buellton
Hitching Post II
406 E Highway 246, Buellton
The oak-grilled steakhouse made famous by Sideways (2004). The restaurant produces its own Hartley-Ostini Hitching Post wines — a Pinot Noir program that predates the film and outlasted the Sideways effect. Dinner only most nights; the bar pours by the glass.
More info →Ostrichland USA
610 E Highway 246, Buellton
A working ostrich and emu farm open to the public. Buy a dish of food, walk to the fence, and feed birds that are as tall as a person. Genuinely delightful and completely unlike anything else on the Central Coast. Open daily; small admission fee.
More info →Pea Soup Andersen's
376 Avenue of Flags, Buellton
Buellton's most famous institution, established 1924. The signature split pea soup has been served here for over a century. A roadside landmark rather than a destination restaurant — worth stopping for the history and the soup if you're passing through on US-101.
Nojoqui Falls County Park
Alisal Rd, Solvang (near Buellton)
A short, easy 0.5-mile trail leads to a 164-foot waterfall in a sandstone grotto — best visited after winter rains (January–March) when the falls are full. Free county park. Often overlooked by visitors; one of the most scenic short hikes in the area.
More info →Industrial Way Tasting Rooms
Industrial Way, Buellton
A cluster of small-production wine tasting rooms in Buellton's industrial district — the Central Coast's answer to the Lompoc Wine Ghetto. Less polished than downtown Solvang rooms but often with better producer access. Worth exploring for serious wine drinkers looking for smaller operations.
More info →Buellton in Sideways (2004)
Alexander Payne's Sideways used Buellton and the surrounding Santa Ynez Valley as its primary setting. The Hitching Post II appears throughout the film as the characters' base. The film directly caused Pinot Noir sales to spike nationally and put this region on the map for wine tourism. The "Sideways effect" is still felt today.
Full Sideways filming locations tour →Buellton + Solvang Day Trip
Stop at Pea Soup Andersen's for breakfast or coffee — it's a piece of Central Coast history.
Ostrichland USA opens at 10. Spend 30–45 minutes feeding ostriches and emus — a genuine highlight if you have kids or haven't been before.
Drive 5 miles east to Solvang. Walk Mission Drive, visit a bakery, browse Danish-themed shops.
Solvang lunch — pick a Mission Drive patio spot.
Solvang wine tasting: 2–3 tasting rooms on or near Mission Drive, no driving required.
Drive 10 minutes north to Los Olivos for one or two more tasting rooms on Grand Avenue.
Dinner at Hitching Post II in Buellton — book ahead. Oak-grilled meats and Pinot Noir produced on-site.
Buellton FAQs
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Nearby Guides
Buellton Restaurants
Hitching Post II, Pea Soup Andersen's and more
Things to Do in Buellton
Full activity guide
Solvang Day Trip
5 miles east — Danish pastries and wine
Sideways Film Tour
Buellton and valley filming locations
Los Olivos Guide
15 minutes north — wine country village
Valley Visitor Guide
Full Santa Ynez Valley planning guide