There are over 35 vineyards within a 15 mile radius so you need to plan your day wisely. You can pick up a great free map of the vineyards in the area by stopping by Solvang Conference and Visitors Bureau. In fact, this should be the first place you stop by to pick up some of their free information. They have a few different free guidebooks of the area and can also give you a list of events.
Don’t plan on visiting more than six vineyards in one day, it just gets to be too much and your palate is killed by the end anyway. We’ve visited quite a few of the vineyards but we’ve done it over multiple trips.
Firestone has the biggest tasting room and the most expansive selection of wines and local gourmet sauces. They’re also the only place we’ve found with a formal tour of the vineyard and winemaking facilities. They recently purchased Curtis Vineyards next door to them which has some of our favorite wines.
Zacca Mesa has a great trail that leads up a hill with an expansive view of the surrounding valley and some picnic tables in a small meadow. Speaking of picnic tables, make sure you pack a lunch and buy some bottled water before you head up to begin sampling wines. None of the places we visited offered food to purchase other than gourmet crackers and sauces. Many of the local stores will make sandwiches for you and if you want to go generic there is a Subway on highway (246) in Solvang.
Sunstone has a terrific picnic area decorated in the old west style overlooking the Santa Ynez River below and green rolling hills above.