The Fess Parker Wine Country Inn puts you on the main street of Los Olivos, the valley's most walkable wine town, with the Parker family's winemaking legacy built into the stay. The inn stands at 2860 Grand Avenue, a block of low, tree-shaded buildings where you can step out the door into tasting rooms, galleries and restaurants and never touch the car. It carries the name of Fess Parker, the actor famous as Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone, who became one of the pioneers of Santa Barbara County wine; his family still runs the winery, and the inn reflects that heritage in its warm, wine-country style. There are nineteen rooms, all updated in 2023, and every one has a fireplace, which makes the inn especially appealing on cool valley evenings from autumn through spring. Breakfast is part of the stay, and guests receive a complimentary wine tasting for two at the Parker family tasting rooms, a thoughtful way to begin a day on the wine trail. Downstairs, Nella, a modern Italian-inspired bar and restaurant, serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, so a meal is always close. The inn is affiliated with Preferred Hotels and Resorts. It is not pet-friendly, rates are on the higher side for the valley, and some rooms have thin walls, so light sleepers should ask for a quieter room. For couples and friends who want to taste, dine and stroll in Los Olivos and fall asleep by a fire, it is an excellent base.
Los Olivos is the right place to stay for a wine-focused trip because it removes the driving from the evening. The town's tasting rooms, from family producers to well-known valley names, are a short walk apart, and its dining has matured, with the Tavern at the Inn at Mattei's Tavern a few blocks away and Bell's in nearby Los Alamos holding a Michelin star. The Fess Parker inn sits right on Grand Avenue, so the rhythm of a stay is easy: a tasting or two in the afternoon, dinner within walking distance, and a fire in your room afterward.
Planning: use the complimentary tasting early in the stay to get your bearings, then build out to one or two estate wineries along Foxen Canyon Road or in Ballard Canyon with a driver or tour. Reserve dinner tables in advance on weekends. Ask for a room away from the street and the restaurant for the quietest nights. The inn suits stays of two nights or more, which let you explore both the walkable town and the countryside without rushing.
Who should stay: couples, friends on a wine weekend and fans of Santa Barbara County wine history. Families with pets or young children, and travelers wanting a pool or spa, should consider the Inn at Mattei's Tavern, the Corque in Solvang or the Landsby instead.
Why stay here
- ✓Nineteen rooms updated in 2023
- ✓Fireplace in every room
- ✓Breakfast included
- ✓Complimentary tasting for two
- ✓Nella bar and restaurant
- ✓On Grand Avenue in Los Olivos
- ✓Walk to tasting rooms
- ✓Preferred Hotels and Resorts member
Good questions
Can we walk to tasting rooms from the Fess Parker Wine Country Inn?+
Yes. It is on Grand Avenue in Los Olivos, where tasting rooms, galleries and restaurants are a short walk apart.
What extras are included?+
Breakfast and a complimentary wine tasting for two at the Parker family tasting rooms. Every room has a fireplace.
Is it pet-friendly?+
No, the inn does not accept pets. The Corque in Solvang and the Landsby are pet-friendly alternatives in the valley.
