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OFF THE BEATEN PATH
FROM TOP CUYAMA POST OFFICE; CUYAMA BUCKHORN; CUYAMA VALLEY HIGHWAY 166; BUCKHORN RESTAURANT & BAR
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Solace and Sustainability
Cuyama Buckhorn
THERE’S A LOT OF CHATTER AMONG SOCAL TRAVELERS SEEKING “OFF THE GRID” DESTINATIONS THAT ARE WITHIN DRIVING RANGE. LOOSELY DEFINED, THESE ARE GET AWAYS THAT OFFER SOLITUDE AND SERENITYHOTELS AND RESORTS THAT ARE FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM CIVI LIZATION BUT CLOSE ENOUGH TO ACCESS WHEN THE URGE TO ESCAPE SUDDENLY HITS. IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, ONE OF THESE IDYLLIC LOCATIONS IS THE TINY TOWN OF NEW CUYAMA, LOCATED IN THE CUYAMA VALLEY. ALSO REFERRED TO AS “THE HIDDEN VALLEY OF ENCHANTMENT,” THIS SECLUDED HIDEAWAY IS APPROXI MATELY 2.5 HOURS FROM LOS ANGELES.
By Monique Reidy
THIS PAGE CUYAMA BUCKHORN HOTEL
The first hint of how remote this area truly is, can be detected early into the drive as travelers realize that the road to New Cuyama, regardless of one’s starting point, is no doubt off the beaten path. Highway 33, one of the few course options, leads drivers through a lonesome mountain path. The road, which at some points is green and lush and at other points brown and dry, seems to last hours beyond the GPS’s ETA.
The scenic commute leads to an alluring valley that is set at the junction of Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Kern, and Santa Barbara counties. And at this point, the Cuyama Buckhorn, a charming mid-century gem that is worth every bit of the drive to get here, can be found.
This historic roadside resort in the heart of Santa Barbara County’s high desert, was originally built by the Richfield Oil Company in 1952 when oil was discovered in the area. The property was modelled by George Vernon Russell who designed The Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, the 1976 expansion of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, and the University of California Riverside.
It was originally constructed as a rustic motel with a lobby, coffee shop, formal dining room and cocktail lounge with a dance floor. There was an outdoor pool and a game area with ping pong tables and, of course, shuffleboard. Although the property has recently been restored to feature 21 stylish guest rooms, it has preserved
its rich history and retained some of the traditional artifacts, including its original sign.
Most of the property’s public spaces are in the tranquil outdoors, offering guests an opportunity to mingle with each other, or remain separate if preferred. The two-acre property boasts a heated pool and jacuzzi, a barrel sauna, a variety of outdoor games, and fire pits throughout. There are relaxing seating arrangements within the meticulously manicured garden on which to lounge and enjoy the balmy sunset or the mesmerizing night sky peppered with a thousand stars.
The garden area is entirely ecological: The landscaping is drought-tolerant and requires low water usage and the beautiful planters are filled with herbs and fresh produce. There are old water troughs that have been repurposed into fountains and old oil pipes have been utilized to build the outdoor furniture.
The guest rooms transport visitors into a midcentury sanctuary and each features custombuilt furniture, vintage décor, retro-inspired Bluetooth radios and semi-private patios. Each room contains a mini bar stocked with Spirits and locally sourced treats, which are available for purchase. A complimentary S'mores Kit is offered to guests upon arrival, which can be enjoyed at the outdoor fire pits, and complimentary Verve Coffee and Teapigs Tea to sip in-room or on their cozy patios. Bathrooms are fashionably designed with art deco tiles,
FROM TOP CUYAMA BUCKHORN HOTEL POOL AND JACUZZI; OUTDOOR LOUNGE
CRAFT COFFEE SHOP WITH DELICIOUS BEVERAGE CONCOCTIONS, YUMMY FRESHLY BAKED PASTRIES, AND A SMALL MARKET OFFERING LOCAL AND HOMEMADE GOODS.
STEPHANIE RUSSO
THIS PAGE BUCKHORN GUEST ROOMS; OUT DOOR BAR elegant fixtures, comfy robes, and feature sustainably produced Further toiletries.
Meals can also be enjoyed on site. The resort has a craft coffee shop with delicious beverage concoctions, yummy freshly baked pastries, and a small market offering local and home-made goods.
The Buckhorn Restaurant & Bar, led by Executive Chef Daniel Horn, offers farm-totable fare and tasty seasonal specials and event menus. The sprawling restaurant has an outdoor deck, an outdoor BBQ kitchen and a culinary education space. There is a lovely garden greenhouse that offers a private dining space – a perfect location for a special celebration or a magical wedding proposal. In addition to the hotel guests, the restaurant is loved and supported by residents in the native community.
Drinks can be enjoyed at the property’s iconic bar, as well as poolside. The beverage menu, supervised by Bar Manager Brandon Gomez, features house made liqueurs, and creative cocktails made fresh from local produce. The Buckhorn intentionally sources from and invests in the local farms and wineries to help maintain a sustainable future for their land and neighboring region.
Guests need never leave the property, however, there is much to explore in this small enclave. There are hiking and biking trails in the Los Padres National Forest for those who want to stay active, and folks who wish to engage in less vigorous recreation can visit Bitter Creek Wildlife Refuge, a habitat for the endangered California Condor and a great place for birdwatching. A full moon walk to Cuyama’s airstrip offers guests a magical stroll through town, guided by the sky’s natural light source. Wine-lovers can visit nearby Condor’s Hope Vineyard to sample dry-farmed wines and olive oils. Nearby Carrizo Plain National Monument features salt flats, sprawling grasslands, and historic cave drawings that make great Instagram backdrops.
A short distance from Cuyama Buckhorn, the Blue Sky Center provides guided tours that teach visitors how philanthropy and social businesses combine to build sustainable rural communities in the region.
This rural territory offers a tranquil getaway, far from the bustle of city life, but is ideal for those who require comfort, service, and panache. With Cuyama Buckhorn’s commitment to sustainability and the environment, travelers can rest assured that they are not only actively recharging their minds and bodies, but they are also doing something positive for the planet. v
CUYAMA BUCKHORN 4923 Primero Street New Cuyama, CA 93254 (661) 766-2825 hello@cuyamabuckhorn.com www.cuyamabuckhorn.com
SANTA CLARA RIVER ESTUARY: A HIDDEN BEACH
BIRD PARTY BY MIKKO COOK
IF YOU GO: From Hwy 101, exit at Seaward Ave. Turn left onto Harbor Blvd. Continue south to Spinnaker Drive. Turn right onto Spinnaker, drive past the parking lot to Surfer’s Knoll on the left, take a U-Turn once you’ve passed to access the entrance to the lot. From the parking lot, walk down to estuary (approx. 400 yards). Open year-round. During May-August avoid fenced-off Least Tern colonies. No dogs allowed.
T THE VENTURA HARBOR VILLAGE, flocks of tourists pick through shops selling clunking bamboo chimes and fish-shaped ice cream cones. On the opposite side of Spinnaker Drive, surfers bob on the ocean’s surface, waiting for the perfect set. However, a third unseen group gathers along Spinnaker - floating, eating and soaking up this seaside retreat. Just 400 yards from popular beach Surfer’s Knoll sits the Santa Clara River Estuary, a nature preserve where almost 280 species of birds have been observed.
The Santa Clara River Estuary is tucked along the Ventura coastline — less than three miles from Highway 101. Unknown to most spreading out their beach blankets, this is one of the richest bird watching environments in Southern California. And perhaps that is a good thing. An easy five-minute walk away is the protected habitat of the Western Snowy Plover, a small shorebird who nests in the sand above the high tide line.
Once parked, follow the beach to the left at the shoreline (so as not to accidentally roam through a plover nest), past the signs and the dunes scraggly with invasive ice plants. The coastal playground evolves into habitat as bits of dried reeds and lost feathers litter the path. In some seasons, the sand rises from the water inland into a 2-3’ wall that must be climbed. In others, it is a flat plateau stretching from ocean to estuary pond where the brackish water empties across the way, returning to the sea.
The estuary is a confluence of river ways, ocean and species. In the pond, upwards of 30 Mallards, Ruddy Ducks, and Grebes chase
Atheir young in a game of “Not It”. However, the real show is farther down: more than 100 birds, and at least 10 different species, peacefully swim, eat, and sunbathe together… like crashing a private beach party. Since the approach is down wind, the birds remain undisturbed, the air hushed, filled with nothing but the sounds of wind and large wings. Brown pelicans rise a foot above the surface of the tidal pool only to repeatedly dive back down, plunging for their meal. Cormorants pop in and out of the water alongside disapproving American White pelicans. Legions of terns and gulls stand shoulder to shoulder watching the sea. Arrive around sunset and witness ‘last call’ of this party. One by one, waves of pelicans, gulls and others rise up and depart for their evening roosts, having finished another glorious day at the shore. v
