Family Ranch Getaway
Alisal Ranch in Santa Ynez Valley Offers a Family-Focused Getaway Near Solvang
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Alisal Ranch has spent 80 years doing something most luxury resorts cannot: convincing guests to put down their phones — literally. Located three miles outside Solvang in California's Santa Ynez Valley, the 10,500-acre working cattle ranch has never put a TV or telephone in its rooms, a tradition that holds to this day mcall.com.
Now approaching a pivotal moment, the third-generation Jackson family is balancing preservation with growth. A new leadership team is in place, a glamping expansion is under review, and a June 2026 review rated the resort 8.5 out of 10 — calling it one of the best multigenerational getaways in the American West bostonherald.com.
Eight Decades of No TVs and Celebrity Guests
Alisal Ranch opened as a guest resort on July 6, 1946, with room for just 30 people. The Jackson family had bought the land three years earlier. They built a place where, as third-generation owner Jim Jackson put it, "life slows down" twincities.com. That philosophy stuck. Rooms still have no televisions and no telephones in 2026.
The ranch's history runs deep. In 1949, Clark Gable married Lady Sylvia Ashley in the ranch's library. Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, and Barbra Streisand all visited over the decades. The property sits near Ronald Reagan's "Western White House," Rancho del Cielo, adding another layer of historical weight to the valley sun-sentinel.com.
What 10,500 Acres Actually Gets You Today
The numbers are hard to ignore. The ranch has 73 guest units — cottages and suites — with space for up to 250 guests at once. It has two 18-hole golf courses, a 100-acre spring-fed lake, and over 50 miles of horseback riding trails orlandosentinel.com. Rates for packages like "Saddle Up for Success" start at $675 per night. All stays include a 22% "Ranch Fee" instead of individual tipping.
Travel reviewers point to multigenerational family trips as the ranch's strongest selling point. Some families have returned every year for more than 50 years. Few luxury properties pull off that trick — keeping kids, parents, and grandparents equally happy at the same time greeleytribune.com.
New Leaders, New Glamping Units, and a City That Needs the Ranch
In May 2026, Alisal announced a leadership shake-up. Kathleen Cochran moved up to Vice President and Managing Director. David Merklinger stepped in as General Manager. The changes signal internal stability, but the bigger shift is outside the gates. Solvang's City Council reviewed a plan in October 2025 to annex 10 acres of ranch land for 40 new glamping units aimed at millennial travelers dailycamera.com.
Solvang has good reason to say yes. The city collected $7.3 million in hotel tax receipts in fiscal year 2024-25, and Alisal is one of the biggest contributors. Councilman Robert Clarke was blunt about the relationship: "Solvang needs the Alisal Ranch more than the Alisal Ranch needs Solvang... you guys have been a gold mine for the city" news-herald.com.
The Tension Between "Unplugged" Tradition and Modern Expansion
Not everyone is excited about the glamping push. Long-term guests and some reviewers worry that adding modern amenities could chip away at what makes Alisal special. The no-TV, no-phone rule is not just a quirk — many guests say it is the whole point morningjournal.com. Owner C.J. Jackson has pushed back, arguing the ranch must "deliver the experience that millennials want" to stay financially healthy as farming gets harder.
The stakes go beyond one resort. Santa Barbara County's open spaces are valued at $2.96 billion a year in natural benefits, according to a 2025 Land Trust report. Alisal's 10,500 acres are seen as a cornerstone of that value journal-advocate.com. How the Jackson family threads the needle — growth without losing its soul — may define the ranch's next 80 years.
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