Page 61 - SLO Visitors Guide Winter 2023

Santa Margarita
There’s fun for everyone at Margarita Adventures
Enjoy zip lines, wildlife tours, escape rooms, wine tasting, and more
Action, excitement, and memo- rable experiences await at one of the Central Coast’s best kept secrets – Margarita Adventures. Located in the charming historical town of Santa Margarita, it’s the ideal place to create unforgettable memories with family and friends. From zip lines and wildlife tours to escape rooms and wine tast- ing, there truly is something for everyone.
“Over the past couple of years, we have added more activities to our lineup at Margarita Adven- tures,” said Company Controller Heather Rodgers. “And, with our Ancient Peaks tasting room across the street, we have a lot to offer. We are focused on groups and families and people who like to do things together. Some people in the group might want to do the escape room while others are doing the ziplines or wine tasting. This is definitely more than just a one-stop shop; ev- erything we do is bigger and better than ever before.”
Famous zipline tours
What started as four zipline tours back in 2011 has grown to
a course of six award-winning ziplines spanning more than 7,500 total feet. Each zipline – The Double Barrel, The Renegade, The Woodlander, The Hilltopper, The Archway, The Pinot Express, plus a suspension bridge – is unique, thrilling, and exciting in its own way. Experience the breathtaking beauty of stunning valleys, mag- nificent native blue and white oak trees, and glorious mountainsides and vineyards.
Most tours last about 2.5 hours, including a guided tour of the
area with information on sustain- able winegrowing, local wildlife and flora, and a detailed history
of Santa Margarita Ranch. Local family-owned by Rob Rossi, Karl Wittstrom, and Doug Filiponi
since 2006, it is one of the oldest running cattle ranch in the state of California. Sustainability in practice is crucial to the ranch owners. As
stewards of the land, and as cattle ranchers, farmers, and vineyard owners, conservation is key in their minds, and they value the importance of teaching others and sharing the beauty of the ranch with visitors.
“People truly enjoy the ride out to the ziplines and learning about the progression and formation of the town of
Santa Mar-
garita and the
ranch,” said
Operations
Manager
Katrina Lar-
son. “It’s a
fascinating
and unique
town, and it
has a colorful
history. Our
ranch own-
ers care so
much about
this land,
and they like
sharing its
history with others.”
Safety and professionalism is of the utmost importance to the staff, and something they take pride in at
Margarita Adventures. Friendly and helpful, the guides help ensure a memorable and safe experience for guests of all ages.
Thanks to the mild climate in San Luis Obispo County, the ziplines run year-round, even in the rain.
“When it’s raining, it’s a really cool experience and one of my fa-
vorite times to zipline,” Larson said. “Everything just looks different and it’s quite magi- cal.”
Add a little some- thing extra
to your zipline tour with the Zip and Sip, a fun and informative wine tasting
experience at the Ancient Peaks Winery tasting room. This package includes a cheese and charcuterie board, paired with a seasonal wine
tasting menu. Sunset tours are also available; please book in advance for this adventure.
Nature tours
The team brought Jacqueline Redinger on board in early 2022 to lead California Wild, an offering
of four nature tours showcasing the wildlife and diverse ecosys- tems of Santa Margarita Ranch.
As the ranch naturalist, Redinger boasts a broad range of knowledge and experience gained through education and while working at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and with the California Department of Fish and Game.
Choose from The Nature Ad- venture Tour, Eagle Tour, Foraging Tour, and Photography Tour. Most are family-friendly, and each is unique in its own way. Redinger strives to personalize each educa- tional tour, and shuttles guests in a vintage open-air Hummer.
“The ranch is so vast, and we have a diverse population of wild- life and flora,” Rodgers said. “Guests are likely to see eagles, hawks, wild pigs, deer, and maybe even bobcats and bears.”
Larsen added, “California has a
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