11 Beautiful Californian Motels You Should Book Now - AFAR
"Located squarely—and blissfully—in the middle of nowhere (or more accurately, in New Cuyama in Santa Barbara County’s high desert region), the Cuyama Buckhorn offers 21 rooms, locally sourced meals at its Buckhorn Restaurant & Bar, and plenty of artsy, western-inspired personality. The building that currently houses the motel was originally constructed in 1952 as a roadhouse for the New Cuyama community. In 2018, Jeff Vance and Ferial Sadeghian bought it and renovated the property into the boutique motel that it is today. Cuyama Buckhorn also has a pool, hot tub, and sauna, and its remote location, unspoiled by light pollution, makes it an ideal location for stargazing. To explore the local area, just over an hour away is the Carrizo Plain National Monument, which is home to the largest single native grassland prairie in California, over 250,000 acres. In addition to a breadth of wildlife (including pronghorn antelope, giant kangaroo rats, and lizards), the area is known for its wildflower blooms that, weather permitting, occur in the spring and attract lookie-loos from all over the state." - Mae Hamilton
