Visit Santa Ynez Valley
VSYV Tourism Website
A full redesign of the Santa Ynez Valley tourism website to modernize its visual presence, simplify navigation, and give travelers a more intuitive path to discovering wineries, dining, lodging, and events across the region’s six distinct communities.
Role: UI/UX Designer
Scope of Work
• Website Redesign
• UX Strategy & Wireframing
• Sitemap & Navigation Improvements
• UI Design System
• Homepage & Key Page Layouts
• Mobile-Responsive Design
Skills
• Interaction Design
• Information Architecture
• Visual Design
• Web Layout
• Prototyping
• UX Problem-Solving
Project Overview
Stepping into an Age of Refinement
Visit the Santa Ynez Valley needed a digital refresh that better reflected the charm, warmth, and character of the region while making it easier for travelers to plan their stay. The previous site lacked visual hierarchy, had dense and scattered content, and made it difficult for users to find consistent information across the Valley’s multiple towns.
The redesign focused on clarifying the user journey—highlighting must-see experiences, featuring the diversity of each community, and creating a cohesive visual story that invites exploration. By modernizing the UI and restructuring content, the site becomes a far more helpful resource for both first-time visitors and returning travelers.
Results
The Challenge
Visit Santa Ynez Valley was operating an outdated website that no longer supported their needs or reflected the destination’s elevated brand. Broken links, disorganized information, and a lack of visual hierarchy made navigation difficult for users. Duplicated content and repetitive design elements added to the confusion, preventing visitors from fully engaging with the stories and experiences that define the region. Below is a quick look at the previous site, with additional tabs offering a deeper view into the process beyond the initial stakeholder interviews.
The Research
The research and analysis phase focused on identifying the challenges and opportunities within Visit Santa Ynez Valley’s existing digital ecosystem. The primary goal was to create a unified platform that merges the visitor and member sites while improving functionality, navigation, and visual storytelling. Through this research, key priorities emerged: enhancing user experience with a mobile-first design, optimizing hotel booking integrations to drive direct bookings, simplifying content management for staff, and highlighting the region’s distinct character through imagery and storytelling. The findings also emphasized the need for a faster, more intuitive site that inspires travelers, supports local businesses, and aligns with the destination’s refined brand identity.
Solution & Design
The solution was to create a refined, unified website that reflects the elegance of the Santa Ynez Valley brand while improving functionality and user flow. The new design focuses on visual storytelling, simplified navigation, and mobile-first performance. Integrated tools like BookDirect, VisitWidget, and Crowdriff enhance engagement, while merging the visitor and member portals creates a seamless experience for all users.
Take a peek
The Research
The research and analysis phase focused on identifying the challenges and opportunities within Visit Santa Ynez Valley’s existing digital ecosystem. The primary goal was to create a unified platform that merges the visitor and member sites while improving functionality, navigation, and visual storytelling. Through this research, key priorities emerged: enhancing user experience with a mobile-first design, optimizing hotel booking integrations to drive direct bookings, simplifying content management for staff, and highlighting the region’s distinct character through imagery and storytelling. The findings also emphasized the need for a faster, more intuitive site that inspires travelers, supports local businesses, and aligns with the destination’s refined brand identity.