THE ROMANCE OF OLD CALIFORNIA lives on at Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort, a 10,000-acre retreat near Solvang in the Santa Ynez Valley wine country. Here, groups of up to 200 gather in pristine natural surroundings joined by 36 holes of golf, 6,000 square feet of meeting space, and 73 rooms and suites.

A working cattle ranch since the late 1700s, Alisal still runs about 2,000 head of cattle. Groups can experience the ranch lifestyle first-hand through activities like horseback riding on 50 miles of trails or rodeos where the spectators can become the participants. The property's 100-acre, spring-fed lake in the hills affords fishing derbies and boat races.

Dedicated team-building centers on the Alisal Challenge Courses, including ropes courses designed to foster powerful group and individual growth experiences. The ranch can also arrange mini Olympics incorporating a variety of sports.

Golf and tennis remain perennial favorites. The ranch maintains two championship golf courses, the Ranch Course and the River Course, both with practice facilities and professional instruction. The tennis center, located in a scenic creek-side area, holds private lessons and clinics on six regulation courts.

Although four restaurants furnish first-class fare, outdoor dining headlines the ranch experience-from breakfast and lunch on trail rides to barbecues at the rodeo arena to seafood feasts on the lakeside deck. More formal affairs unfold at the poolside pavilion and creek-side garden. Whatever the setting, Western music and entertainment keep spirits high. In addition, groups can book tours and dinners at many of the well-known wineries nearby.

Indoors, the meeting spaces get down to business with a Western flair. The 2,800-square-foot Sycamore Room, for instance-with its high-beamed ceiling, expansive windows, and majestic stone fireplace- hosts gatherings of up to 200 or divides into three spaces for smaller groups. A Navajo-style painted ceiling highlights the Cottonwood Room, which also features a brick fireplace and abundant natural light. Hand-hewn furniture completes the early California character of the historic Adobe, ideal for small private banquets and receptions in a remote outdoor setting. Living-room seating lends a residential comfort to the Library, which serves drinks from a private bar.

Classic ranch details extend to the guest accommodations. Designed for privacy and comfort, each comes with Western art and a wood-burning fireplace. No phones or TVs disturb the quiet; instead, staff members promptly deliver messages. Yet with phones and TVs on hand in the public areas-plus wireless Internet access throughout the ranch- attendees find just enough technology to keep them plugged in and productive while the great outdoors awakens their spirit of adventure.