Thursday, December 10, 2015

Experience Santa Barbara’s Wine Country!

Our chauffeurs' number one favorite destinations are those consisting of touring the gorgeous vineyards found right here in Santa Barbara County. Having had the pleasure of providing tasting tours in this region for over twenty years, you can definitely rest assured your experience will be none less than exceptional with our limousine service. 

Our tours in areas such as Santa Ynez, Los Olivos, and other towns in the Santa Maria- and Santa Ynez Valleys are a terrific way to explore the gorgeous vineyards, bond with friends, taste some amazing wines, take your loved one for a day he or she won’t forget, etc. Our Santa Ynez wine tour we are proud to say is not only an award-winning tour offer but has been covered in numerous local publications and become a hugely popular choice for many riding with Santa Barbara limo services. All tours are offered with our exclusive price-match guarantee, and you have a great selection of vehicles to choose from. 

For smaller groups, maybe a sedan or SUV is sufficient? For a few friends, or just stepping up the luxuriousness, why not pick one of our stretch limousines? For larger groups of people, we offer various party bus options as well as our stretch Hummer limos.

Santa Barbara's Best Vineyards



Book your wine-tasting adventure today!
Among some of the most popular vineyards in the county are the Bridlewood Estate-, Firestone- and Sunstone Wineries. While Bridlewood and Sunstone are located in Santa Ynez, Firestone Vineyard is in nearby Los Olivos, also in the valley serviced on our Santa Ynez wine tour options. If you haven’t experienced the beautiful wine country right here in our backyard, you have a lot of exploring to do! While most tourists and other visitors in general flock to the wineries of Napa, Sonoma, and also to an extent Temecula, the vineyards of for example the Santa Maria Valley have few visitors and can therefore provide a more real tasting experience than some of the more overcrowded tasting-rooms elsewhere. 

Here, in sunny Southern California, you can bring your friends and picnic basket, and head on out to the vineyards for some great picnicking under the great California oaks. You not only get more nature to yourself, but the wineries’ own experts tend to have more time for each visitor. Several of the wineries and tasting rooms here also offer great entertainment, such as musical performances, stand-up comedy, movie screenings, and more. Be sure to ask us about upcoming or popular events when reserving your party bus or limousine service. Similarly, some wineries also offer dining with wine while others don’t. There are relatively few restaurants in the area, so planning for food in advance may be a good idea when touring the vineyards.


The Old Mission is a popular destination for wedding clientele.
Besides the great vineyards of the inland, many clients also love the tasting rooms found spread throughout Santa Barbara. The Deep Sea Tasting Room also offers the unique experience of sipping wines at Stearns Wharf looking out towards the Pacific Ocean while listening to the waves hit the shore. A similar experience can be offered at Rosenthal Estate Wines in the city of Malibu. We also offer tasting tours to various other Southern California destinations. Contact us today, the largest and top-rated Santa Barbara limo service, to set up your vineyard adventure!

Friday, November 20, 2015

Experience Oxnard, California!

City of Oxnard sign with limo service
Along with the county seat of Ventura, the Southern California City of Oxnard is the main city along the coast of Ventura County. This gorgeous coastal city offers one of the most dazzling scenic drives in Southern California, a beloved drive for Oxnard limo services. The city is conveniently located between Los Angeles to the south and Santa Barbara to the north, which makes it an ideal place for ordering party bus nights in Hollywood or wine tours in Santa Barbara. 

As the highest-ranked Oxnard limo service, no one knows nor loves the City of Oxnard more than us at Blackhawk Limousine Service. We have been fortunate enough to serve this outstanding community for more than twenty years. We have served Oxnard and nearby communities for over 20 years with Ventura limo services. We also offer LAX sedan rental from throughout the county.

Why Oxnard?



Being the most populous community in the county, with more than 200,000 inhabitants as of the 2010 U.S. Census, the city has something to offer for any occasion. Being located on the extremely fertile Oxnard Plain, the City of Oxnard is also a huge agricultural center in Southern California. As an example, Oxnard produces more than twenty percent of all strawberries grown in the State of California! We’ve often had our Ventura limo services stop at the side of the road to buy some great Oxnard strawberries. With its beautiful Mediterranean climate and varied terrain, you can find everything from beautiful sandy beaches, wetlands, creeks, dunes, and the Santa Clara River all in close proximity to the city. Some of the great beaches so often visited by our Ventura limousine service include Hollywood Beach, Oxnard State Beach, Silver Strand State Beach, Mandalay State Beach, and McGrath State Beach. Getting a limo or party bus to go visit the beaches is popular with tourists, locals, and other travelers.

Oxnard limo

Besides all the great beaching, there are tons of other popular Oxnard limo, sedan, and party bus destinations. For example, if you happen to be interested in history and older structures, Heritage Square is a popular choice. Being a major Oxnard tourist destination, Heritage Square is home to a museum, restaurant, wine-tasting room, and more than twenty other businesses. The Heritage Square, being such a beautiful and historic gem in Downtown Oxnard has also become a relatively popular wedding destination in recent years. 

Many of our Ventura limo clients love the summer concerts held here every Friday between six and eight, which are held from June through August. If you are one to rather be into recreational activities, there are also numerous options to select from in the Oxnard area. Having been officially nicknamed the “Gateway to the Channel Islands”, the community is a popular hub for those traveling to the Channel Islands National Park, which is located just eleven miles offshore. The ferries leaving for the islands depart from Oxnard’s one and only harbor, the Channel Islands Harbor. This harbor is often served by Ventura limo services for visits to the national park. Other recreational activities here include guided kayaking trips and kayak rentals, dolphin and whale watching ferries, and numerous great golf courses, maybe, particularly the well-known River Ridge Golf Club. Why could be more stylish than showing up to the golf course with a limousine service?

Once called “The Land of Everlasting Summers” when discovered by the Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, it may be to no one’s surprise that many tourists book an LAX sedan rental or party bus to Oxnard for their stay in Southern California. The city got its present-day name from the Oxnard brothers who built a sugar beet factory in Oxnard in 1898. As a matter of fact, Henry Oxnard’s beet sugar industry was the first one to be established in America! The community has been known for centuries as one of California’s premier agricultural communities, but a recent growth in tourism has many believing Oxnard will emerge as a huge competitor in tourism on the Southern California coast, maybe especially among those seeking a more laid-back atmosphere than what is found in other coastal communities. 

As a provider of LAX sedan rentals, we transfer tourists here on a weekly basis with limousine service. As its beaches are not as crowded and popularized as counterparts in Los Angeles- and Ventura counties, it makes for a great beach and/or surfing destination by limousine service. Another emerging destination for clientele booking with Oxnard limo service is the Fisherman’s Wharf, which offers great dining, whale-watching excursions, kayak rentals, the Ventura County Martine Museum, and much more! We recently had a birthday party ordering a party bus for a whale-watching tour in the harbor. Adding luxurious transportation will make your day memorable!

Best of all, being located less than sixty miles north of LA, Oxnard is a part of the Greater Los Angeles Area and is easily reached from major nearby cities. Ordering a party bus from Oxnard to go clubbing- and bar-hopping in Hollywood is a popular activity. Several clients utilizing our Oxnard limo services have told us about all the great movies filmed in the Oxnard area. Not only did Rudolph Valentino film the movie the Sheikh on the beach here, but Valentino fell in love with the community and bought a beach house at Hollywood Beach. Later on, numerous Hollywood stars and celebrities followed. Many of these use Ventura limo services regularly to numerous destinations in town. 

Clark Gable later also bought a vacation home in Oxnard and no other than John Wayne mentioned Oxnard as his favorite fishing spot. While they may not have used our LAX sedan rental, many other celebrities were vacationing in Oxnard during its early days, including both Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin. Political activist César Chávez grew up in the community, which also has been the home of the animation director for the Simpsons, Rich Moore, and numerous other celebrities. Besides transporting celebrities, we often do cinematic tours by Ventura limo services to Oxnard.


For Ventura limo clientele with a passion for museums and history, Oxnard has a lot to offer. Some popular museums include the Carnegie Art Museum, the Chandler Vintage Museum of Transportation and Wildlife, the Elite Theatre Company, the Channel Islands Maritime Museum, the Seabee Museum, the Gull Wings Children’s Museum, and many more. The Herzog Winery and Wine Cellar is the largest collection of fine kosher wines in the U.S. and has become a popular LA wine-tour destination for many using Ventura limo services. The Oxnard Performing Arts and Convention Center is not only home to the New West Symphony and Oxnard Independent Film Festival, but also recently the annual Channel Islands Tall Ships Festival. 

Another emerging destination for our Ventura limousine service has been the Oxnard Salsa Festival. For LAX airport transfers and transportation, Blackhawk Limousine and Transportation services both the regional Oxnard Airport (OXR), LAX and all other Southern California airports. We also offer a unique lowest-price guarantee on all LAX rides by limousine service. If you are looking for an LAX sedan rental, contact us today at (866) 319-LIMO for an immediate quote.

Best Movies Filmed in Oxnard

Oxnard limousine services
A trending activity for years has been cinematic tours by limousine services in the area. Did you know over a hundred movies and television series have been filmed in Oxnard? Many may know that the entire 2014 film Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones is set in town. You may have recognized road sequences in Bridesmaids (2011) that were filmed here or many scenes from Back to the Future Part III (1990). We recently took clients with a party bus to some of the film locales from this movie. 

A train crash in this film was filmed at S. Ventura Road & Shoreview Drive in Port Hueneme, while there’s an accident with a Rolls Royce filmed at Doris Ave & North Oxford Dr. Hollywood Beach can be seen in Spartacus (1960) and Wrestling Ernest Hemingway (1993), while Michael’s home in the TV-series Melrose Place can be found at 1125 Capri Way. Pee-wee Herman jumps off a train here in the 1985 movie Pee-wee's Big Adventure, while Wagon Wheel Motel can be seen in Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie (2012). Mandalay Beach Resort is featured in Twilight (1998), while there’s a race on McWane Boulevard in the 1989 comedy She's Out of Control. Mandalay Beach has been featured in several movies, including D-Day sequences in The Americanization of Emily (1964) and scenes from Only You (1992) and Miss Castaway and the Island Girls (2004). Many local film locales are often visited by our Oxnard limo and party bus services.


Whether for a movie tour by Ventura limo services or a more traditional limousine ride, contact our limo- and party bus services today!


Friday, August 28, 2015

Top Rated Camarillo Limo Service

!

Here at Blackhawk Limousine Services, we are tremendously proud of being rated the top-rated Camarillo limo service. This city might be most famous for the upscale Camarillo Premium Outlets, but there are lots more to be explored in town. As one example, we even have wine tours going to this town for tastings at Cantara Cellars where they combine wine tastings with tours of their wine-making process. 

We’ve also had a party bus booked for a large group of kids for a birthday party spent at McGrath Family Farm, where you can pick your own strawberries and produce. A tremendously popular Camarillo limo destination is the Camarillo Ranch House, which an increasing amount of our wedding clients pick as their location for weddings and reception venues. California State University Channel Islands is another popular destination here. Camarillo Airport is popular for an airport transfers, where clients head out with Channel Islands Aviation to the offshore national park.

Camarillo is regularly rated one of the safest cities in California by the FBI. According to SafeWise in 2013, Camarillo is rated the 29th safest city in the state, outranking Thousand Oaks which came in number 33. It is the fifth-largest city in Ventura County and is situated in between Oxnard and Newbury Park. Camarillo offers a variety of activities and is known for its natural beauty and great Mediterranean climate. We have served clientele throughout Ventura and Santa Barbara counties for more than twenty years, and for instance, also offer the largest selection and top-rated Ventura limo service as well.

Attractions

The Premium Outlets are popular for shopping.
The Camarillo Ranch House itself is preserved in the decor of the Victorian age, and weddings are conducted here every month of the year. The property is known for its lavish flower gardens and towering trees, three of which were planted before 1900 and appear on the California Historic Tree Registry. Although the lawn between the bunya and the Norfolk pine can host over 2,000 guests, many wedding limo clients decide rather conduct their wedding beneath the grand boughs of the Morton Bay fig. Channel Islands National Park, the Los Padres National Forest, the Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area, and plentiful golf courses are located in the area as well. The Camarillo Ranch House was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

Many who call limousine services in the area request a Camarillo limo to the Premium Outlets. A hugely popular shopping area, it is home to 125 upscale shops. It is also recognized as one of the largest outlet malls in the State of California. Camarillo is also home to specialized smaller stores as well as old-fashioned farmers' markets that take place every Saturday morning on Ventura Boulevard in Old Town Camarillo. Old Town is an attraction in itself and we often serve this area with limousine services.

Other popular stops include museums such as the Commemorative Air Force Museum and Camarillo Airport Museum. Many locals here also reserve Malibu wine tours, because of its close proximity to the Malibu Canyons. For Camarillo clientele requesting an airport transfer, Blackhawk Limousine offers transportation service options to Camarillo Airport for visits to Channel Islands National Park, as well as all other airports in Southern California, including but not limited to LAX, Burbank Bob Hope Airport, Santa Barbara Airport, etc. 

In addition to being the largest and top-rated Camarillo limo provider, Blackhawk Limousine & Transportation Service is also proud of being also the top-rated limousine and airport transfer provider in other cities in Ventura County. Feel free to for instance check out our award-winning Oxnard limo service for more information about our transportation services in the City of Oxnard. Whether you are looking for luxurious transportation for your bachelorette party, birthday party, wedding limo services, an airport transfer, or maybe just for a night out. A luxurious transfer to the airport can be all it takes for a perfect getaway.

Filming Locations

A recent trend amongst local clients in Camarillo has been cinematic tours where customers see some of their favorite filming spots. A recent client on one of the Malibu wine tours told us about all the movies that have been filmed here. So we researched and discovered some of the greatest filming locations in town. Did you for example know that the Pinehurst Youth Development Center in the film Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985) is located in Camarillo? It is the Rancho Rosita located at 9715 Santa Rosa Road. Jay and Bob in the film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001) try to hitchhike at East 5th Street. 

The mental hospital in The Ring (2002) was the former Camarillo State Hospital, now the campus at Cal State Channel Islands. The same client on one of our Malibu wine tours also pointed out that the Air Force base in the movie Iron Eagle (1986) actually is the Camarillo Airport. Many more movies feature this airport. The farewell party in The Astronaut’s Wife (1999) took place here, as well as the airport scenes in Black Sheep (1996). The Spanish Hills Country Club is featured in Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997). We’ve even had airport transfer passengers flying into LAX to head up to the area for cinematic tours of Ventura County!


Blackhawk limousine services have our reservation specialists on standby 24/7 every day of the week for your convenience. Besides Camarillo limo services, we offer party bus rentals, airport transfers, wedding transportation, and more. Blackhawk Limousine offers limousines, Malibu wine tours, party buses, and specialty transportation throughout all of Ventura County, including cities such as Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, El Rio, Moorpark, Oak Park, Camarillo, Ojai, Ventura, Oxnard, Fillmore, Santa Paula, Newbury Park, and more. Call us today for a free quote!

A view of Camarillo from Dos Vientos in Newbury Park.

Sunday, July 19, 2015

Blackhawk Limo | Cold Spring Tavern

For us at Blackhawk Limousine Santa Barbara, we get tons of calls from locals, celebrities, and tourists using our LA limo service. From all the VIP transportation we do in the Santa Barbara region, we learn about many of the great hidden gems. One of them is the Cold Spring Tavern. 

This great restaurant on Stagecoach Road in Santa Barbara has been a popular tavern since it was built in the 1880s as a stagecoach stop for wagons traveling the mountains to reach Santa Barbara. 

Worth the visit?


It is secluded and rustic, located in a smaller canyon in the mountains of Santa Barbara County. While it was previously most visited by horses and wagons, it’s now mostly visited by cars, tons of Harley Davidsons, as well as numerous clients utilizing our limousine service in Santa Barbara or Ventura Limo Service. The tavern is nestled in a gorgeous narrow and shady canyon among huge pine trees and oaks close to Los Olivos in the Santa Ynez Valley. A large amount of our Santa Barbara wine tour customers choose to stop here on the way to or from the great wineries of the Santa Ynez Valley. It is fairly difficult to find, on San Marcos Pass, which is north of Highway 154, you really have to be on the lookout to see the sign for Stagecoach Road Inn. Turn left here, then follow the relatively poorly marked road to the right and down to the canyon. However, customers utilizing our limousine service in Santa Barbara have absolutely nothing to fear. We are well versed in the area because this is a tremendously popular location for LA limo customers looking for an intimate and romantic setting.


The Cold Spring Tavern has definitely changed a lot since the times of late 1880s when the restaurant functioned as a relay station for stagecoaches that came here to the top of the San Marcos Pass to experience a traditional Old West meal. Much has changed since then, while other things have not. You can in fact still see the steps of the old stagecoaches here and the building is as rustic and secluded as it was in 1886. Well, sort of. It does host live musical performances every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday now. And it might be more of the rich and famous of Beverly Hills, Malibu, and Hollywood using Ventura limo or limousine Santa Barbara that come here. Well, the menu has changed. Well, sort of anyway's. They offer really great steaks such as sautéed elk steak, rabbit, traditional buffalo burgers, wild boar, venison home-made sausage, and more modern options, such as ribs, steaks, filets, and much more, all with their own fabulous BBQ sauce. 

The Cold Spring Tavern is also home to a gift shop and a bar, which is also visited by motorcyclists and is a popular hang-out spot for many celebrities in the region, including many using our Limousine Santa Barbara services. The bar is available for dancing both inside and outside and is a tremendously popular limo Santa Barbara destination. The Cold Spring Tavern Restaurant is open seven days a week and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For a date, snuggle up to the wood-burning fireplace and dine underneath the romantic lamplight. Our humble lunch suggestions would be to check out their sausage burger, steak sandwich, or traditional buffalo burger. For dinner, baby ribs, steak, grilled chicken, pasta and seafood are great choices. For the more adventurous Santa Barbara limo customers, try out their wild game or maybe their wild boar tenderloin? Many like to round off with a great dessert such as their apple cobbler or pecan pie.

Blackhawk Limousine Santa Barbara is tremendously proud of not only being the top-rated Limousine Service in Santa Barbara but also the best-rated Ventura limo service. We service all of Southern California and we are available 24/7.

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Blackhawk Limo | Business Clients Love Us!




H
ere at Ventura Limo service, we are finding not only leisure clients love us, but so many business travelers have been booking our Ventura limousine service.  They want a smooth, luxurious, and simple mode of transportation.  Since our beginning in 1997, Ventura Limo has provided premium transportation services to clients in the Ventura & Santa Barbara area at very affordable prices.  Our Ventura party bus service has been a very popular choice for large business gatherings.

People often ask us where we travel within the Ventura and Santa Barbara area. The answer: “Everywhere!” We provide Ventura limousine service to all local airports – Santa Barbara Airport, Camarillo Airport, and Los Angeles International Airport.  Our drivers are well-versed and know the best routes to navigate through heavy traffic for any destination our clients request. This eliminates your stress and especially if you are from out of town. Our Santa Barbara wine tour is a popular choice as we travel all throughout Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez wine country. Daily, we drive clients to venues, landmarks, and many points of interest throughout this part of California, so we can easily help customize a package that fits you and your group!

Our Ventura limo service is usually booked when clients want to go to concerts, sporting events, and parties. The Santa Barbara Bowl and the Staples Center are very popular choices for our clients. Each of these venues hosts dozens of concerts and sporting events a year including trade shows. Our professional drivers provide exceptional service so our clients can focus on having a great time.  For larger groups, our Ventura party bus service is very popular.

Parents of teens also book our services regularly.  Ventura Limo Service is a great way to provide safe limo transportation for graduation, proms, and other special events. This reduces much of the worry that parents experience during these events.
Our customer service specialists can arrange to transport you anywhere in the Ventura and Santa Barbara areas and the surrounding region that you desire. Our professional and courteous drivers are on the local roads every day and can assist you with any type of service that you require. 

If you have a special event coming up, such as a birthday, anniversary, or wedding, please contact Ventura Limousine Service to see how we can get you there in luxury, comfort, and stress-free!

Please check us out on YELP! Our reviews say it all! Plus we offer a Price Match Guarantee! We can't be beat!

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Santa Barbara Limousine Service | Blackhawk Limo

Blackhawk Limousine offers sedan and limousine service for Santa Barbara and Ventura County, also for the local areas of Goleta, Santa Ynez, Montecito, Carpinteria, and Ventura as well as all Southern California airports. Blackhawk Limousine of Ventura and Santa Barbara specializes in Santa Barbara wine tours, LAX Airport Transfers, Birthdays, Weddings, Proms, Anniversaries, and Bachelor & Bachelorette Parties.  

We also specialize in Executive & Corporate Limousine/Sedan Transportation. Blackhawk Limousine has consistently ranked as best in Santa Barbara Limousine Service & Ventura Limousine Service and can meet just about any transportation needs with our reliable and immaculate fleet of limousines.  Our limo drivers will always be on-time, professionally dressed, and provide the very best customer service.

Our goal is to ensure the complete satisfaction of Ventura limousine service and Santa Barbara limousine service to every customer while offering friendly and knowledgeable limousine service for Santa Barbara & Ventura.  We also specialize in Santa Barbara Party Bus service & Ventura Party Bus service. With over 15 years of experience, you can feel very confident in our abilities to meet your highest expectations and know that customer service is our number one priority. We offer 24-hour customer service to answer all of your Ventura limo and Santa Barbara limo inquiries.

Luxury, Quality, Best Rated Limousine Service
Our Santa Barbara and Ventura Sedans, Stretch Limos are well maintained by certified mechanics to ensure your safety. We also have great packages for a Santa Barbara Wine Tour, Santa Ynez Wine Tour, Weddings, Bachelor Parties, Concerts, and Sporting Events.

Contact Blackhawk Limousine today to book your limousine or party bus transportation. We look forward to your call and helping you plan an amazing event! 

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Blackhawk Limo | A Santa Barbara Limo Service

Blackhawk Limousine, aka Santa Barbara Limo, has become the leading limousine transportation provider in Santa Barbara & Ventura Counties.  So many locals rent limos in Santa Barbara.  Blackhawk limousine, a Santa Barbara Limo service is very well known in the area for our 15 years of experience in the party bus and limo service in Santa Barbara.  Whether you enjoy fine dining, lazing on the beach, water sports, culture, or a vibrant and fun nightlife, Limousine Santa Barbara has something for you.

Santa Barbara is also known as the American Riviera. Santa Barbara's majestic mountains, great culture, and beautiful beaches make the area a premier resort destination. High-end accommodations and fine dining await you.  Santa Barbara Limousine is very familiar with all the best venues, dining, and attractions in the area.

In Santa Barbara limos, the drive is only 2-hours from L.A. or a really short trip from our local Santa Barbara Airport. The harbor is home to Stearns Wharf, a great place for any visitor. When staying in Santa Barbara, you are just miles away from some of the area's best wine country. The Santa Ynez Valley is home to so many wineries and wine tasting opportunities and attractions like the Chumash Reservation and Solvang.


We can help you plan your visit to Santa Barbara.  We pride ourselves on our vast knowledge of the area and can accommodate any size crowd.  Need a Santa Barbara Sedan, a Santa Barbara limo, or a Santa Barbara party bus? We are here to service your needs. Number 1 rated in the area! Check us out on YELP! Then call to book! With our Price Match Guarantee, you have nothing to lose!





A limo service by Mission Santa Barbara

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Party Bus Service | Blackhawk Limousine


Ventura Party Bus | Los Angeles Party Bus | Santa Barbara Party Bus


When traveling around Los Angeles, Ventura, & Santa Barbara counties, there is no better way to get around with your group of friends than in a Ventura party bus, Santa Barbara party bus, or Los Angeles party bus! Our party bus services are dedicated to giving you the time of your life, top-notch service, and a night to remember! Our drivers are the best you will find in the industry, and they really know Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles counties well. 

You don't need to worry about having a designated driver, just kick back with your friends, and enjoy the club on wheels that a party bus is!  We will drop you right at the door of the venues you choose to visit.  You will arrive in VIP style! 

Why our party buses?



Unlike many of our competitors, we actually are licensed and insured!  Our drivers actually go through certification training, and they are background checked and put through random drug tests.  They are also the best-paid drivers in the region, as we feel they deserve every penny.  Customer service and satisfaction are more important to us than spending hundreds of dollars monthly on Internet ads. Most of our bookings come from referrals.  You are in good hands with Blackhawk Limo's Party Bus Service, and also in the best and most fun surroundings you'll ever find in our party buses! Safe transportation + a party on wheels = a time to remember!


On our website www.BlackhawkLimo.com we have provided a bit about ourselves, our fleet, the services we provide, our service areas, and any other info you may be interested in knowing.  If it is not there, email or call us! We can answer all your questions! When you are ready to book your party bus or limo, click here.

Monday, June 1, 2015

Blackhawk Limousine | Introduction to SoCal Champagne



Southern California Champagne? Really? Yes.
Blackhawk Limousine has become an industry leader in limo wine tours.  Why? Our great knowledge and commitment to service.  Our limo wine tours are the best in Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, & Malibu. We are also proud to offer top-rated services within Camarillo limo service, Oxnard limo service, Santa Barbara limo service, and Ventura limo services. 

So many of our clients come for the great wines of the regions, but what about the Champagne?

Intro to California Champagne


It is no secret that the climates of the Russian River Valley and Carneros of Northern California produce the most famous and most consumed California Champagne. In later years, however, this trend has been shifting and also Southern California produces some great sparkling wines. One of our wine connoisseur's favorites, NV Saddlerock Sparkling Brut, is actually from Malibu Family Wines in the Malibu Canyon, which is a frequently visited wine-tasting area for so many of our customers. All our vehicles are also equipped with a complimentary full bar, including spirits, sodas, vodka, whiskey, and a bottle of our own California-made Champagne from the Greater Los Angeles area. 

First of all, you may wonder, is there anything such as California Champagne? Especially among the French, there are few that think it is legally, morally, or legitimately OK to apply the term Champagne to sparkling wines that came from outside of the Champagne regions of France. But even how strange the name “French Napa Valley Wine” sounds, it is indeed an accepted term. The vital thing here is U.S. Law Code TITLE 26, subtitle E, CHAPTER 51, Subchapter F, PART III, § 5388. In short, this law allows for the semi-generic designation of wines that do not originate from the Champagne Region, as long as the original region is added to the label name. 

In other words, it is OK to use the terms “California Champagne” or “Californian Champagne”, as the label name also includes where it was made. Furthermore, sparkling wines of California are almost always produced in the Méthode Champenoise style, which produces Champagne fairly similar to those Champagnes made in Europe.


Sunstone Winery in the Santa Ynez Valley
Click to enlarge ]
California Champagne is mostly made by wine producers in cooler climates, and California-made sparkling wine differs in taste based on where the grapes are grown. Some California Champagne grapes are grown in the bottom of valleys, some on the top of the mountain, as well as the level of wind- and fog exposure the vineyard experiences, are all factors that differ the tastes of Californian sparkling wines. The most common grapes for California Champagne are chardonnay and pinot noir, while the most popular designation is brut, which is a dry style that is most likely a blend. As mentioned, Bruts are especially popular in California. Brut is a term used to describe the most sparkling and driest varieties of sparkling wines. 

Several of the most popular California Champagnes are brut, for instance, the Mayo Family Winery 2009 Brut Sparkling, Caraccioli Cellars 2007 Brut Rosé, and our wine connoisseur's personal favorite, NV Saddlerock Sparkling Brut. Malibu Family Wine’s “Saddlerock Sparkling Brut” uses the traditional French method of Champagne production. 

It has fresh aromas of pears and green apples and is gold in color. Bubbles with crisp acidity on the palate, and ending with hints of toasted brioche. The Saddlerock Ranch on Mulholland Drive in the Malibu Canyons began more than three centuries back and was locally known as El Malibu up until the 1930s. Today, this area is owned by the Semler Family, which has been cooperating with Blackhawk Limo for decades and is one of our highly trusted wine-tasting venues close to home here in Santa Barbara-, Ventura-, and Los Angeles Counties.

How to make California Champagne?


In this article, our wine connoisseur will elaborate on the process of how California Champagne, or Californian sparkling wine is made. First of all, sparkling wine is a type of wine that contains carbon dioxide bubbles. Carbon dioxide gas is a natural byproduct of fermentation, and wine-makers, therefore, decide to trap it in the wine. Just about every nation (and U.S. states) that produce wine, also make sparkling wine. Keep in mind that this article describes the process of producing California sparkling wine, and does not apply to other regions such as Spain, where Spanish sparkling wine, known locally as cava, uses totally different grapes than those used in California, particularly because of climate differences. 

Having said that, the most common grapes found in California champagne are pinot noir and chardonnay, and to a lesser extent, Pinot Meunier and pinot blanc. Most Californian champagne wines are made of blends of both chardonnay and pinot noir, with a few exceptions. For instance, a blanc de Blancs champagne is made solely of Chardonnay wine grapes, which makes it the lightest of all California Champagnes. A blanc de noirs Champagne is made exclusively from dark-skinned pinot noir wine grapes, which makes it a heavier and fuller body. Somewhere in the middle of the two is where we would find rosé sparkling wine, or a pink California Champagne, which is made by adding an amount of red wine to the white blend.


Check Out More On Our Santa Ynez Valley Wine Tours Here!
The most important key in the champagne-producing process is to bottle the wine while it’s still fermenting so the yeast will continue on its work and generate alcohol and the gas that creates the bubbles, fizz, and carbon dioxide. This fizziness was first discovered by accident when the cold winters in Champagne, France stopped barrel fermenting in its tracks before the wine ever was bottled. 

As soon as the wine was bottled and the weather had warmed up, fermentation started again, but this time inside the bottle, where the carbon dioxide ended up trapped. As the pressure built up the corks iconically “popped off” and were consumed quickly by people assuming the bottle nearly exploded from the immense pressure in the bottle. British merchants taking deliveries of French barrels of wine were the first to ever experience the peculiar phenomenon of enjoying exploding wine. In the late 18th century, Britain was home to a top-modern glass-blowing industry, so they were able to produce bottles thick enough to contain the champagne, whiteout the fear of the bottle blowing up because of the immense pressure collected inside.

The largest challenge facing the early champagne developers was to remove the sediments of dead yeast and other sediments left from the fermentation process from the bottle. The solution came with the méthode champenoise in 1805; a method that is still largely unchanged in SoCal’s modern-day Southern California Champagne. The bottles of half-fermented champagne were stored neck-down in larger racks and were traditionally turned on an exact time schedule over several months to get the undesired sediments to work their way down to the cork itself. This process is referred to as riddling. In contemporary times, this process is more and more done by electronic-controlled machines. After the riddling process, we get to the disgorging process

Here, the sediments are all carefully removed from the wine. In the contemporary automated version, the bottleneck is frozen, the cork is then removed, and the compressed gas shoots the frozen plug of muck out of the bottle. At last is the dosing process, when the wine bottle is topped off with wine and (in some places) also sugar before being recorked and allowed to continue fermenting. It is a relatively expensive and very precise process, which is also the reason why champagne has the stereotype of only being reserved for big celebrations or high-end consumers.

Some quick facts on California Champagne
Malibu Family Wines in the Malibu Canyons.


  • Champagne is not solely for celebrations and special events. Despite eighty percent of the sparkling wine sale in America taking place between the months of November and January. Our wine connoisseur makes sure it is a style of wine that can be enjoyed at any time of year and also can match very well with certain types of food. Our wine specialist suggests: “Try a great California Champagne as an aperitif or at the beginning of the meal. It also pairs great with a light appetizer or a sweet dessert as well.”
  • Californian Champagne differs from all other sparkling wines as wine producers in the State of California can not add any sugar to its wine. Luckily, the warm Southern California weather found in for instance the Malibu Canyons, Santa Barbara, and the Santa Ynez- and Santa Maria Valleys, is warm enough and the sun strong enough that ripening grapes to a good sweetness is not often a problem at all in SoCal. Very little at all can be added to California wine during fermentation as well, with the exception of clarifying agents and yeast.
  • Better wine glasses lead to better champagne and bubbles. Fluters – tall and slender champagne glasses –help keep the wine sparkling longer and more “powerful”. The best flute has a small etching at the bottom of the flute that helps the bubbles rise from the bottom of the flute-wine glass. And do not worry, all our limousines are equipped with state-of-the-art champagne glasses and California Champagne.
  • California Champagne gets you tipsy quickly. Carbonation in champagne makes the valve more relaxed; the valve is the area between your stomach and the small intestine, which is where the alcohol is absorbed by the blood quickly. So while a heavy red wine stays in the stomach longer, sparkling wine enters the small intestine more quickly and goes to your head faster, which leads to a light tipsiness that comes and leaves faster.
  • Champagne-producing is a high-pressure process. The pressure inside of a sparkling wine bottle made by the dissolved carbon dioxide gas is about ninety pounds per square inch or about 3 times the pressure found in your car tires. This is also why the glass bottles of California Champagne are so solid, thick, and heavy, and the champagne cork is able to shoot such a far distance.
  • Remember that all champagnes aren't the same(!) The more expensive the sparkling wine is, generally speaking, the tinier the bobbles and creamier it feels in the mouth. The finest California champagnes barely taste fizzy, while the cheaper supermarket sparkling wines feel like fizzy water or even soda if you're unlucky.

N
ow that we taught you a bit, contact or call us to book your limo wine tour! We are leaders in Santa Barbara Wine Tours, Santa Ynez Wine Tours, & Malibu Wine Tours.  Choose a Sedan, SUV, stretch limousine, hummer limousine, or party bus.  Pick your vehicle and then decide what region you would like to take your wine tour. There are so many wineries to choose from and our Santa Barbara limo wine tour specialists can help you decide.   

Is it a simple Santa Barbara Wine Tasting you want? A visit to Santa Ynez Wineries?  Many of our clients prefer just hanging around the Los Olivos wineries, as there are so many tasting rooms in one small area.  The same could also be said for Solvang Wine Tasting rooms, where all the wine-tasting venues are located on the same small road. Santa Barbara Wine Tour options are a nice way to celebrate any occasion, so request a quote online or call today to reserve your wine tour limo!


Sunday, May 31, 2015

L.A. Airport Transportation Services

When looking for transportation services from airports to the L.A.-, Santa Barbara- or Ventura counties, don't just pick any company out there, be sure to read reviews and go with a trusted company. We at Blackhawk are very well known for our reliable and on-time limos and sedans services to and from all Southern California airports. We can provide Los Angeles limousine pickups with a meet-and-greet service where our professional driver will meet you right at baggage claim. We can even accommodate large groups in stretch limousines, stretch Hummers, or even larger, a full-size Ventura party bus! We take great pride in the top-rated LAX sedan services that we have offered for more than fifteen years now.

Our airport services are insured and licensed for our client's protection. We carry permits with L.A. International Airport, Public Utilities Commission, & the California Highway Patrol. Our luxurious vehicles have certified inspections every 45 days and our drivers pass background checks, DMV checks, and drug screenings, & pass through an extensive training program before they are certified by Blackhawk.

Our Santa Barbara limo service & stretch luxury bus services can't be beaten! We offer an exclusive price match guarantee for all SoCal clients! Check out our reviews, call the competition for pricing, but book with us! You will not be disappointed!

We can also service your needs for general Los Angeles limousine services and also top-notch Santa Ynez wine tours to wineries and tasting venues throughout the valley and other vineyards in Southern California, also including the great Malibu Canyon tasting tours for clients closer to L.A. We have a wide range of vehicles to accommodate any function you may have. In need of wedding transportation? How about a Ventura party bus for a night out? Have you tried one of our Santa Ynez wine tours for some great tastings?  We can help you not only with your LAX sedan or limousine needs, but can provide a luxury vehicle for any occasion, with the best rate guaranteed!


Monday, May 25, 2015

Ventura & Santa Barbara Party Bus | Blackhawk Limo


Ventura Party Bus to Los Angeles & Santa Barbara


A Ventura or Santa Barbara Party Bus, a nightclub on wheels, provides everything Ventura, Santa Barbara, & Los Angeles nightclubs and Hollywood nightlife have to offer. We provide the best party bus packages, bar service, birthday packages, bachelorette party bus packages, and guides to help you plan the best night out ever. In a Ventura Party bus, you will find everything related to nightclubs and the nightlife and club parties in a party bus package. 

Blackhawk Limousine provides a personalized VIP experience while you club in the Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles areas of SoCal. Ventura Party Bus guarantees you a fun nightclub experience like nothing you have ever had.  There is no other company or person with a larger network and experience than the team at Blackhawk Limousine.  Many have copied our ads, our services, and even our social media and websites, but no one has been able to duplicate our end result! Every client we have served gives us a five-star rating!  

VIP Santa Barbara & Ventura Party Bus Packages


Party bus packages throughout Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles with Blackhawk Limousine means NO LINES! Our party bus service is best when visiting Santa Barbara/LA nightclubs. Santa Barbara Party Bus is the premier and top-rated party bus company for Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles.  Please ask about our client services. The perfect night out clubbing Santa Barbara & Los Angeles nightlife starts with booking a Blackhawk Limo Party Bus package here online at www.blackhawklimo.com. Please ask for details when calling our specialists…

CALL NOW to reserve your Santa Barbara & Ventura nightclub party bus package today! We are proud to also offer the top-rated Camarillo limo service and Oxnard limo service as well.

Blackhawk Limousine Party Bus Experience 

Imagine stepping out of a party bus or Santa Barbara limo in front of each club, in a luxury vehicle, dressed to impress with all the eyes on you.  It does not get any better than that! Our main objective at Blackhawk Limousine is to create a VIP Experience with an atmosphere of the highest quality, where our clients, who can afford and want quality services, can enjoy an evening dedicated to their every want and need. The fun part is that each party bus and limo has everything you will expect a celebrity to experience, top-notch staff making sure your night is one you will never forget.