If you’ve had Europe on your mind but you aren’t able to make the journey right now, there is a small town nestled in Southern California’s Santa Ynez Valley that will stave off the wanderlust for a bit. Solvang is a little slice of Denmark just a two hour drive north of sunny Los Angeles. The town was founded by Danish immigrants in 1911 and residents began building their homes and businesses in Danish medieval style in the 1930s. The town is full of nods to Denmark, from bakeries to restaurants, windmills, and other cultural gems. The city is surrounded by wine country and the town plays host to many wine-tasting rooms.

We based ourselves at the Wine Valley Inn and Cottages for our short stay in this adorable town. The hotel is within walking distance to everything we wanted to see in town, had ample (free) parking nearby, and offered a breakfast that featured local pastries. The reception staff was lovely and our room was extremely comfortable. The grounds of the hotel are beautifully manicured, with rose bushes everywhere and several koi ponds to peek at while you walk around.

Let’s Go For a Ride!

While pulling into town, the first thing that David pointed out was a drive-in burger joint. Confused, I asked him if he was hungry and he wildly gesticulated to the collection of what looked to be odd jeeps behind the drive-in. He then told me everything he knew about the Moke and it was clear what our first activity in Solvang would be. After checking into the hotel, we walked over to The Moke Experience and within a few minutes, we were zipping around the little Danish town, with the wind blowing through our hair and the scent of pastries wafting on the air. While originally meant to be a military vehicle for the British army, the Moke (or “Mini Moke”) found it’s niche among civilians as a beach-buggy in the 1960’s. In 2017 Moke America decided to bring the Moke back as an electric car! The Moke we rented had a battery life of 8 hours or 40 miles– more than enough time and miles to zoom around Solvang. While everything within town is very walkable, it was worth the money ($49/hr) to hop in and enjoy the sites and the beautiful southern California weather.

More Than Danishes

The only advice I got about Solvang before visiting, from a friend who lives in LA and visits often, was to eat Aebleskiver. Aebleskiver are fried bits of dough, usually covered in powdered sugar and drizzled in a raspberry sauce– you can’t go wrong with fried dough. Solvang Restaurant offers these little bites of heaven from 8am-5pm and they are not to be missed.

On our first night in town, after the drive in and the Moke excitement, we decided to have a low-key dinner at the Copenhagen Sausage Garden. One of my favorite meals in Copenhagen was a hotdog (1. because it was cheap and I was in college and 2. because it was delicious as heck) and I was hoping to recreate that magic for David. The sausages were divine and the mustard bar was out of this world. The beer list is pretty solid with multiple size options, there is just something magical about a warm sausage and a liter of beer together. They also offer schnitzel and burgers and have a slew of vegetarian options.

For a nicer evening out, we chose to go to Bit O’ Denmark, a more authentic Danish culinary adventure. The menu features Danish staples such as Flaeskesteg (roast pork stuffed with prunes) and Hakkebof Med Log (ground sirloin with grilled onions & topped with a fried egg) but also has continental and American dishes to suit any taste. I enjoyed ending the meal in true Nordic style with a round of aquavit. Aquavit is a neutral spirit flavored most often with caraway and dill. It has a strong herbal flavor and is often used as a digestif in Scandinavian countries. I am a little too familiar with aquavit because of the Norway pavilion at EPCOT, they used to offer a “Viking Challenge” where a participant drank a shot of aquavit and then held a neutral face for 5 seconds– if you succeeded you got a Viking sticker. One of my favorite things about eating and drinking around the world is how the taste memory can bring you right back to a moment and the round of shots after the meal at Bit O’ Denmark brought me back to some of my favorite memories spent with friends at Disney.

Mad & Vin located in The Landsby hotel is an absolute gem for happy hour. They feature a farm to table menu and local wines and beer. The bar also does a daily happy hour cocktail special that features seasonal fruit. We enjoyed a nice selection of cheeses and cured meats (you know I can’t say no to a cheeseboard) and washed it down with a lager from Firestone Walker. The bar was full of colorful locals, with tourists being the minority, and they and the staff were welcoming– if I lived in Solvang this might be one of my local spots, too.

Wine Tasting

While in Solvang, you’d be remiss to skip touring the wineries in the surrounding Santa Ynez valley. We had our own car but wanted to hit a few places, so the responsible option was to hire private transportation. A short search lead me to Artisan Excursion and their excellent small group wine tour. Tom picked us up in a comfortable mini bus, took us to three stops, provided lunch, and most importantly had plenty of water and snacks to keep us going between the tastings. The tour went to a wine collective, a boutique winery, and a larger vineyard. For weekend tours, the price is $165 a person and is worth every penny.

Santa Ynez Valley Wine Collective

Santa Ynez Valley Wine Collective was our first stop and a perfect introduction into the wines of the region. Their focus is on small producers who they introduce to the public through their private vineyard (where we visited), their tasting room in Solvang, and their quarterly wine club. Once the label takes off, the collective moves on to another upstart wine maker. The tasting area was set up outside under a pergola next to the small, personal vineyard of the owner, Gabe. Gabe gave us a lovely walkthrough of several craft wines and made sure that our glasses were never empty. I liked the concept of trying out small wine makers so much that I even joined their wine club!

Esfuerzo Wines

Coming from the craft beer world, Esfuerzo Wines resonated with me. It is a family run boutique winery and their vintner, Fidencio, has a very deep understanding of the craft and was very happy to share his passion during our tour and tasting. I love any experience that has me leaving with imprinted knowledge, it is a sure way to get me to sing the praises of the business. As far as the wines go, the highlight was a dry Riesling, which took me by surprise because I’d only had sweet German Rieslings up to that point.

Lafond Winery & Vineyards

Our last stop was a full-scale vineyard, Lafond Winery. The expansive grounds were just what we needed after extensive tastings and a robust lunch. We were free to wander the vineyard and farm (bonus: very friendly goats) with our wine, going in to the tasting room only for the next wine pour and guided explanation. The fresh air and sunshine while exploring the grounds were a nice end-note to our wine adventure.

Skål!

Solvang is a great town to walk around and explore. If you happen to be a book-nerd, nods to Hans Christian Andersen can be found throughout the town, including a small museum, a bust in the town square, and a half-size replica of the Little Mermaid Statue that sits in Langelinie promenade in Copenhagen.

When we travel, we are known to seek out antiquarian bookstore to snoop through. Used books and books from far-off places are great souvenirs of an adventure that can quickly take you back to a moment in time. On this trip, The Book Loft fit the bill for our bibliophilic needs. It is a quaint shop that houses a used book section, a section for local authors, and nearly anything new that you might want to read. The building also plays host to a small Hans Christian Andersen Museum, which is very interesting and free to visit!

We couldn’t leave town without visiting a brewery! Solvang Brewing Company leans heavy into Danish Viking Roots with beers named Valhalla IPA and Odin Stout. The brewery has two locations, one in Lompoc and one in the middle of Solvang, which is the one that we visited. The building is large and has several bars, with a big outdoor area to enjoy the great weather of Southern California– they even have firepits for the colder evenings. The beer is tasty, with the Great Dane Pale Ale and Solvang Kölsch being standouts. They are also family friendly and offer a full food menu!

Are You Ready to Visit?

Solvang is about a two hour drive from Los Angeles. If you want a more scenic route along the ocean for a bit, you can take the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and it will add about an hour to your travel time, without stops. We took this route into Solvang, as we were based in Santa Monica after driving Route 66. The closest airport to Solvang is about 40 minutes away– Santa Barbara Airport (SBA), which handles domestic flights from United, Southwest, American, and Alaska Air. The drive from Los Angeles in is scenic and there are a couple stops on the way to Solvang worth making.

First up, The Getty Villa, located right off the PCH near Santa Monica. The villa is one of two campuses of the J. Paul Getty Museum and houses an astounding collection of Greek, Roman, and Etruscan art and antiquities. The gardens are sprawling and full of life and the ocean is close enough to catch a breeze.

A Firestone Walker Brewing Company campus is located 10 minutes outside of Solvang in Bulleton. This location is home to Firestone Walker’s barrel program, specializing in wild ales with locally foraged ingredients. The tap list is extensive and full of limited edition beer that you can taste the craftsmanship in, truly artisanal products. The space also features a gastropub with food that is designed to be eaten with beer.

The last stop you should make on your drive into Solvang is OstrichLand USA. The farm is home to ostriches and emus and is located in Bulleton. For $5 you can enter the area to look at these large, flightless birds (aka living dinosaurs) and for $1 extra, you can purchase a bowl of food for them– careful, they bite! This was a genuinely fun, albeit terrifying, experience.