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Solvang is located in California’s Santa Ynez Valley just west of Santa Barbara and it is a charming little Danish village. We visited during Thanksgiving weekend and spent one day indulging in Danish food, learning some Danish culture, enjoying world-class wine, and even feeding some ostriches.

If you are doing the famous California coast PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) road trip, Solvang is a great stop. You can explore the city for the day or stay for a short weekend. Here is our list of top 6 things to do in Solvang, California.

1. Feed Ostriches & Emus at Ostrich Land

Ostrich Land is a quirky and fun little first stop before heading into the Danish themed town of Solvang. The entrance fee is $5 and for an extra dollar, you can get a bowl of food to feed the ostriches and emus.

We liked feeding the emus more since they were a lot more gentle. We felt like the emus didn’t get as much love as the ostriches because they were located in the back, so make sure you don’t forget about them when you visit!

Once you pay your entrance fee inside the gift shop, you pick up the bowl of food attached to a dust pan. Make sure you hold on to the dust pan firmly while you feed the ostriches because they are aggressive. They are more powerful than you think and it’s a little intimidating.

Ostrich Land is somewhat of an iconic stop as it has made appearances in The Simpsons and the movie Sideways.

ADDRESS: 610 E Highway 246, Buellton, CA 93463
COST: $5 Entrance Fee + $1 Feed Bowl
@ostrich_land

2. Eat Danish Pancakes at Paula’s Pancake House

Paula’s Pancake House is a great stop for breakfast and the perfect place to try some Danish pancakes. It is very popular, so be prepared to wait for a table. They usually turn over tables quickly, so you won’t be waiting long. We were lucky and got a table instantly on their outdoor patio. It was a cold morning, but we were actually pretty warm from the heat lamps they have near the tables.

It was packed indoors, so we sat outside and enjoyed the views

Danish Pancakes Topped with Fresh Strawberries

Crystal loves pancakes, so of course she had to try some Danish pancakes. The pancakes were superb and were thin like crepes but also had a fluffiness to it like American pancakes. They were topped with fresh strawberries and came with a side of bacon and eggs.

Candy ordered an egg omelet with sliced tomatoes. Both dishes were delicious, plentiful, and reasonably priced.

ADDRESS: 1531 Mission Dr., Solvang, CA 93463
COST: $10.25 for Danish pancakes and $9.95 for plain omelette
@paulaspancakehouse

3. Enjoy Wine Tasting at The Sanger Family of Wines

Solvang is a popular destination for their award-winning wines and you can even do a self-guided tasting tour. We initially had no plans to do a wine tasting, but the coupon we picked up from Solvang’s information center changed our minds.

We got a great deal at The Sanger Family of Wines for a free wine tasting with the purchase of one for $15.

Candy wearing Margaret O’Leary sweater with Awe Inspired necklace — Candy wearing **Margaret O’Leary** sweater with **Awe Inspired** necklace

We’re so glad we picked up that coupon because we had a fabulous time here. The tasting room was located right in the center of Solvang and the atmosphere and service were both top-notch. We’ve been to a handful of wine tastings and in our experience, it’s usually three tastings. At The Sanger, you get six wine tastings for $15! What a great deal. And since we had that coupon, we had 12 wine tastings for $15.

We loved their wine so much that we even purchased a couple of bottles to take home with us.

ADDRESS: 1584 Mission Drive, Solvang, CA 93464
COST: $15 Tasting of 6 Wines
@consiliencewines

4. Take a Tour of Solvang on a Horse-Drawn Trolley

The Solvang trolley starts right by the visitor center and two beautiful Belgian horses draw the trolley. The trolley tour lasts about 30 minutes and the tour guide shares the history of the town, folk tales of Denmark and an insight on activities in the town.

Many people love this tour, but our tour was a huge disappointment. The tour usually starts at 12pm daily and we were the first in line at 11:50am so that we can get first dibs on our preferred seat. At 12:30pm, there was still no trolley in sight and people in line were starting to get upset because we weren’t given any updates on what was happening. Nearly an hour later, we were about to leave, but the trolley finally arrived.

The tour guide did not offer any apologies and started making some jokes to avoid the awkward situation. We were willing to brush off the unacceptable situation and hoped the tour would be worth it, but our tour guide talked more about the horses than the history and culture of the town. We were pretty disappointed that we didn’t learn more about Solvang.

I’m sure this does not happen all the time, so that’s why we are still recommending it since others have had a completely different experience. The children also seem to have a lot of fun on the trolley, so the information the tour guide provides might not even be a concern.

ADDRESS: 1639 Copenhagen Dr., Solvang, CA 93463 (Outside the Visitor Center)
COST: Adults $14 // Children $9 // Seniors $12

5. Visit the H.C. Andersen Museum at The Book Loft

H.C. Andersen is Denmark's most famous writer and he is most well-known for his fairy tale story, The Little Mermaid. Most children grew up with these fairy tale stories, including us, so we were really excited about visiting this museum.

The museum is located at The Book Loft on the second floor. We were a little surprised at how small the museum was. It felt more like a school show-and-tell project. There were some selections of his books on display and a very brief history of his life and work. We felt that the museum could use a little refresher, but glad we stopped in as it was free.

We also loved the interior architecture of the bookstore itself. It has been in Solvang since 1970 and houses a large selection fo books in different languages including used and new books. If you’re a book lover, you’ll love this place.

Due to H.C. Andersen’s significance in town, there is a bronze Little Mermaid statue on Mission Drive. It is a half-size replica of the famous one that sits on a rock by the waterside in Copenhagen, Denmark.

ADDRESS: 1680 Mission Dr., Book Loft Building - 2nd Floor, Solvang, CA 93463
COST: Free

6. Indulge in Delicious Pastries at Birkholm’s Bakery & Cafe

There are a ton of bakeries in Solvang and of course, we want to visit one of the best bakeries in Solvang. While we were on our trolley tour, the guide pointed out that Birkholm’s Bakery & Cafe is a family-owned business with original Danish recipes straight from Denmark.

Being that TripAdvisor rated this bakery #2 with a Certificate of Excellence Award from 2016-2019, we decided to grab a quick bite here. We purchased a couple of pastries and we devoured our light, crispy, and airy treats in seconds. The pastries were absolutely delicious with just a touch of sweetness, which is what we prefer.

So many yummy pastries. We wanted to try them all!

The bakery also offers casual dining and serves sandwiches, soups and salads. A ham and cheese sandwich costs $12 and a chopped salad costs $13, so it’s a bit on the expensive side.

ADDRESS: 460 Alisal Rd., Solvang, CA 93463
COST: $3 - $4 per pastry; $12 sandwiches and salads
@birkholmsbakery

USEFUL TIPS

Parking

Parking is FREE throughout the village and in parking lots on Alisal Road, Copenhagen, and Mission Drives. These lots can fill up pretty fast, so it’s best to arrive early if you don’t want to circle around looking for one. The parking spot we found was in a parking lot across the street from Paula’s Pancake House.

Public Restrooms

There are various public restrooms located throughout the town, so we didn’t have to dine or purchase something to use a bathroom.

Crystal wearing her favorite coat by Express — Crystal wearing her favorite coat by **Express**

Candy looking stylish in her Tommy Hilfiger coat and boots by Express — Candy looking stylish in her **Tommy Hilfiger** coat and boots by **Express**

Visitor Center

We’re so glad we stopped by the Visitor’s Center to get a general idea of the notable things to see and do in Solvang. We also snagged that awesome wine tasting coupon from the Visitor Center and it just happened that it was there because The Sanger Family of Wines just opened for business and was spreading the word. You just never know what kind of surprises are hidden at the Visitor Center.

ADDRESS: 1639 Copenhagen Dr., Solvang, CA 93463
@solvangusa

Bring Your Pooch!

Solvang is super pet-friendly! There are several tasting rooms that allow you to bring your fur baby as well as hotels and restaurants. We saw a ton of dogs and were a bit jealous that our pups weren’t with us.

Checking out another Bakery. This one had more desserts like chocolate and cakes rather than pastries.

Wine Tours

If you want a guided wine tour around Solvang or the surrounding areas, there are several tours you can choose from. Solvang Taxi and Wine Tours and Stagecoach Wine Tours Santa Ynez both have 5-star reviews that offer fun and exciting wine tasting tours in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley.

WHERE TO STAY

The Landsby - Located in the heart of Solvang near Paula’s Pancake House. The boutique hotel has 51 stunning rooms offering warm hospitality and refined, stylish accommodations.

Wine Valley Inn - Cute buildings that make you think you’re actually in Denmark. Located within walking distance to all the attractions in Solvang and comes with free breakfast.

Vinland Hotel and Lounge - Modern, pet-friendly rooms also located in the heart of Solvang.

FINAL THOUGHTS

We drove from Los Angeles and the drive was very easy (we started our drive at 7 AM) with gorgeous views along the way from snow-capped mountains to coastal views. Solvang has an array of activities, seasonal festivals, and countless wine-tasting rooms to enjoy a pleasant day or weekend in Solvang. Visit Solvangusa.com to get an updated list of establishments and activities that are open on Thanksgiving Day.