The Best Weekend in Solvang Travel Guide

Did you know that you could get a little taste of Europe right in California? That’s right, who needs Euro Summer when you have Solvang, California.

Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but this little town known as the Danish capital of the U.S. is the perfect place for a day trip or weekend getaway. It’s so walkable, charming, a little kitschy, and is basically filled with wineries, bakeries, and cute shops.

Since it’s so small, all you need is a couple days to cover all the main sites. Let’s get into all the best things to during a weekend in Solvang.

How long should you spend in Solvang?

Solvang is best enjoyed during a day or weekend trip. My husband and I spent about two-and-a-half days there, and it felt like the perfect amount of time.

While you could definitely add on another day or two, the town itself is pretty small, and there’s not a ton to do, so I probably wouldn’t recommend spending much longer than that. 

I felt pretty sugar-ed out after two days of wine and baked goods too, but maybe that’s just me.

What to do in Solvang

Solvang is super cute and picturesque, so as you can imagine, it’s amazing just for walking around and exploring the many different shops, bakeries, art galleries and wineries. 

But apart from wandering aimlessly, be sure to check out a few of these highlights while here:

Elverhøj Museum of History & Art

The Elverhøj Museum of History & Art focuses on Danish culture and the story behind how Solvang became, well, Solvang.

It includes a recreation of a traditional Danish home, and on the other side of the building is an art exhibit.

The overall museum is pretty small and will take you an hour tops to walk through, but I definitely walked out feeling as if I understood the history of Solvang much more.

And the great news is that it’s free! (1624 Elverhoy Way)

The Book Loft/Hans Christian Andersen Museum

Learn about Hans Christian Anderson, the Danish author behind classics like “The Little Mermaid,” “The Ugly Duckling,” “The Snow Queen” (a.k.a the story that “Frozen” was based on) and more, at an exhibit located in the top floor of The Book Loft, a cute little book store that’s also just worth checking out anyway!

While it’s technically called the Hans Christian Andersen Museum, it’s really more of an exhibit. I didn’t know much about him beforehand, but the exhibit shed an interesting light on his history and impact as an author. The employee who was there was also super knowledgable about his life and interested in chatting with people walking through!

It’s also free! (1680 Mission Drive)

California Nature Art Museum

The California Nature Art Museum has great exhibits highlighting the connection between art and nature. Their goal is to inspire a love of nature. They were previously known as “The Wilding Museum,” but they rebranded in early 2024 with a new name.

The California Nature Art Museum is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and admission is $5 for adults (or free if you present a CalFresh/SNAP EBT card and photo ID at check-in). (1511-B Mission Drive)

Old Mission Santa Ines

Just a short stroll from Solvang’s main city center is Old Mission Santa Ines.

The architecture of this building is beautiful, but the view …. that makes it worth it for me.

We just walked around the grounds a bit, but unfortunately you can’t explore the inside unless you pay a fee, which we decided to skip. It’s $8 for a self-guided tour or $12 for a docent-led tour. (1760 Mission Drive)

Wine tasting

While driving into Solvang, you’ll likely notice the gorgeous surrounding mountains and the many vineyards.

Located right in the heart of Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County, Solvang is situated right in one of California’s main wine regions. So if you at all enjoy wine, this is the place for you.

There are so many places to choose from, so you really can’t go wrong.

I enjoyed a glass of wine and a vegan cheese board from The Good Life Craft Beer and Wine Cellar (1672 Mission Drive) and then a tasting from McClain Cellars. (1623 Mission Drive Suite B)

The Good Life Craft Beer and Wine Cellar and an aebleskiver from Solvang Restaurant

Bakeries

Apart from wine, Solvang is all about its European-style bakeries.

Olsen’s Danish Bakery has a super delicious array of pastries to choose from. (1529 Mission Drive)

Solvang Restaurant is a great place to grab an aebleskiver, a classic Solvang dessert, which is basically like a pancake in ball-form topped with raspberry syrup. (1672 Copenhagen Drive)

Mermaid fountain

Check out the mermaid fountain. A nod to Hans Christian Andersen’s influence, this mermaid statue is small but still cute and worth a quick stop.

See the windmills

Similarly, there are a number of windmills situated around town — six, to be exact. We didn’t try to find them all, but it’s a fun thing to look out for. 

Los Olivos

Just 10 minutes down the road from Solvang is Los Olivos.

Like Solvang, this tiny town is also cute, historic, and full of wineries. The style is very different though, with a lot of Victorian-style buildings that date back to the 1800s, so if you’re looking to switch things up for an afternoon, head here. 

We tried a wine tasting from Evan’s Ranch.

There was an option to try around six different wines for $20, and they were all so good. (I’m no wine expert though — I loved everything I tried during this trip!) (2901 Grand Ave.)

For lunch, we went across the street to Panino, which has about six locations all in the Santa Barbara/Santa Ynez area.

We tried a couple different sandwiches and a salad, that were all so good and felt really high-quality (2900 Grand Ave.)

There are also a number of cute shops and galleries to explore while here.

OstrichLand

Especially if you stay in Buellton like we did, you will probably pass by OstrichLand on your way back and forth from Solvang.

For some reason, this is a really popular activity around here, but to be honest, ostriches are my number one fear in life (apart from you know, failure and things like that) so I absolutely was not doing this.

But, here’s some more info if you do want to check it out. 

Where to eat in Solvang

For breakfast, Paula’s Pancake House is a Solvang staple. This place can get pretty crowded (we waited about 30 minutes or so for a table), but it was worth it, in my opinion.

We tried the Danish pancakes, which are really thin, like crepes, filled with Danish sausage (I’m not really sure what makes it Danish, but I digress) and a veggie omelette. (1531 Mission Drive)

Paula’s Pancake House (left) and Olsen’s Bakery desserts

Paula’s Pancake House also has a sister restaurant, The Belgian Cafe, which is also good and has a cute diner ambiance.

It has some of the same menu options, but has way more crepe and waffle varieties. (1671 Copenhagen Drive)

For later in the day, Solvang Brewing Company is a solid place to lean into the European theme and grab a sausage sandwich and a craft beer. I had some type of sausage sandwich that I enjoyed. (1547 Mission St.)

If you’re feeling like something a little fancier, Osteria Grappolo is a cute Italian spot. We just got drinks, an appetizer, and a dessert, so I can’t speak to the menu overall, but it was delicious. (1546 Mission Drive)

Although I felt like Whiskey N Rye was a bit overpriced for what it was, I enjoyed my meal here, and is a solid option especially if you’re craving American smokehouse-style food. (442 Atterdag Road)

A quick tip: Things also seem to close pretty early here — we actually struggled a bit to find a place to eat around 8 p.m. on a Sunday, which is how we wound up at Whiskey N Rye. Just something to keep in mind when you visit!

Solvang Trolley Ice Cream Parlor is a great place to grab an ice cream and a juice, with a solid selection of flavors. (1618 Copenhagen Drive)

This is technically in nearby Buellton, but Industrial Eats is one of the best meals I had during my time in Solvang.

We tried a potato, goat cheese and sage pizza which was amazing, as well as escargot, which I’d never had before and didn’t know at all what to expect. It was served in a skillet with lots of garlic and parmesan and was surprisingly delicious. (181 Industrial Way)

Where to stay in Solvang

If you’re looking for an economical, no-frills option, we stayed at Hotel Hygge in Buellton. 

It was a little weird because it was my first time staying in an “invisible check-in” hotel, meaning we didn’t interact with one staff member while here.

After booking, you have to call them and give them your credit card information over the phone. Then the day of your arrival, you’re emailed your code to get into your room.

While that type of experience probably wouldn’t always be my first choice, it was one of the more affordable options available in the area (it seemed a bit cheaper to stay in Buellton instead of Solvang).

And, it was a super short drive to Solvang (as in, like seven minutes). Parking was also really easy to find — and free — in Solvang.

The room was also comfortable, and completely met our needs for a short weekend trip. Find out more here.

For a similarly priced option (if you opt for a queen-sized bed, at least) right in the heart of Solvang, consider Solvang Inn & Cottages.

This is a highly rated Danish-style inn with a continental breakfast, free parking, and a heated pool. Check it out here.

Extend your trip

Santa Barbara is just 45 minutes to an hour south of Solvang, and considering how beautiful this city is, it’s a natural choice if you’re looking to add on another day (or few) to your trip.

If you’re looking for an easy trip in California, a weekend in Solvang is one of the best choices out there. I hope you have the best time!

-Tess

Save this post for later on Pinterest: