You made it through the holidays, a rainy January, a busy February, and now you’re ready for a break. If you’re thinking about a quick weekend away that is genuinely relaxing, we have a suggestion for you: Solvang. Just a little over 200 miles from Monterey, Solvang is an easy drive south on 101.
Solvang is Danish for “sunny field” and is located in the Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County. The city was founded in 1911 by a group of Danes who traveled west to establish a Danish community. Initially, most of Solvang was built like any other western town with commercial buildings sporting false fronts. After World War II, interest grew in the concept of a Danish Village, and facades in the Danish Provincial style were added. The first of Solvang’s four windmills were built in the 1940s.
Visitors to Solvang are drawn to the windmills, the statue of Hans Christian Anderson, The Little Mermaid replica, the half-timbered houses, and the restaurants and pastry shops serving Danish specialties. Wine tasting rooms are a relatively recent addition.
We spent a warm February weekend in Solvang and found the little town to be thoroughly charming. It’s a great place to spend one or two nights. It’s not an action-packed destination: think boutique shopping, plenty of delicious food and wine, and strolling the town’s downtown. Solvang is a place where the sidewalks roll up when the sun goes down. And, sometimes, that’s precisely what the doctor ordered!
Our one-night visit was a stop along the way back from a business meeting in LA. We arrived on a Friday at 5 pm and checked into the Corque Hotel on Alisal Street. The Corque is a medium-priced hotel with large rooms that would comfortably accommodate a family of four. There are no name-brand hotel chains in Solvang, but there are quite a few boutique options. We took note of the Solvang Alisal Cottages across the street from our hotel. These adorable cottages come complete with a front yard with rope swing, picket fence, and full kitchen and would be great for a larger family.
We took a quick stroll after arriving to orient ourselves to the town and realized that almost everything closes at 6:00 pm. Some of the restaurants are open for dinner, but many are breakfast and lunch only. We were in town for “restaurant week,” so we took advantage of that and had a pre-fixe dinner at Root 246 on Alisal Street For just $22, we had a 3-course meal that included a choice of appetizers, entrée, and a dessert. With a glass of wine, dinner for two was less than $70. There are no fast food options in Solvang, so if you’re looking for something quick and cheap, you’re going to need to drive a few miles to Buellton.
Saturday morning, we were up early to be first in line at Paula’s Pancakes. A short 10-minute walk from the hotel, Paula’s is legendary and for a good reason. We ordered the Danish pancakes, thin, plate-sized buttermilk pancakes served with fruit, and sprinkled with powder sugar. The pancakes were heavenly: light, and slightly sweet. Breakfast perfection! By the time we left the restaurant around 9:00 am, there was a long line forming.
The rest of the morning was spent strolling around the Solvang downtown. There are plenty of souvenir shops, as well as a handful of stores selling specialty food items. Candy shops are everywhere, including The Swedish Candy Factory, where you can watch Polkagris (a type of Swedish taffy) being made entirely by hand. Ingeborg’s Chocolate Shop is another “must stop” where you’ll find mouthwatering handmade chocolates that are produced in the little kitchen behind the shop.
We found time for a visit to the Elverhoj Museum. The Elverhoj, the former residence of one of Solvang’s artistic families is now a community museum dedicated to the history of the town, Danish-American heritage, and the arts. Inside there is a photo exhibition with the town history and a recreation of a period Danish home. It’s more geared for adults, but little ones might enjoy seeing the wooden shoes and “old-time” furniture and rooms. There is also a sweet dollhouse complete with furniture.
The highlight of our morning was a visit to The Book Loft on Mission Street. The first floor is a lovely independent bookstore with a nicely curated selection of current books, including popular Danish exports. The real treat is on the second floor, where the Hans Christian Andersen Museum is housed. A variety of exhibits highlight Andersen’s life and work. We were lucky enough to meet Kathy Mullins, the lovely woman who has owned the bookstore and museum for over 50 years. She’s still at her desk on the second floor almost every day and is a wealth of information about Solvang.
Leaving The Book Loft we headed to the Old Mission Santa Ines. The Mission was founded in 1804 and was the first European settlement in the area. The mission grounds afford beautiful views of Santa Ynez River Valley and walking tours of the buildings and grounds are available.
Leaving Solvang for Monterey mid-afternoon, we had one final stop: Industrial Eats in Buellton. The restaurant had come highly recommended, and after scouting it out online, we knew it was a must stop. It’s located in an industrial park just outside of town, and it was packed when we arrived at 3:00 pm. Things moved quickly, and the food was so delicious (the Pan Bagnat is easily the best sandwich we’ve ever tasted!), and the servers so friendly that we didn’t mind the wait.
We left Solvang carrying a bag of spices, chocolate, and Polkagris. Solvang is a perfect weekend destination because nothing cures stress like pancakes, a glass of wine or two, friendly people, and a book of Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales.