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A Danish escape in the heart of California wine country.
January isn’t typically thought of as an ideal travel month, but it can certainly have its advantages. After the fervor of the holidays, sometimes it can seem like there’s nothing to look forward to during the slow months of winter, which made this a perfect time for a quick weekend trip to Solvang.
Solvang, California, nestled in the picturesque Santa Ynez Valley, boasts a rich and fascinating history. Founded in 1911 by a group of Danish immigrants seeking to escape the harsh Midwestern winters, Solvang's name translates to "sunny fields" in Danish. These pioneers brought their distinctive Scandinavian heritage with them, evident in the town's unique architecture, windmills, and charming half-timbered houses. Over the years, Solvang evolved from a small agricultural settlement into a vibrant tourist destination, attracting visitors with its Danish-themed festivals, quaint shops, and delectable bakeries offering mouthwatering pastries. Today, the town stands as a delightful blend of Old World charm and American hospitality, proudly preserving its Danish roots while welcoming travelers from around the world.
When you drive in, it truly feels like you’ve left California and entered a small town in Europe. Arriving on a rainy Friday night, we eagerly checked into our hotel in Solvang, California, looking forward to exploring the charming town. Despite the downpour, we ventured out and found ourselves at Bit O'Denmark, a delightful and cozy restaurant offering authentic Danish cuisine—a first-time experience for me. Later, we strolled along the main road, surprised by the impact the rain had on the usually bustling businesses. Seeking shelter, we stumbled upon a wine bar that happened to be open, a rare sight on a Saturday night apparently. Solvang's unique charm shone through, as we discovered that nearly every establishment served wines from local wineries, inspiring us with plans for a delightful wine-tasting adventure the following day.
The next morning we walked through the small shops along Copenhagen Drive and enjoyed a local coffee and, of course, a Danish before our day of wine tasting. There are many tours you can book, but we chose to just take an Uber to each winery. Below are the wineries we visited, in order of our favorite to least favorite.
Lincourt Vineyards
Lincourt was smaller and more quaint than the other wineries we went to. The inside was the size of a small cottage and there was a small barn nearby overlooking the vineyards. However, the fact that it was smaller was the best part. There weren’t crowds or lines, which was a nice change from the other wineries.
Sunstone Winery
This was the first winery we visited, and it was a great place to start. No doubt one of the most popular wineries in the Santa Ynez valley, there was lots of seating outside and a fantastic grenache. It was very crowded, however.
Vincent Vineyards & Winery
Gorgeous seating area, fine charcuterie. But nothing really stuck out to me here.
One of the things that really struck me while wine tasting was how beautiful the Santa Ynez valley is. Living in the desert, it’s easy to forget that there are places in California that actually get rain and have rolling green hills. We also stopped at Solvang Brewing Company on the way home, because we never miss the opportunity to taste the local brews. It also has one of the biggest windmills, for the photo ops of course.
What Would We Do Differently?
Visited more of the local shops and museums
Visited Old Mission Santa Ines
Ostrichland, USA
Eat at the Hitching Post
Tried Aebleskiver sooner