Sights in Solvang - Tourist Attractions

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Sights in Solvang
updated: Mar 12, 2011, 9:30 AM

By the dedicated staff, photos by William Etling

Here's a tourist attraction pop quiz: the northern Santa Barbara County town of Solvang, located in the Santa Ynez Valley is:

A. Modeled on the scenic small cities of Holland, where people eat pancakes, wear wooden shoes and dance in the streets.

B. Just like Disneyland, totally fake with lots of overpriced food and people dressed up like mice.

C. Only accessible by tour bus or bicycle.

D. A nice place to visit with legitimate Danish heritage, excellent pastry, and lots to see and do.

D is for Danish, not Dutch, and that's your winning answer. Edhat's dedicated staff has spent significant time in Solvang over the years, and shares the following tips for a great visit to the city that was settled by Danes in 1911, and whose name means "sunny field".

Here are some don't-miss highlights for your visit.

Sample some special sweets. There aren't too many places in the U.S. where you can get authentic Danish pastries from the kitchens of real Danish bakers, but Solvang is among them. Four longtime bakeries - Olsen's, Mortensen's, the Danish Mill, and Solvang Bakery, put out a huge selection of pastries large and small, Danish butter cookies, breads and rolls, sweetbreads, petit fours and éclairs, and much more, almost every day of the year. Recently Edhat had a pastry price check that gives an idea of how much you can expect to spend on these tasty treats. Solvang is also famous for its abelskivers tennis-ball shaped Danish pancakes that would be served for dessert in Denmark but are popular for breakfast in the Danish capital of America. When it's not Danish Days (annual celebration in the third weekend of September) you can get them at the Little Mermaid, 1546 Mission Drive, or the Solvang Restaurant (formerly Arne's) at 1672 Copenhagen. Don't forget to sample the medistepolse, or Danish sausage, which is also delicious.

Surrey, stroll or sit on a Honen tour. There are a lot of ways to get around town in Solvang, whether you'd rather pedal, cruise in a horse-drawn carriage with a tour guide, or power your own two legs. Most visitors do some shopping along Copenhagen, Alisal and Mission Drives, with plenty of side streets in between. If you're looking for a true tour of the town, your best bet is the Honen, a Danish-named horse drawn carriage powered by Belgian beauties of the Carlsberg beer wagon variety. The tour takes off from in front of the visitors hut on Copenhagen at regular intervals on weekends. To pick up a surrey and devise your own tour, head for Wheel Fun Rentals, 475 First Street, just behind Solvang Park at Mission and First Street. Just be sure to stay off Mission Drive in the surrey, or you'll have angry locals honking behind you before you can say "Abelskiver."

Visit Old Mission Santa Ines. A working parish with communion classes and daily masses, Old Mission Santa Ines, 1760 Mission Drive, is an historic Catholic church with deep roots in the community. It's beautiful gardens, scenic views of the Santa Ynez River, and historic olive orchard are worth noting. Less a draw for visitors than neighbor missions Santa Barbara and La Purisima, Mission Santa Ines has just as much charm, and a little more peace and quiet. Special events like an annual Fiesta, Fourth of July fireworks, and regular car shows are all staged on the mission's front lawn.

Try wine tasting. A burgeoning industry in Solvang over the last several years, there are about a dozen wine tasting options within the downtown area. Several spots, including the Wandering Dog Wine Bar and Tastes of the Valleys (1539C and 1672 Mission Drive, respectively), include wines from dozens of producers, so you can have a diverse tasting experience. Two favorite winery-run tasting spots include Lucas and Lewellen at 1645 Copenhagen Drive, and Curran-D'Alfonso at 1557 Mission Drive. Get a full list of all the Solvang tasting rooms at this link. If you are staying in town overnight, this is an especially fun way to spend an afternoon between stops at various shops, and many of the tasting rooms stay open later than other businesses, which tend to shut their doors around 5:30 or 6 p.m., even on weekends. If you want a broader selection of options, extend your trip to Los Olivos.

Get your Danish down. If you are truly interested in the history behind this historic town, which celebrates its 100th birthday this year, the place to go is the Elverhoj Museum (1624 Elverhoy Way). This small collection of history and art is located in a unique Solvang home, maintained by one of the City's late artists in residence, who later donated it for public use. The knowledgeable volunteer docents can answer just about any questions you may have about Solvang's past, and you'll come away with a true sense of place. The current Spirit of Solvang exhibit celebrates the city's centennial year. Don't miss the beautiful garden in the back of the museum.