Solvang is a picturesque little town located in the Santa Ynez Valley – about a 45-minute drive from Downtown Santa Barbara. This village is known as the Danish capital of the US, and is such a fun and unique place to check out. From delicious food and wine to gorgeous (and incredibly non-Californian) architecture to the beautiful natural scenery, there’s a ton to enjoy. If you’re interested in visiting, here’s my comprehensive guide to planning the perfect day trip to Solvang!
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You are viewing: What To Do In Solvang For A Day
Is Solvang Worth Visiting?
Absolutely! Solvang is 100% worth a visit, especially if you live in the Southern California or Central Coast area. While relatively small, it’s such an interesting spot unlike any other town in California. I’d highly recommend making your way to Solvang.
How Much Time Should You Spend in Solvang?
As far as actually exploring the town of Solvang goes, you only really need a day. It’s pretty small, and a day gives you more than enough time to get the full experience.
That said, there are so many great things to do and places to explore in the greater Santa Barbara County. If you’re planning on doing a full-on Solvang weekend getaway, I’ll share some additional things to do in the area towards the end of this guide.
When is the Best Time to Visit Solvang?
There truly isn’t a bad time to visit Solvang, but keep in mind that it does get pretty hot in the middle of the summer. While Solvang is near the coast, it’s still in a valley, so temperatures tend to reach the low to mid 90s during the day.
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The summer is still a great time to visit (just bring your sunscreen!), but Solvang is especially nice in the fall, winter, and spring! It’s coastal California, so winter weather is still mild during the day – typically around the mid to high 60s. I most recently visited in April, and there were a ton of California poppies in bloom all around town. It was absolutely gorgeous!
The Best Things to do in Solvang, California
Here’s my complete guide to all of the activities and sights that you won’t want to miss when visiting the Danish capital of the US. Luckily, all of these activities can easily be done during a day trip to Solvang. Just be sure to get out early to make the most of your visit!
Hang Out with Ostriches and Emus at OstrichLand USA
This is a spot that you absolutely won’t want to miss. OstrichLand USA (which is just about a 5-minute drive from the center of Solvang) is home to over 100 ostriches and emus. If you’re visiting during the summer, you might even have a chance to see the baby ostriches!
Adult tickets cost $7, and you can reserve them in advance online (although this isn’t necessary). You can also purchase a feed bowl for $1 to actually feed the ostriches and emus. This is 100% worth it. Check out my reel about OstrichLand for a closer look!
Do a Wine Tasting at One of the Solvang Wineries
There are a ton of great wineries in Solvang and the greater Santa Ynez Valley area, but my favorite is Rusack Vineyards, which is just about a 10-minute drive from the center of town. A reservation is required, so be sure to check out the website to book your spot ASAP! Note: you’ll find a few more Santa Ynez Valley winery recommendations in the next section.
I highly recommend making the short drive out to Rusack. The rolling hills and natural beauty of the area is absolutely stunning – and the wine is really great, too! That said, if you prefer to stay in town, I’d suggest stopping by one (or more) of these tasting rooms: McClain Cellars, Casa Cassara Winery and Vineyard, or Alma Rosa Winery and Vineyards.
Visit Santa Barbara
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The drive from Solvang to Santa Barbara is only about 45-minutes long, so it’s definitely worth a day trip if you have the time! When visiting, be sure to walk through The Funk Zone, which is the city’s arts and culture district. You’ll find galleries and shops, as well as bars, restaurants, and wine tasting rooms.
I also suggest strolling down State Street – which is the main shopping and dining street in town – and making your way to the historic Santa Barbara County Courthouse. The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is also a gorgeous spot to explore! For more information, be sure to check out my guide on the perfect weekend getaway in Santa Barbara.
Eating Vegan in Solvang
As I started planning this day trip, I was pretty confident I wouldn’t have much luck finding vegan food in Solvang. Thankfully, I was proven wrong! There are some great vegan-friendly spots in town, including places with more traditional Danish food (or at least as close to traditional as you can get with plant-based ingredients). You just need to know where to look!
Good Seed Coffee is a great option for drinks or light snacks, as they have non-dairy milk and a variety of vegan snacks and pastries.
For lunch, we enjoyed vegan sausages (and a side of beer) at Copenhagen Sausage Garden . They actually had two veggie sausages: smoked apple and Mexican chipotle. My boyfriend and I got one of each – both delicious, but the smoked apple was my favorite!
The bakery was one I was least confident in. However, we were actually able to find pastries at one of the five main authentic Danish bakeries! Birkholm’s Bakery & Cafe has two vegan options: the boats (which come in cherry and lemon) and the palm leaves. We ordered the cherry boat to share and it was super good! We were so happy to find a Solvang bakery with vegan options.
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