Solvang
Solvang, CA
Free to stroll; pastries and meals paid
By Simir Shah
Updated September 18, 2026
From our editor — we've been
Solvang is an absolute fun spot to indulge in some gluttony — bakeries on every corner, schnitzel, and sausages, plus a handful of genuinely unique shops. It's one of the only towns around where you can wander for an afternoon and completely forget you're still in the US.
💡 Local tip: Olsen's Danish Village Bakery is known for its giant almond Kringle (the Luxury size feeds a party of 30), Mortensen's Danish Bakery does a famous Pistachio Square, and Solvang Restaurant is the spot for traditional aebleskiver — golf-ball-size Danish pancake bites dusted in powdered sugar with raspberry sauce. For the savory side, Copenhagen Sausage Garden and the Red Viking serve up real Danish sausage and schnitzel.
A storybook Danish village in the Santa Ynez Valley, about 45 minutes north of Santa Barbara, with windmills, half-timbered architecture, and bakeries on nearly every corner. Danish immigrants founded the town in 1911, and it still leans hard into the theme — horse-drawn trolley rides, a Hans Christian Andersen museum, and unique shops line the walkable downtown alongside places serving traditional sausage and schnitzel.
Good for
- Ages 10+
- Stroller-friendly
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