Visiting Solvang, CA with Your Dog
Solvang describes itself as one of the most “Christmassy towns in America,” and if you’re a Christmas fanatic like we are it does not disappoint. The town celebrates Julefest all month and the December festival features a light show, a tree lighting, parade, and other Christmas events throughout the month, including a scavenger hunt to look for a Danish gnome in downtown Solvang. It’s such a festive time to visit!
Solvang was established in 1911 when a group of Danish-Americans traveled here from the Midwest to set up a colony in sunny California. It was only in the 1940s, however, that the idea of making Solvang look like a Danish village took shape. Today its beautiful location, pretty facades, and unique ambiance draw thousands of visitors.
Solvang is located about 3 hours north of Los Angeles and 4.5 hours south of San Francisco. Many people opt to combine a trip to nearby Santa Barbara with a day in Solvang. Or you could spend a weekend exploring all that the Santa Ynez Valley has to offer. This area is definitely one of the hidden gems of California.
We opted for a weekend in Solvang to get the full hygge experience. If you’re considering a visit to Solvang, continue reading for the best things to do in Solvang, CA at Christmas time, plus recommendations for where to eat and stay!
THINGS TO DO IN SOLVANG AT CHRISTMAS TIME
Wander the Village of Solvang
Although small, downtown Solvang is a sight to see at Christmas. The decorative facades, real trees lining the sidewalks and random drive by’s of Santa and a horse drawn trolley really make you feel like you’re walking around in a Lifetime movie. Start on Alisal Road, the main road in town. This is where the big windmill is located – Solvang Windmill – and where you can access all of the quaint side streets. Copenhagen Drive branches off from Alisal Road and is home to many different restaurants and wine tasting rooms that are scattered along the street. Parts of this street are closed for pedestrians so several restaurants have patio options for outdoor dining with your dog. Mission Drive runs parallel to Copenhagen Drive and offers more shops and tasting rooms.
Plan to spend an afternoon photographing Solvang’s colorful facades from every angle, admire the windmills, and enjoy all the Christmas decor. The village is a popular place, and on nice weather days you will find lots of people out and about.
Try all the authentic Danish bakeries
With five authentic Danish bakeries in Solvang, you’ll have a hard time choosing where to start and resisting all the sweet treats they have to offer. You’ll find long lines at the bakeries, although the lines usually move quickly. Visit early in the day for the best selections and relatively short lines. Some serve coffee and hot cocoa as well. Take your goodies outside to enjoy!
Solvang Bakery is located on Alisal Road. They have cute gingerbread people and specialize in custom gingerbread houses. We tried a gingerbread cookie, cinnamon crispy, cheese danish and an almond, apple butter pastry boat. We also got two hot cocoas to go and enjoyed our treats on their small patio right next to the Solvang Windmill.
Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery is on Mission Drive and their selection of pastries is huge. We loved the cinnamon roll and Danish waffle here!
We were only able to squeeze in two of the bakeries during our weekend visit, but if you’re ambitious maybe you can try all five and enjoy Birkholm’s Bakery & Cafe on Alisal Road, Danish Mill Bakery on Copenhagen Drive, and Mortensen’s Bakery on Mission Drive too.
Sample Aebleskivers
Aebleskivers are a traditional Danish dessert, generally enjoyed during Christmas season. They are puffy little balls of pan-fried dough, somewhat like doughnut holes, but sweeter. They are served with powdered sugar and jam on top for a sweet treat.
Aebleskivers actually means apple slices, but there’s no apple in the recipe. Enjoy this traditional Danish treat at Solvang Restaurant on Copenhagen Drive. They have a walk up window just for ordering Aebleskivers. You can take them to go or enjoy them on their patio. Each order comes with three Aebleskivers.
Enjoy some green space
Solvang Park is a small park right in the heart of the village, off Mission Drive, with picnic tables and restrooms. This is a .3 mi walk from The Landsby, making it a great potty spot for your furry friend, and at Christmas time you can enjoy a decorated Christmas tree and pavilion staged for visits with Santa.
Hans Christian Andersen Park is located on Chalk Hill Road, walking distance (or a super short drive) from Mission Drive. With lots of mature trees, walking trails, a playground, and picnic tables, the park has a lot to offer if you want to venture from the shops and restaurants downtown. We had hoped to walk around here the day before we left, but a surprise rain storm came through the area that lasted all day. We did drive through it and would definitely walk around if we find ourselves back in Solvang.
Enjoy some wine tasting
Depending on how much time you have, there are tasting rooms littered all over downtown and wineries you can venture to out in the Santa Ynez Valley. For more recommendations in the valley, check out Visit the Santa Ynez website.
WHERE TO STAY: HOTELS IN SOLVANG
The Landsby and Christmas are what drew us to Solvang from the start. This stunning boutique hotel offers warm hospitality and stylish accommodations. The Landsby features a clean contemporary design, with a hint of traditional Scandinavian aesthetic. If you know our style, you know that The Landsby’s style definitely caught our attention.
The Landsby is a boutique hotel located at 1576 Mission Dr. Solvang, CA 93463, just a few 100 ft. from downtown Solvang. Equipped with 51 rooms, ranging from cozy, deluxe or premium to luxury and suites, you will get the best rate by booking with them directly.
Their rooms feature warm, contemporary elements, comfy beds, original artwork, a soaking tub and a mini fridge. Besides spacious rooms, The Landsby property features a cozy courtyard with fire pits, a lobby you’ll want to lounge in and enjoy the hot cocoa bar and a delicious restaurant Mad & Vin, which translates to Food & Wine.
Mad & Vin specializes in delicious wine-country inspired cuisine made with fresh, seasonal ingredients from California's central coast. Make a reservation if you plan to dine during the weekend. We enjoyed espresso martini’s, cheese curds and all our entrees. We really don’t think you can go wrong with anything on their menu.
WHERE TO EAT: RESTAURANTS IN SOLVANG
Beyond the danish bakeries, there are several restaurants around downtown Solvang serving breakfast lunch and dinner, some even serve breakfast all day.
I know we just talked about Mad & Vin, but it’s so good it deserves another mention in our Solvang restaurants section. You really can’t go wrong here if you’re looking for an upscale meal. They have a great balcony and courtyard seating areas with powerful heaters that will keep you warm on the chilliest of California evenings.
Paula’s Pancake House is a must eat in Solvang and the long line proves it. Get in line to put your name in early or plan to wait 40 minutes to an hour for a table. But the wait is worth it for the dutch pancakes. You can try the classic two dutch pancakes served with butter, powered sugar and syrup or opt for pancakes with fruit on top. The rest of the menu was hit or miss amongst our table, but we all agreed the dutch pancakes were delish. One odd thing about this restaurant were the birds swarming the patio and hopping from umbrella to umbrella on the hunt for food. If your dog will be bothered by this, the patio may not be for you.
Succulent serves breakfast until 3p and has a spacious patio surround by…succulents! Serving up American comfort food, we enjoyed breakfast sandwiches and potatoes to go on a rainy day.
Solvang Brewing Company is a brewery serving small bites with a spacious patio out front that is covered in turf with plenty of high top tables and picnic table seating. We enjoyed a Kolsch and pretzel with cheese.
CHOMP Burgers, Fries, Shakes menu is in the name of this Solvang restaurant. We also ate this meal to go, but they also have a dog friendly patio. They have another restaurant specializing in breakfast that we didn’t have time to try called Brekkies by CHOMP. They also have a dog friendly patio.
Copenhagen Sausage Garden is probably the most surprising restaurant we ate at in Solvang. Based on the name we didn’t have high hopes, but boy did this beer garden prove us wrong. Picture a German beer garden in a dutch town. While seated at a picnic table the group enjoyed a range of sausages, probably the best pretzel with beer cheese we’ve ever had, crispy fries (dip them in the cheese!) and delicious beer. The staff was super friendly and attentive and the patio was pretty spacious. There will be a line to get in for a table and you also need to order upon entry at the hostess stand.
Dutch Pancake at Paula’s Pancake House
Hot cocoa at Paula’s Pancake House
Breakfast sandwich and potatoes from Succulent
Have you been to Solvang? Drop any additional recommendations in the comments or let us know if you have questions about planning your upcoming trip to Solvang.