Take this FTF family's advice on what you should see and where you should stay in the Danish-American community of Solvang , meaning “Sunny Fields” in Danish
Straight out of a Hans Christian Anderson fairytale, Solvang is the “Danish Capital of America.” Designated a “Preserve America Community” by First Lady Michelle Obama, it sits at the crossroads of California’s southern central coast in the Santa Ynez Valley, in the heart of Santa Barbara’s wine country. Since its inception in 1911, magic prevails in its quaint painted streets, tiled curio shops, and window-sill flower boxes. Fantasies appear from fanciful Little Mermaid statue (the original is by the water’s edge in Copenhagen), and the twinkling gaslit street lights that illuminate the town complete the enchantment.
Settle into one of the many family-friendly hotels in the area. The newly renovated Hotel Corque (800/624-5572) is a premier boutique hotel owned by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. Spacious rooms and suites can easily accommodate up to a family of five, and amenities include a large outdoor pool, fitness center and complimentary continental breakfast. The Meadowlark Inn‘s (800/344-9792) cottages, many large enough to accommodate families of five, surround an expansive lawn. Amenities include a small pool, a picnic area under giant oak and redwood trees, and a complimentary continental breakfast. With a prior reservation, the Inn’s European hospitality also extends to well-behaved dogs.
All Around the Town
A delightful family weekend gets underway by taking in the beautiful Danish village onboard the Honen (replicas of Danish streetcars of the 1900’s) drawn by massive Belgian Draft Horses. For those who enjoymore of a workout, therea re wonderufl surry c-cov ered bikes that hold four to eigh passentgers at Surrey Cycle Rentals (805/688-0091).
Year-round outdoor family fun is popular at Solvang Park, Hans Christian Anderson Park, Solvang’s Skatepark for “boarders,” and the whimsical Sunny Fields Park.
If you’re here on a Wednesday afternoon, don’t miss the local Farmer’s Market selling farm-fresh produce, gorgeous cut flowers, plant and crafts. It takes place year-round between Mission and Copenhagen Drive on First Street.
Highlights
Quicksilver Ranch (805/686-4002), a ranch of miniature horses, set on 20 lush acres of green pastures, is a state-of-the-art training and breeding facility. These horses are popular because of their gentleness and affectionate nature.
The Elverhoj Danish Heritage and Fine Arts Museum (805/686-1211) s devoted to the cultural heritage of Solvang and its early history, and the Hans Christian Anderson Museum features a large collection of the author’s books and art, with hundreds of first editions.
Ostrich Land (805/686-9696) stretches across 30 acres, and is home to the largest birds in the world. The ranch produces ostrich chicks through breeders, enormous ostrich eggs, unique leather, feathers and ostrich meat.
Old Mission Santa Ines (805/688-4815) is a National Historic Landmark, dedicated in 1804, as the 19th in the chain of California Missions. Located right outside downtown, this active parish church offers tours and features Spanish artifacts, arrowheads and pottery.
Cachuma Lake and Recreation Area
The jewel of the Santa Ynez Valley is beautiful Cachuma Lake, where year round, outstanding services and recreational activities abound. Fishing, boating, a nature center displaying plants, wild life and Native American artifacts are your gateway to fun. From March to October, don’t miss the “Wildlife Cruise,” to view deer, bobcats, resident and migratory birds (including the American Bald Eagle) in their natural habitat. Call Cachuma Lake Eagle Cruises at 805-686-5050 for information.
In summer, weekends are especially busy with patrons of PCPA Theaterfest (805/928-7311) which presents musicals and other plays in the 700-seat open-air Solvang Festival Theater (805/686-1789). For three days in mid-September (specific dates vary by year), Solvang celebrates The Danish Days Festival.
Family Dining and Shopping
Enjoy Solvang’s Heidelberg Inn (805/688-6213) on Copenhagen Drive for authentic German, Danish and American dishes, Greenhouse Cafe at Petersen Village (805/688-8408) for Danish and American food served in a garden athmosphere, and the Red Viking Restaurant (805/688-6610) on Copenhagen Drive that specializes in authentic Danish smorgasbord. The landmark Mustard Seed (805/688-1318) on Mission Drive, set in a house built in 1911, serves comfy home-style cooking.
Savor the aromas of aebleskivers, delicious Danish pancakes served with lingonberry jam, mouthwatering irresistible authentic Danish pastries and sweets from the village bakeries like Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery, Mortensen’s Danish Baker and Danish Mill Bakery. Taste the fudge and candy that melts in your mouth and the yummy icecream from McConnell’s Ice Cream of Solvang on Mission Drive.
Enjoy browsing the more than 150 one-of-a-kind stores and boutiques selling clogs, handmade lace, classic toys, clothing and Danish novelties at at Petersen’s Village Square, Tivoli Square, King Atterdag Court and Copenhagen Square.
For the Adults
A romantic evening is yours in the Mirabelle Inn’s Restaurant, open Thursday through Sunday evenings. With European elegrance, Chef Mario Ramos presents his exquisite wine country cuisine, with awared wining wines and impeccable service. The Mirabelle Inn (800/786-7925)is a charming ten room boutique hotel
Adjacent to the Hotel Corque, celebrity Chef Bradly Ogden brings his culinary talent to his new signature restaurant and local hotspot Root 246 (805/688-9003)
Wine tasting around the valley includes: Firestone, Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard, Foxen Winery and Shoestring Winery.
The Oscar award winning Fox Searchlight 2004 film “Sideways” was shot around the valley, and still brings it worldwide attention. Los Olivos Cafe (805/688-7265) is where the cast ate and the film’s dinner scene was shot. The Sideways Dinner Menu that was served to the casat is offerreddaily from 5 to 9pm. It includes a glass of Los Olivos Cafe house Chardonnay or Pinot Noir, Butternut Squash salad, Cafe Salmon (served in the movide) or Cafe Pot Roast or Florentine Ravioli and topped with the Chocolate Scream, a homemade flourless chocolate cake, topped with homemade icecream and caramwel sauce. Wines enjoyed by the movi stars duirng their dinner are also available. In the Cafe’s adjoining space, The Wine Tasting Bar presents a selection of local and international wines by the glass and The Wine Merchant features over 500 local and international vintages and is the exclusive distributor of owner Sam Marmorstein’s Bernat Wine.
For lodging and further information contact The Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau (800/468-6765).
Photos by Mel Greenberg
Dear Reader: This page may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Our independent journalism is not influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative unless it is clearly marked as sponsored content. As travel products change, please be sure to reconfirm all details and stay up to date with current events to ensure a safe and successful trip.
Dr. Artinian, thank you so much for posting that memory. How exciting it must have been, to share the skies with Apollo 11. I agree that today it seems like a remarkable achievement but of course we have not worked together, so hard for so long, on other projects that really need to be addressed. Education is one place to start!
The Lunar Landings
As I was landing in the northern desert of Saudi Arabia in a DC3 plane on July 20, 1969, the Americans were landing on the moon. That evening, the staff of Badana Base Hospital, that belonged to the Trans Arabian Pipeline Company (Tapline), were listening to the news, (Television was not available in the desert). They welcomed me as the new Internist at the hospital.
Soon I learned that the Saudis found it hard to believe that human beings could defile the moon by landing on it, which could have initiated the moon landing conspiracy theories, that persist today.
Now, 50 years later, the lunar landings were, and remain, the greatest achievement of humanity since the birth of intelligence on earth!
Boghos L. Artinian MD
Great information while traveling with children. Children safety first.
I want to do a car trip with my infant child and wife. But, I was afraid how can I travel with my infant child. After reading your blog I got some courage. Thanks for sharing such information. Thanks a lot.
I love to travel check it
I love to explore new things or new places, thank you for sharing your experience with is
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I really
appreciate your efforts and I will be waiting for your further post thanks once again.
Hello Hatch, we would be pleased if you want to share any articles from FamilyTravelForum with your audience. Anything we can do to help family travelers is a plus! Thank you.
Do you mind if I quote a few of your articles as long
as I provide credit and sources back to your website?
My blog is in the exact same area of interest as yours and my visitors would truly benefit from a lot of the information you provide here.
Please let me know if this ok with you. Thanks!
CORNING MUSEUM OF GLASS, NEW YORK
The Corning Museum of Glass – the world’s largest collection of glass – is showing “Journey to the Moon: How Glass Got Us There” and actual glassy pieces of moon meteorites to touch and see. For scavenger buffs, visitors to the museum can test their super-sleuthing skills and see if they can find the glass-tronaut hidden amongst the galleries.
Awesome Article!
Thanks for sharing..
DOUBLETREE BY HILTON TO TEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH IN SPACE OVEN
In a partnership with Zero G Kitchen which is supplying a prototype space oven, and NanoRacks, a commercial space station company, Hilton’s DoubleTree brand is aiding efforts to bring freshly cooked food to the International Space Station. Some time in late 2019, their cookie dough hopes to be the source of the first fresh-baked chocolate chip cookie in space. Here’s more info about this and a cool student competition sponsored by Scholastic.
ok, thanks for the reply!
Thanks for sharing this! you’ll be able to do good as well as have fun and make a difference in the world. Whereas volunteer is always appreciated by all people.
Indeed, a good list. Everyday. At home or on the road.
hi Heather,
Thanks for your comment. We checked on those images and you’re right, that one with the pirate ship in the pool is not from the Bahia Resort. We removed it and checked the others, and the Bahia still has their famous Moorish style pool and pretty beachfront. Hope you have a great trip there.
Thank you Lisa d. So glad that Laura’s review of both Fairmont resorts helped you to make a choice, especially since you can’t really go wrong in Bermuda.
thank you I have been deciding between the two properties and your post was very helpful in my decision.
One of the pictures with a slide doesn’t look like the pool I remember seeing at the bahia. Did they add a new pool?
Dubai is an amazing destination for tourists from across the world. The city tour, desert safari and dhow cruise are among the most famous things to do in Dubai.
Thank you for sharing a really useful and informative article. The way you have detailed and described is really helpful. Hope to see more amazing articles like this. Keep it up to the good work!
Spring Break in Dubai is more exciting with Adventure Plus Desert Safari Dubai tours in Dubai
Great suggestions! The only action item Id say “Oh Hayyllll Nawww” to would be horse-drawn carriage rides. Check out the internet and youll see whats going on with those poor horses. But your other ideas for educational and just-plain fun – really excited to try them out with the family! Thank again.
Hello Omar and Katie,
The Scholasrship Submission form is working again, please revisit the page: https://myfamilytravels.com/Teen_travel_writing to apply for the 2019 Teen Travel Writing Scholarship.
Thanks and good luck!
I would love to participate but I keep getting page not found
Hello Omar, thank you for your note. We have noted this error and our web development team is working to fix it right away. We will let you know when it’s working again. Good luck!
Hi,
I am Paul from Cheapfaremart. I like your Article. If you always travel in Group then you can book cheap flights for Group travel like Family group, Students or business Group.
Know more:
I am very interested in participating in this scholarship opportunity. However, every time I click on the essay submission form, it takes me to a ‘Page not found’ link and says that there is an error with the link. Is there another link that I could possibly submit my essay and photos?
I had a travel blog in the past. But I was going through a rough phase so I shut it down. This article has inspired me to start once again.
SCHLITTERBAHN OPENS INFINITY RACERS, A MAJOR SPACE-THEMED WATERSLIDE
June 7, Colonel Terry Virts, a U.S. Air Force test/fighter pilot and NASA veteran of two spaceflights, will dedicate the newest, only one of its kind, 8-story-tall waterslide at Schlitterbahn Galveston. Infinity Racers is a pair of space-themed, racing head-first mat slides that race through enclosed colorful tubes as long as three space stations.
Nice Post. Thanks for Sharing with us……
Right?? It’s like a dream. I really didn’t believe them at all when I heard that, but looked it up, and sure enough, it’s really that sunny! I can’t wait to head back to the area.
I’m not sure as the rates tend to vary depending on the season. It’s probably best to contact them directly – (727) 363-5100. If you’re curious about their overall rates, I would ask if the rate changes depending on the season, and when their high and low season is. Hope that helps!
I remember visiting KSC during my school days with my friends where we got to learn a lot of interesting things related to space and comsos.
My husband and I are actually scheduled to stay at the Sirata Resort, in just a few days. I was wondering, if you happened to know the cost for the Private Cabana Rentals, you mentioned in your article?? Thank You!!
great useful info you have shared , being a traveler i need it most and it’s really helpful for the first time travelers. thanks for sharing.
I think curious teens would love this road trip. If you schedule enough time for Santa Cruz — which has a great amusement park and places to take surf lessons, that could be a 2-3 day stay for you. Going south, the Hearst Castle with all its tales of intrigue and the story of William Randolph Hearst’s life… it’s pretty fun as house tours go.
The scenery along the Pacific Coast Highway is beautiful, too, if you think your son would enjoy that. At many points, he can look out and see surfers! Towns like San Luis Obispo (now hip enough that locals call it SLO) have become destinations for wine and craft beers, so there are lots of cafes with young people that are fun, even if you’re not drinking.
The whole California coast is special, so ask your son to do some research and pick out spots that interest him, then incorporate them into your itinerary. That way, he’ll have a vested interest in making sure the trip is fun.
Do you think a 13 yr old would like this trip?
MALDIVES AND THE MOON FOR OUR PACIFIC FRIENDS
This just in from the Maldives:
Anantara Kihavah Villas in the Maldives has the largest telescope and observatory in the Indian Ocean so it’s slated as one of the best places in the southern hemisphere to observe and study the stars, planets and the moon. And it’s the moon that is taking centre stage for festivities on July 20th as Anantara Kihavah commemorates the 50th anniversary of man’s landing on the moon. To celebrate, Anantara guests are invited to join Shameem, the islands’ resident Star Guru for a ‘Star Gazing’ breakfast. Lay back to gaze at the stars that glitter overhead, and be regaled by Shameem’s knowledge as he takes you on an intergalactic journey before taking a look through the powerful telescope at the craters on the moon that still amaze people 50 years after the first landing.
For guests who like a later start to the day the SKY Bartenders at Kihavah have created a complimentary cocktail for all guests to mark the occasion – The ‘Buzz’ Aldrin ……
Dubai is an awesome place to spend a great time with the loved one or alone be experiencing the local attractions. Thanks for the details, i have missed the dinner night which i will surely book this time and experience it. Keep posting!
I would definitely go for JURASSIC DINOSAUR DIG. Thanks for suggestions
So many good suggestions! It will be hard to choose but surely through these we will have the most beautiful memories in this summer vacation!
361 days of sunshine a year? Wow! It looks like it’s a perfect destination for families! I’ll be more interested in this place!
Glad that you have a great time and a better idea of Vietnam. If you came back, consider visiting Ninh Binh
We are a family who likes to travel and volunteer where possible. We give gifts of time and service. We find that finding small grass roots organisations when on the ground or at your destination creates the best win-win for all concerned. For example we taught English in a small village in Indonesia – https://sabretoothedchickenstour.wordpress.com/2016/01/09/it-takes-a-village/
In the end it is not the actual work you do as a volunteer that is of the greatest impact but the stereotypes you breakdown and the connections made 🙂
Camping holidays in France are extremely popular and you’ll find some fantastic family friendly campsites with a whole host of activities including some brilliant swimming pools.
NEW YORK HALL OF SCIENCE SUMMER MOON FESTIVAL
We’ve just heard that the New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission with a summer filled with flight and space-themed exhibits, workshops, demonstrations, installations and a new film. The celebration kicks off on May 17 with Apollo 11: First Steps Edition, a film with never-before-seen footage and audio recordings of the historic mission. Other highlights include NYSCI’s summer exhibition, Above and Beyond – The Ultimate Flight Exhibition, and Apollo, A Party!, an evening event celebrating the Apollo 11 lunar landing. Check out their schedule for tons of workshops and special family events and go in to see a real Saturn V rocket like the one that took Apollo to the moon.
Man on the Moon in Zurich
The art exhibition “Fly Me to the Moon: The Moon Landing 50 Years On” will be featured at Kunsthaus Zurich in Switzerland, from May 4-June 30. The art show examines how the moon landing, and seeing images of the Earth from far away, changed man’s perception of his place in his environment and the universe. Look for moon works by artists John Russell, Rene Burri, Rene Magritte, Andy Warhol and many more.
Moon Walk Celebration in Ohio!
In southeast Ohio’s Hocking Hills region, the John Glenn Astronomy Park (JGAP) is celebrating its first birthday, while marking the 50th anniversary of the first lunar landing. The observatory has 12 telescopes that offer dark sky views due to a lack of light pollution, allowing visitors to discover a distinct view of the moons, planets, stars and galaxies at each visit. The #Apollo50 events begin at 4 p.m. EDT July 20, 2019 and end at 1 a.m. July 21, 2019.
Nice post. I am traveler and I like adventure trips. Its really amazing. I wish to go there one by one. Thanks for sharing about these parks.
Thank you for useful information. It is very detailed.
Traveling with kids is fun but also very tired as we have to take care of them and don’t have much time for ourselves. Sometime I prefer traveling alone.