Nearly an hour south of Santa Barbara lays the quaint Danish town of Solvang. It was founded in 1911 by a group of Danish teachers. The word Solvang means “sunny field.” This picturesque town is near the city of Lompoc, California, on highway 246. Solvang is known as the Danish capital of the United States. Solvang is small, but full of Danish charm and architecture. There are many different little shops that offer a variety of wares, from Danish bakeries with delicious food to shops that feature authentic Danish goods. It is a great place to spend the day and sample the Danish culture.
The shops in Solvang are open year round, and during the holiday season, they really go all out to make it a festive place to be. However, no matter when you visit this town, there are lots of things to do and see, and the people are friendly and eager to share their knowledge of Danish history with you. Parking is free in the entire town of Solvang. There are three public parking areas, two right in the village, one right behind the Visitor Center.
The shops in Solvang offer a variety of unusual items, and there are over 300 shops from which to choose. Each store seems to have its own unique flavor. Some of them offer only Danish goods, such as handcrafted Danish “Nisser Elves,” which are part of an old Danish legend. Nisser Elves were thought to live in the barns of Danish families to help with the work on a Danish farm and bring good luck to the family. As a way to express their gratitude, Danish families would leave sweet treats for the Nisser Elves on New Year’s Eve. Now, shops sell these cute elves as Christmas decorations.
There are many bakeries and restaurants from which to choose while in Solvang. It should be on everyone’s list to try aebleskiver, which is a lovely Danish pastry covered with delicious jam and powdered sugar. There are also plenty of restaurants in which to have traditional Danish dishes, such as frikadeller, (meatballs) and rodkaal, (red cabbage). For those that would like to sample some of the wines from the nearby Santa Ynez valley, Solvang has several tasting rooms for some of the wineries in the area.
Solvang also has a Hans Christian Anderson museum, paying homage to the famous Danish storyteller. You can also rent fantastic bikes that can hold two people or several and use them to wander around town. Solvang has some great places to stay, as well. If you want to spend a night or two, there is an array of hotels and cute bed and breakfast inns to choose from.
Solvang is a wonderful place to shop, eat and get a taste of Danish culture. It is something that shouldn’t be missed if you are in the area.
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