Afternoon gents, it’s Max from the Young Gentleman’s Guide here! In today’s article, I’ll be talking about a gem in the hills of California that can be another wonderful date spot for you and your special lady. This gem is known as Solvang, California, a small city nestled in the hills of Santa Barbara County. This city is so densely pakced with history and character that it can make the perfect date spot for you and that special lady, or it could even make for a multi-day getaway location if you so desire! On top of its Danish-inspired architecture and layout, Solvang also has a wealth of activites that can fill an entire day or even mulitple days of fun for you and your date! So in today’s article, I’m going to list some fun things to do and places to visit in Solvang to help you get an idea of what you might like to partake in while you’re there with your date! So without any further ado, let’s get started!
1. Museums
Solvang is home to a host of museums that can be a joy to visit and explore. There are museums in the city that can be enjoyed by people with a wide variety of interests. The average bibliophile or history buff can check out the Hans Christian Andersen Museum to learn about the history and upbringing of the world-famous Danish author. Nature and animal lovers can look around the Wildling Museum of Art & Nature, which promotes the preservation and enjoyment of the natural world through art and photography. Fans of vintage vehicles and transportaion can look around at the Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum, which displays the entire private collection of the museum’s founder, and the exhibits at the museum are always rotating, which means that there’s always new displays to see at the museum. Anyone interested in the history and art of the Danish people might be interested in Elverhoj Museum of History and Art, whose name speaks for itself. Long story short, if there is something that you or your special lady are interested in, Solvang likely has a museum that will fit those interests.
2. Wine Tasting
Being so close to California’s “wine country”, much of that influence has spread to certain areas near there, especially the hills surrounding Solvang. Solvang and the surrounding hills are host to multitudes of wineries and vineyards, many of which offer a wide variety of wines, and many of them even offer tours or wine tasting. In fact, there are even certain taxi services in Solvang which take patrons to the various wineries and vineyards throughout the city and the surrounding areas. This can be a wonderful way to incorporate a sort of wine tour into your date in Solvang. It will definitely be worth looking into the host of wine purveyors in Solvang if you want to partake in any wine tasting.
3. Authentic Bakeries/Restaurants
Since Solvang is a Danish town, it is home to a wealth of authentic Danish bakeries and restaurants, which can give visitors a wonderful insight into the culinary fare of Denmark, both past and present. Easily the most famous bakery in town is the Solvang Bakery, which offers a wealth of baked goods and desserts, including custom-made gingerbread houses! Some other bakeries include Mortensen’s Danish Bakery, which offers a smörgåsbord of cookies, pastries, danishes, and coffee, along with Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery, which includes much of the same fare, as well as Danish waffles and ring cakes. There is also a wide variety of authentic Danish restaurants that give customers a chance to taste some authentic Danish cuisine. Bit O’Denmark offers some classic Danish entrees like flaeskesteg and frikadeller, Copenhagen Sausage Garden offers a variety of burgers and sausages along with a wide selection of beers and wines to go alongside them, and Paula’s Pancake House offers a delicious breakfast with both American and Danish influences. This was by no means an exhaustive list, there are so many more restaurants and eateries that are more than worth checking out in Solvang. These are just some of the most famous and well-known, but feel free to check out any other restaurants that pique your interest while exploring around Solvang.
4. Shopping
It should come as no surprise that Solvang offers a wealth of different shopping options to fit the taste of any visitors. There are a number of differnt boutiques to fit anyone’s fashion tastes, and there are shoe shops that offer authenitc Danish clogs as well as some more modern options. Jerky enthusiasts would likely be interested in checking out the Beef Jerky Experience, which offers cuts of delicious dried meat of all kinds. Anyone with a sweet tooth can take a look at the multitude of candy shops or chocolate factories, and any aforementioned bibliophiles can look around a number of bookshops, which offer both new pieces of literature, and used books as well. Those interested in antiques may want to look around A Piece of the Past, which offers antique and vintage home decor, keepsakes, and furniture. Anyone looking to look for some nice home decor or art installations for their home should check out the Artistic Pony Studio, which offers a wide variety art pieces by local artists. Again, this is not an exhaustive list, there are so many shops, boutiques, and outlets that can be found in Solvang. Be sure to look into where you might want to go before you set off!
5. Hans Christian Andersen Park
Yet another part of Solvang inspired by the famed Danish author, Hans Christian Andersen Park is inspired by the various fairy tales that he wrote, even down to the fact that the entrance looks like a castle gate! Once inside the park, you’ll find areas of the park that are inspired by the different fairy tales that Andersen wrote, which can almost make it feel like its own version of Fantasyland. This includes different playgrounds for children of all ages, large shady oak trees to relax under, a skate park, a number of tables and picnic area, and even a climbing wall. This park is nothing short of enchanting, and if you’re looking for a nice, quaint, and enchanting place to relax in the fresh Solvang air, Hans Christian Andersen Park may be a great place to visit!
6. Old Mission Santa Inés
Old Mission Santa Inés is a gem and popular tourist spot in Solvang, despite being neglected and suffering through several natural disasters since its founding in 1804. However, numerous restoration projects throughout the decades have brought this mission back to its former glory. Overlooking the beautiful hills of the area, this mission is still an established parish that holds masses in English and Spanish. The mission also offers guided tours which allows for looks at old church and mission manuscripts, artifacts, paintings, and even priests’ vestments. Anyone looking for an insight into California and Catholic Church history should absolutely take a look around Old Mission Santa Inés.
So there we have it! Solvang has a wide variety of activities for anyone looking to spend a nice day with their special lady. However, like I’ve said several times throughout this article, many of the lists here are not exhaustive, there are so many other things to do and so many other places to visit in Solvang, so feel free to look into other things you can do that I didn’t list here. If any of you have travelled to Solvang recently or remember a trip you ever took to Solvang, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below! In any case, I hope you enjoyed reading today’s article. It is so good to be back, and I can’t wait to share more awesome content with you gents! Please be sure to share the post, follow the blog, and follow The Young Gentleman’s Guide on Facebook and Instagram. And on that note, this is Max from The Young Gentleman’s Guide, and I’ll see you next time!
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