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Watch the Windmills in Solvang, California

Published by Camilla Cheung, Writer

Country: United States

The Experience

Nestled within Santa Barbara’s wine country is one of the California Central Coast’s most intriguing secrets: the Danish town of Solvang, California. Drive along Highway 101 when you visit California, and be clued in to Solvang’s existence by the incongruous sight of an Old World windmill located right by the side of the highway. Becoming one of your more typical things to do in California, a short drive off the highway takes you into the heart of the “Danish Capital of America,” a village where Old World traditions have been preserved for the last hundred years.

Founded by Danish Americans in 1911, Solvang was planned to be a place where Danes could keep living according to their traditions, with their own school and church. Since then, Solvang, California has kept its quaint appeal, but has become a lively tourist attraction where visitors come to get a taste of Denmark. Windmills alternate with traditional half-timbered houses styled after Danish rural homes, and a replica of Copenhagen’s Round Tower presides over the city centre.

A visit to Solvang typically includes plenty of eating. Bakeries and cafés line the main streets, and you can buy scores of Danish pastries to regale the folks back home. A local specialty is a plate of aebelskivers—round pancake balls flavoured with cardamom and served with powdered sugar and raspberry jam. Specialty cheese shops and gourmet food stores offer free tastings, and stock a variety of jams, jellies, and other treats imported from Europe. You may wish to try the custard ice cream at Shelbi Ranch, or pick up a hot dog for $1. Smorgasbords (all-you-can-eat-buffets) abound in Solvang, should you be ravenously hungry.

As if the food in Solvang, California weren’t enough, there are dozens of wine tasting rooms scattered about Solvang where you can taste the finest offerings of the Santa Inez Valley, popularized by the 2004 film "Sideways". For those who like to shop, a variety of boutiques sell blue-and-white Delft ceramics, Danish costumes, and other curiosities. You may also wish to check out the Hans Christian Anderson Museum, or admire the statue of the writer in downtown Solvang.

In the summer, open-air theatre becomes a big attraction in Solvang, with Shakespeare productions as well as contemporary musicals and other plays. In September, the Danish Days Festival celebrates all things Danish, with concerts, dancing, music, Viking exhibits, and plenty of good food. And some would argue that Solvang is at its best in the winter, when the Julefest Christmas festival transforms the town into a Northern European Christmas village, minus the snow. For those who can’t get enough of the holiday spirit, Solvang’s Jule Hus (or Christmas House) sells old-fashioned ornaments and nutcrackers all year round. So when you visit California and need a little taste of Denmark, head to Solvang for a sensory smorgasbord.

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When to Go to Solvang California

The best time to visit California's Solvang is really any time of year, as this city is blessed with pleasant weather year-round. Major festival months include March, when "Taste of Solvang" is held, the summer months with live theatre, September with "Danish Days," and December with "Julefest".

There are several excellent Solvang hotels, ranging from bed and breakfasts to full service hotels. California’s Solvang is a major tourist attraction, so stop at one of the visitor's centers to get a map of the whole town and some advice on where to go.

Odds n' Ends

Due to the tourism boom, Solvang can feel a bit Disneyland-like, as many of the buildings have been updated to look Danish, even though the original buildings were quite different. This isn't where you want to go when you visit California if you want a really gritty, authentic, experience. It does have its own charm and novelty, however.

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Books and DVDs

Lonely Planet California
California the Beautiful
National Geographic Our Fifty States

Elsewhere on the Web

Velkommen Til Solvang - SolvangUSA.com

Media References

Danish Days, 75 years in the making - SantaynezValley.com (blog)
Danish Days Not Very Danish - Independent.com (blog)

Language Guides

French , Hindi , Indonesian , Italian , Japanese , Lao , Malay , Mandarin , Portugese , Russian , Spanish , Thai , Turkish , Vietnamese are some of the languages spoken in United States. If you know of a freely available phrase book or podcast for one of the missing languages, let us know!

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