How to Spend a Weekend in Solvang

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Solvang is certainly California’s little European delight. If you’re like me and are kinda obsessed with Europe, a weekend getaway to Solvang might just satisfy that yearning for a little European love in your life! We spent a long weekend exploring Solvang and Santa Barbara and wanted to put together a post on what you can expect to see in a weekend.

I have included a more condensed version of our itinerary at the bottom of this post, and I’ve also included other links for hotel and restaurant reviews that I’ve done if you want to get a little more details on those recommendations.

Also Read: Solvang Bachelorette Weekend (a 2-Night Itinerary with more Solvang ideas!)

Where to Stay in Solvang

There are a ton of great places to stay in Solvang, and many, if not most, are Danish-themed (at least on the outside). Traveling here on the weekend (especially during the summer) can get a little spendy, so I suggest checking in on a Sunday to get the most for your money. If you simply cannot extend your weekend stay to a weekday, make sure you book your hotel nice and early so you can guarantee yourself a weekend room!

Most of the hotels here are in close proximity (walking distance) to activities in town and you won’t really need a car if you are just exploring downtown Solvang.

Hotel Corque

400 Alisal Rd, Solvang, CA 93463
https://corquehotel.com/

This was by far my favorite hotel during our stay in Solvang. It is on the pricier side, but it’s beautiful, modern, and clean. You can read a full review on our stay at Hotel Corque here.

Wine Valley Inn & Cottages

1564 Copenhagen Dr, Solvang, CA 93463
https://www.winevalleyinn.com/

We stayed here on our first night in Solvang as there was no availability at Hotel Corque (Saturday & summertime!). The grounds of this hotel are so cute, and the Wine Valley Inn is generally a more affordable option for the quality of hotel in Solvang. You can read all about our experience at the Wine Valley Inn here.

Where to Eat in Solvang

This is probably our main priority whenever we are traveling – where to eat! Like I always say, food is a very important part of travel, especially for us. We are constantly researching places to eat or grab a good drink. We love to find places within walking distance to where we are staying, and in Solvang, that’s a pretty easy thing to do!

Note: Several places we’ve visited previously have since closed so this list is in need of a refresh! Here’s a few spots that are still open that we recommend.

Mad & Vin

1576 Mission Dr, Solvang, CA 93463
https://www.thelandsby.com/dining/

If you want romantic ambiance, Mad & Vin at The Landsby Hotel is your spot! Make a reservation for outdoor seating in their courtyard underneath the twinkle lights.

The food here is quite varied, but I would call it New American with a fusion of many different cultures rolled into one menu! Items I recommend: Seafood Hot Pot (like a cioppino), Wagyu Burger with Duck Fat Fries, Roasted Chicken, and the Ceviche. Oh and if they have the Banana Bread Pudding, get it!

Copenhagen Sausage Garden

1660 Copenhagen Dr, Solvang, CA 93463
https://www.csg-solvang.com/

If you want a quick and casual bite to eat, Copenhagen Sausage Garden is pretty much the bomb. Yes, the 90’s kid in me really just said that. Not only do they have a serious sausage selection for meat eaters, they also have several veggie (pretty sure vegan) sausage selections to choose from. We were both in sausage heaven here, and they have a killer sauce and mustard selection to boot!

Solvang Brewing Company

1547 Mission Dr, Solvang, CA 93463
https://solvangbrewing.com/

This isn’t necessarily a recommendation to eat, but to drink! If there’s a brewery in town, you bet we are going to check it out. They have some decent IPAs on tap, and a casual bar vibe.

Brekkie at Brekkies!

1655 Mission Dr, Solvang, CA 93463
https://www.brekkiessolvang.com/

Brekkies is a casual place to sit down and get a nice, hearty breakfast before a day of exploring. We had the Chorizo Breakfast Burrito (with veggie chorizo), Danish Omelette, Monte Cristo, and the Breakfast Bowl. They also have really cute coffee cups to take home as souvenirs here!

Wine Tasting in Town

You can’t come to Solvang and not do a little wine tasting! Well, maybe you can, but it’s just so easy to pop into the little tasting rooms around town and not have to worry about having a designated driver. When we stayed at the Wine Valley Inn, they gave us several coupons for two-for-one wine tastings so you better bet we took advantage of that! If you are a wine fan, you will know that money adds up quickly between tasting fees and wine purchases – especially after you have had a few glasses of wine and proceed to buy bottle upon bottle of your favorites.

Pro tip: try to limit yourself to one bottle of wine at each location to help save you some money. And, of course, use the coupons!

We visited two wineries on our walk around Solvang – Lucky Dogg and Carivintas which have both unfortunately closed since our last visit! You can find a current list of open wineries here though.

Wine Tours

If you want to get out and take a wine tour of the Santa Ynez Valley instead, there are plenty of great tours if you aren’t up for driving. On a separate trip for a girls’ Bachelorette Weekend in Solvang, I booked a private tour with 805 Wine Tours that included lunch and a pickup/drop off right at our hotel.

Other Stops/Activities

• Hans Christian Andersen Museum – A tiny “museum” dedicated to the famed children’s book author – FREE entry!
• Browse gift stores like The Mole Hole
• Visit a Danish bakery like Mortensen’s or Birkholm’s – a must-do in Solvang. Try the Florentine cookies or traditional aebleskivers!
• Windmill spotting – Because you can’t go to a Danish town and not get a pic with a windmill right? There are 5 total, allegedly.
• Snap pics of and admire all the Danish architecture – There are a ton of cute hotels and buildings to photograph here!

Solvang Itinerary

Day 1

• Arrive at Wine Valley Inn for late afternoon check-in
• Happy hour beers at Solvang Brewing
• Dinner at Mad & Vin

Day 2

• Brunch at Brekkies
• Self-guided walking tour of Solvang – snap lots of pics of Danish buildings!
• Wine tasting at in-town wineries
• Visit the Hans Christian Andersen Museum
• Arrive at Hotel Corque for afternoon check-in
• Casual Dinner at Copenhagen Sausage Garden
• Relax in hotel room with a bottle of wine after walking around all day

Day 3

• Break from Solvang to visit Santa Barbara for a day
• Dinner at First & Oak (we haven’t been yet, but it looks lovely!)
• Finish other bottle of wine you may have purchased the day before

Day 4

• Check out of Hotel Corque
• Visit a Solvang bakery (like Mortensen’s or Birkholm’s) to fill up on Danish pastries
• Head back home!

Thanks for checking out our Solvang weekend tips! Be sure to head over to our YouTube channel to see our Solvang and Santa Barbara vlogs.

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