Solvang, Sophisticated
Charm isn’t all California’s Danish village offers
If you look up “quaint” in the dictionary and don’t see a picture of Solvang, California, it’s probably an oversight. The village is the picture of a charming getaway. But tins of cookies belie a lesser-known Solvang: Sophistication gets plenty of love here, too.
WINERIES AMONG THE WINDMILLS
Solvang famously transports visitors to another place and time, so it’s easy to forget you’re in wine country. Some of the finest grapes are grown in the Santa Ynez Valley. On Rusack Vineyards’ redwood patio, drink in the views of the rolling hills and sample Syrah, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc. Tour the lush grounds at Rideau Vineyards, which specializes in small-production Rhone wines, then taste a famously drinkable red like the 2015 Estate Mourvedre. At Sunstone Vineyards and Winery sample a 2014 Rapsodie II blend or the 2015 Chardonnay Reserve with aromas of lime peel and lemongrass.
FINE DINING APLENTY
Danish sausage and the namesake dish at Pea Soup Andersen’s are the eats Solvang is famous for. But don’t be fooled by the folksiness: Solvang is a fine-dining paradise. The elegant dining room at First & Oak offers a meal to remember. Start with the Oestra “Malossal” caviar or chilled melon gazpacho. Then choose from mains like sous vide lobster with curried carrot puree and Livier’s granola; or the roasted pork belly with fermented spiced cabbage, toasted salted peanuts and blackberry jus. For dessert, there’s the “milk chocolate and honey” with chocolate mousse, honeycomb and nutmeg crema.
NATURE IN THE VALLEY
Solvang’s Santa Ynez Valley environs are famously inviting any time of year, offering hiking, biking, horseback riding and golf. Cyclists head for the 12.5 mile Solvang to Ballard Canyon Loop, which starts at the corner of Highway 246 and Atterdag Road downtown, before winding through Ballard Canyon valley amid views of the San Rafael Mountains.
DANISH CULTURE FOR GROWN-UPS
Though the adorable Hans Christian Andersen Museum grabs all the headlines, there’s higher culture too. Elverhoj Museum of History and Art showcases the work of leading Danish artists like Hanne Stovring, whose paintings studying the skies are a special exhibit through Feb. 3. The Solvang Festival Theater, a 700-seat amphitheater, will put on its one-time production of the Solvang Nativity pageant on Dec. 15 – a rare chance to experience a Christmas celebration with a Danish flavor.