Christmas in Solvang is a must-do at least once in your lifetime. Why so? Solvang is very special town any time of year but Solvang during Christmas is nothing short of amazing.
Solvang, California is a Danish capital of the U.S. When you arrive in Solvang you feel like you have just landed in Europe: you can admire Danish architecture, taste Danish food, purchase Danish goodies and partake in Danish festivals, the grandest of which is Christmas in Solvang, or Julefest, as they call it over there.
Christmas in Solvang is roughly a month-long celebration of all the wonders of Christmas. The whole town is lavishly decorated. Each business tries to outdo the others in terms of their Christmas window displays and Christmas trees placed at the entrances. Have you seen a Christmas tree decorated with pretzels? You can see one in Solvang during Christmas!
Christmas in Solvang is also a little overwhelming because there are dozens of stores and cafes in town. You cannot possibly visit them all. Here are our tips on which places to visit and things to do to get the flavor of the town, without tiring yourself to death or breaking the bank, especially if you are travelling with kids.
Christmas in Solvang Tip # 1: Start with the Visitor Center
It is a good idea to start your visit with the Visitor Center (1637-1639 Copenhagen Dr, Solvang, CA 93463) because not only you will get a free map of the town here but also you will get a head start on the Julefest scavenger hunt (if you visit Solvang during Christmas) – I will talk about scavenger hunts in detail later – in tip #5. Also, people at the Visitor Center are very friendly and they will be happy to answer all your questions.
Christmas in Solvang Tip # 2: Enjoy Denmark’s Delicious Pastries
There are LOTS of bakeries in Solvang where you can try everything from Christmas cookies, to cakes, to pretzels to traditional Danish baked goods and much more. You cannot possibly taste your way through Solvang stopping at EVERY ONE of them unless your New Year’s resolution is to gain 100 lb 🙂
If you were to visit just 1 bakery in Solvang, I strongly suggest Mortensen’s. Mortensen’s is one of the oldest bakeries in towns which has been continuously in operation for 40 years. And the one thing you MUST try here is a traditional Danish pastry called Kringle. It is to die for, trust me, and it is big enough for your entire family!
Christmas in Solvang Tip # 3: Visit a Jule Hus
There is a place in town where Christmas in Solvang lives 365 days a year – a Jule Hus (it does not have an official website but here is the address: 1580 Mission Dr, Solvang, CA 93463). It is a store that sells exquisite Christmas decorations. You would want to buy half the store, so I suggest coming up with a spending limit before you go in. 🙂
Christmas in Solvang Tip # 4: Stop by a Toy Store
If you travel with kids you cannot do Christmas in Solvang without stopping by a toy store. There are several of them in town but the most fun one is ONEderChild. It is worth stopping by even if you don’t have kids because it is located in a… windmill! How cools is that? In general, all the toy stores in Solvang are one of the best decorated for Christmas so even if you don’t go inside, it is worth while just to look outside.
Christmas in Solvang Tip # 5: Do a Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunts are always fun for kids. There is an official scavenger hunt going on in town which challenges you to find traditional Danish Christmas gnomes. You will get the rules and directions at the Visitor Center.
I would also suggest doing 2 “hunts” of your own: see how many windmills and giant nutcrackers you can find. Windmills are there all the time but the nutcrackers only appear during Christmas in Solvang.
Christmas in Solvang Tip # 6: Do a Wine Tasting
Solvang is located in the heart of California’s famous wine growing region – Santa Ynez Valley and there are several wine tasting rooms in town. If you are visiting Solvang during Christmas I would suggest 1 winery specifically, Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards. There are many reasons for my recommendation. First of all, it is a kids friendly winery (very important if you travel with family), second of all, it is located right next to the Visitor’s Center and finally, it has something special for the holiday season.
You see, one of this winery specialties is sparkling wine – and what is the better way to celebrate Christmas in Solvang? So you can order the straight sparkling wine tasting flight OR a fun flight that includes sparkling wine and several other desert wines that you can rarely find anywhere else.
Christmas in Solvang Tip #7: Taste Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar and More
This part of California is famous for olive growing and though Solvang Olive Press does not represent California growers specifically they have a huge selection of gourmet olive oils for tasting for FREE as well as about 3 dozens of various balsamic vinegars, also available for free tasting.
My kids love tasting these products but if your kids are not big fans of olive oils and vinegar, this store also has a couple of varieties of maples syrup that you can try -isn’t it great?
Christmas in Solvang Tip #8: Meet Santa
If you spending Christmas in Solvang with kids then your little ones will be happy to meet Santa and take photos with him. Typically Santa only comes to visit Solvang on a couple of weekends before Christmas (check dates and times at the Visitor Center).
But what if you are visiting Solvang during weekday and still want some sort of Christmas photo with Santa? Here is a pro tip: there is a GIANT toy Santa displayed next to Solvang Trolley Ice Cream Parlor at Hamlet Square.
Christmas in Solvang Tip #9: Have a Danish Meal
No visit to Solvang is complete without having a traditional Danish meal. My personal favorite place is Paula’s Pancake House that serves famous Danish pancakes, which are great for breakfast and lunch. These are thin pancakes, similar to crepes, topped with a ton of delicious goodness of your choice.
Christmas in Solvang Tip #10 See Solvang during Day and Night Time
Most of the things I listed above you can do during day time but don’t forget to visit Solvang during Christmas in the evening as well. You will see thousands of sparkling Christmas lights which is a sight to behold.
Christmas in Solvang Tip #11: Take Part in a Candlelight Tour
Candlelight Tours happen in Solvang during Christmas time on select Fridays and Saturdays. I strongly suggest buying your tour tickets well in advance, they are very popular. The tours are lead by a costumed guide and during this 1 hour activity you will be able to learn about history of the town, listen to carolers singing and have a private meet and greet with Mr. Claus. Dates and times of the tours are published HERE.
Christmas in Solvang Tip #12: Do Something Unusual
Give you kids a surprise by visiting Ostrichland. It is a cool ostriches and emu farm located just a couple miles outside of Solvang. Most likely you will be arriving into Solvang by HW 101 so you will be driving by Ostrichland anyway. Why not stop by for a short, fun visit?
Here you can feed ostriches and emus and observe them on the vast expanses of the farm running, chasing each other, and just having a blast. You will have a blast too!
I am finishing up a video about this fun place which I will embed here soon – stay tuned!
Additional Tips for Visiting Solvang
Weather in Solvang
Weather in Southern California is generally very pleasant all year but if you are visiting Solvang during Christmas then you can potentially be hit by rain storms. Please, don’t complain about the weather, California needs rain as it grows lots of your food and rains only happen here in winter.
My former work colleague from Norway used to say: there is no inappropriate weather, only inappropriate clothes. If you stumble on a rain storm in Solvang just grab rubber boots and an umbrella. And anyway, a big portion of the activities listed above can be done indoors.
If you think about it, winter weather in Solvang is almost like summer in Denmark so here is another authentic experience for you! 🙂
Crowds
Christmas in Solvang means crowds. You cannot change that, so try to adapt to it. For instance, many restaurants don’t take reservations and wait times for a table during peak times is 30-40 min, even during weekdays, so plan accordingly.
Where to Stay in Solvang
You can stay in Solvang proper or in a neighboring town of Buellton, which is only a couple miles away. Solvang has boutique hotels and Buellton has your typical chain hotels. Also, Solvang is just about 40 min drive from Santa Barbara so you can stay in Santa Barbara and visit Solvang for a day trip.
Here is the map of the area where you can check out hotels and prices (change the travel dates on the map as needed):
Solvang Video Tour
Check out our video tour of Solvang before you go to help you with planning:
Solvang, California is just one of the destinations that I recommend in my guide Travel the Word Without Flying – International Experiences in America. The Guide lists 16 countries that you can experience in the U.S. without travelling abroad. Some of these amazing destinations are in California on par with Solvang. Check them out!
Other Christmas vacation itineraries from our blog that may be of interest to you:
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