2 Days in Solvang — The Complete Itinerary
Two days is the right amount of time for Solvang. Day one covers the Danish village, bakeries, and downtown wine tasting. Day two adds Los Olivos and the Foxen Canyon wine trail. Here's exactly how to spend them.
Weekend Overview
Day 1
- — Danish bakery breakfast
- — Downtown walking tour
- — Mission Drive wine tasting
- — Old Mission Santa Inés
- — Dinner at Mad & Vin
Day 2
- — Slow Solvang morning
- — Los Olivos Grand Avenue
- — Sides Hardware & Shoes lunch
- — Wildling Museum galleries
- — Optional Foxen Canyon drive
Day 1 — The Danish Village
Danish Bakery Breakfast
Start at Olsen's Danish Village Bakery or Mortensen's Danish Bakery — both on Mission Drive. Order aebleskiver (warm pancake balls with strawberry jam and powdered sugar) and coffee. These bakeries open early; arrive before 9 to beat the lines.
Walking Tour of Downtown
Walk the full downtown loop: the four windmills, the 1/3-scale Little Mermaid statue, the Hans Christian Andersen Museum, Elverhøj Museum of History and Art. All within 15 minutes of each other on foot.
First Wine Tasting
Pick two or three tasting rooms on or near Mission Drive. Sevtap Winery and Tastes of the Valleys pour a wide range. If you only go to one, make it the one where the staff has the most time to talk — mid-morning weekdays are best for this.
Lunch
Try a Mission Drive patio for a Danish smørrebrød (open-faced sandwich), or head to Root 246 at the Corque Hotel for California wine country cuisine. Reserve ahead for weekend lunches.
Old Mission Santa Inés
The original 1804 California mission, 5 minutes east of downtown on Mission Drive. Free to enter the grounds; small admission for the museum. The museum has the oldest recorded documents in Santa Barbara County.
Afternoon Tasting + Shopping
Return downtown for one more tasting room, then browse the specialty shops: Danish Christmas goods, Scandinavian import stores, and wine shops with valley bottles to take home.
Dinner
Mad & Vin at The Landsby is the strongest dinner option — seasonal California coastal, excellent wine list. Book ahead. Alternatively, Solvang Restaurant serves traditional Danish smørrebrød plates in a classic setting.
Day 2 — Wine Country Extension
Slow Morning in Solvang
Second-day Solvang: hit the bakery you missed yesterday. Browse any shops that were closed or crowded. The Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum is worth 30 minutes if you have any interest at all.
Drive to Los Olivos
10 minutes north on Alamo Pintado Road. Grand Avenue in Los Olivos has a dozen tasting rooms in two blocks. Carhartt Family Wines, Dragonette Cellars, and Mandolina (Italian varieties) are standouts.
Lunch in Los Olivos
Sides Hardware and Shoes is the James Beard-recognized option — seasonal California cuisine, reserve ahead on weekends. Panino serves Italian sandwiches on an outdoor patio for a lighter option.
Gallery Walk or Wildling Museum
The Wildling Museum of Art & Nature on Grand Avenue focuses on American wilderness art — genuinely worth an hour. Judith Hale Gallery next door for fine art.
Optional: Foxen Canyon Drive
Drive north on Foxen Canyon Road — the most scenic wine-country route in the valley. Stop at Foxen Vineyard's iconic tin-roofed shack for a final Pinot pour. Last tastings typically at 4:30 pm.
Return to Solvang
Back to Solvang for a sunset walk or aperitivo at a wine bar before packing up.
Final Dinner
Try the restaurant you missed on night one. If you dined at Mad & Vin on Day 1, try Root 246 or a Danish restaurant tonight.
Weekend Tips
- —Book hotel and dinner reservations before you leave home. The Landsby and good restaurants fill up on Friday–Saturday nights.
- —Tasting rooms are most relaxed 10–11 am. By 1 pm on weekends, they're packed.
- —Los Olivos is best in the afternoon — morning light in Solvang is worth staying for.
- —If you're visiting during Danish Days (Sept 18–20) or Julefest (late Nov–Jan), book 6+ weeks ahead.
- —Foxen Canyon Road north of Los Olivos is a narrow two-lane road — beautiful, but not suitable for large RVs.