Central Coast
48 Hours in Solvang: Danish Bakeries, Wineries and Hotels
Spend 48 hours in Solvang: the Danish bakeries worth the line, aebleskiver, Los Olivos and Sta. Rita Hills wineries, Buellton eats and where to stay.
By Alex Khachigian · Updated September 2026 · 3 min read
Solvang is a Danish village in the Santa Ynez Valley, founded in 1911, 45 minutes from Santa Barbara. The valley around it has five small towns and several wine areas.
It pairs with a weekend in Santa Barbara and sits on the Central Coast food and wine road trip.
In This Guide
- Getting to Solvang and the Santa Ynez Valley
- Day 1 Morning: Solvang Bakeries and Aebleskiver
- Day 1 Afternoon: Mission Santa Inés, Museums and Tasting Rooms
- Day 2 Morning: Los Olivos and Ballard Canyon Wineries
- Day 2 Afternoon: Sta. Rita Hills Pinot and Buellton
- Where to Stay in Solvang
- Best Time to Visit Solvang
- FAQ
Getting to Solvang and the Santa Ynez Valley
Solvang is about 45 minutes from Santa Barbara via Highway 154 over San Marcos Pass or Highway 101 through Gaviota. From Los Angeles, allow 2.5 to 3 hours.
Park once and walk the village. For wine you need a car or driver: Buellton, Los Olivos, Ballard and Santa Ynez are 5 to 15 minutes apart, and Los Alamos is 20 minutes north.
Day 1 Morning: Solvang Bakeries and Aebleskiver
Weekend bakery lines build by 9:30 a.m. Go early and visit two or three.
The Classic Danish Bakeries
Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery makes kringle and strudel. Mortensen’s Danish Bakery has seating, Birkholm’s Bakery does classic Danish pastries, and Solvang Bakery sells butter cookies.
Where to Try Aebleskiver
Aebleskiver are round Danish pancake puffs with powdered sugar and raspberry jam. Get them at the walk-up window at Solvang Restaurant on Copenhagen Drive.
Day 1 Afternoon: Mission Santa Inés, Museums and Tasting Rooms
Old Mission Santa Inés, founded in 1804, is on the east edge of the village with a garden and museum.
The Elverhøj Museum of History and Art covers Solvang’s Danish founders, and the Hans Christian Andersen Museum is on Mission Drive. Each takes under 45 minutes.
Downtown has dozens of tasting rooms, so you can taste without driving. Book Saturday dinner ahead.
Day 2 Morning: Los Olivos and Ballard Canyon Wineries
Los Olivos is 10 minutes north. Tasting rooms line Grand Avenue and Alamo Pintado Avenue, so you can park once.
Drive there via Ballard Canyon Road, a small growing area known for Syrah.
Breakfast in Los Alamos
Bob’s Well Bread in Los Alamos, 20 minutes north, is a good breakfast stop. The one-street town also has a few tasting rooms.
Day 2 Afternoon: Sta. Rita Hills Pinot and Buellton
The Sta. Rita Hills lie west of Buellton along Santa Rosa Road and Highway 246. Evening ocean fog makes it a Pinot Noir and Chardonnay area.
Melville, Alma Rosa and Babcock are longtime producers. Paso is 90 minutes north on 101; see the Paso Robles weekend guide.
Where to Eat in Buellton
The Hitching Post II, from the movie Sideways, grills steaks over oak. Industrial Eats serves wood-fired plates.
Firestone Walker’s Barrelworks pours sour and barrel-aged beer. Pea Soup Andersen’s is right off 101.
Where to Stay in Solvang
Downtown is walkable; the hills are quieter.
- The Landsby: Scandinavian boutique hotel in the village center
- Hotel Corque: hotel with a pool, walkable to everything
- The Hamlet Inn: retro motel with loaner bikes
- Alisal Ranch: guest ranch with riding and golf
- Skyview Los Alamos: hilltop midcentury motel 20 minutes north
Best Time to Visit Solvang
Solvang works year-round. Spring has green hills, fall has harvest, and summer afternoons are hot but cool quickly after sunset.
Busiest times are Solvang Danish Days in September and Julefest in December. Weekdays are quieter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Solvang worth visiting?
Yes, for food and wine. The village is walkable, and Santa Ynez Valley wineries and restaurants are within 15 minutes.
What is Solvang known for?
Danish heritage, windmills, bakeries and aebleskiver. It is also the center of Santa Ynez Valley wine country, featured in Sideways.
Can you do Solvang as a day trip from Santa Barbara?
Yes, it is 45 minutes away. Stay overnight to taste wine without driving back over the pass.
What is the best bakery in Solvang?
Olsen’s, Birkholm’s, Mortensen’s and Solvang Bakery are the main ones. Go early, try two, and buy a kringle to take home.
Is Solvang walkable?
The village is, with dozens of tasting rooms downtown. You need a car or driver for Los Olivos, Buellton and the Sta. Rita Hills.
Destination guide
My Santa Barbara County hotel, Airbnb and tour picks
