Walk Copenhagen Drive
The village core puts half-timbered facades, windmills, bakeries, shops, and tasting rooms within a few blocks of Copenhagen Drive.
Things to do
Things to do in Solvang
Walk Copenhagen Drive, then add Elverhøj Museum, Old Mission Santa Inés, Danish-American literary history, nature art, a trolley ride, or a focused Santa Ynez Valley tasting route.
Read the town at Elverhøj Museum
Elverhøj Museum covers Solvang history and Danish-American culture in a building modeled on an eighteenth-century Danish farmhouse.
Taste Santa Ynez wine
Stay in town for easy tasting rooms or arrange transportation into Los Olivos and the surrounding valley when wine is the day's main event.
Visit Old Mission Santa Ines
Founded in 1804, Old Mission Santa Inés predates Solvang by more than a century. Check the mission's current visitor notice before going; access can close for services or maintenance.
Ride the trolley
The horse-drawn trolley gives families, first-time visitors, and anyone with limited walking range a short orientation through the village. Confirm current service with the operator because weather and horse care can change availability.
Choose another museum
The Hans Christian Andersen Museum adds books and author history, while California Nature Art Museum focuses on art inspired by the natural world.
If time is short
Walk Copenhagen Drive, choose one bakery, then visit Elverhøj Museum or Old Mission Santa Inés. Add the Hans Christian Andersen Museum if books and Danish culture matter more than shopping. Save estate wineries for a separate half day with transportation settled first.
Read the Danish village guide →Activity choices
Selected Solvang tours and activities
These guided options cover Santa Ynez Valley wine, Solvang food and culture, cycling, and village history beyond a self-guided walk on Copenhagen Drive.
Solvang activities
Santa Ynez Valley Tour
A Santa Ynez Valley tour that connects Solvang with nearby wine-country scenery, tasting-room country, and the broader ranch-and-vineyard landscape.
Solvang activities
Solvang: Wine and True Crime Tour with Drinks Included
A 2-hour guided tour combining chilling true crime stories of Solvang with wine tastings at a slasher-themed winery and two quirky wine bars.
Solvang activities
Solvang and Santa Ynez Valley: Cycling and Wine Tasting
An 8-hour guided cycling tour through Santa Ynez Valley with wine tastings, lunch, and scenic vineyard routes, suited for moderate to advanced riders with their own road bikes.
Solvang activities
Secret Solvang Food, Wine & Culture Tour
An intimate 2.5-hour guided walking tour tasting Solvang's best food and local wines, with insider stories and cultural insights.
Solvang activities
Solvang: Santa Ynez Valley Wine Tours w/ Lunch & Tastings
Guided 5-hour wine tour visiting 3 small artisan wineries and a private vineyard, including a picnic lunch and barrel room tasting with chocolate pairing.
Second Star gear guide
Wine & Food Weekend
Wine-country packing list
Bottle, picnic, and tasting pieces in one place.
Wine totes, bottle sleeves, tasting notes, picnic pieces, and food-town extras for weekends where dinner is part of the trip.
Portable Wine Chiller
$49.99
Reusable Wine Bottle Protector Sleeves
$16.99
Wine Tasting Journal Notebook
$8.36
Open wine & food guideMore picks on Second Star Guide →