My friends and I went on a weekend trip to Solvang, CA in the Spring and it was my first time visiting. We had an awesome time. 

If you don't know, Solvang is a quaint Danish town, about an hour north of Santa Barbara. Many Southern Californians commonly make Solvang a day or weekend trip, a fun mini vacation. 

This travel guide will detail the entire trip in the exact order of what we did, so you get a realistic sense of what you can do during your next trip! Feel free to copy and paste this itinerary!

Hike to the Gaviota Wind Caves

Driving up from the greater LA area, our first stop was a hike at the Gaviota Wind Caves. 

It's a 2.5 mile hike with 700 feet of elevation gain. 

These wind caves, as you might have guessed, were formed by wind. Some say, these formations were created over millions of years. 

By the time you finish this short, but steep hike, you'll be ready for some food...

Eat Lunch at Copenhagen Sausage Garden

When in Solvang, do as the Danish do. 

This restaurant, as its name suggests, specializes in sausage. Not only are there several choices of sausage, but sauces as well. There's a self-serve sauce station, so you can mix and match as you see fit. 

The sausages were succulent, flavorful, and overall very satisfying. I'd recommend getting some buns, just to balance the protein with some carbs. 

Try an Aebleskiver

One block down is the famous Solvang Restaurant. 

If you've done any research on Solvang, then you likely heard of these things called Aebleskivers.

I'd describe them as pancake ball, dusted with powdered sugar and topped with raspberry jam, but with the taste most reminiscent of funnel cake. 

There's no need to sit down in the restaurant to try them, as they have window service, so you can get it on the go! Talk about convenience! 

Check out the Santa Ines Mission

The Santa Ines Mission is one of the original 21 California Missions established on the Pacific Coast. 

Located inside is a gift shop and you have the option to do a self-guided tour of some relics of the past and its grounds. 

While museums are not usually my cup of tea, my friend is really interested in the history of Spanish Missions and it was a unique thing to check out! 

Go Wine Tasting

Wine tasting in Solvang is abundant. There are so many wine tastings, it would take you a couple months if you went wine tasting each day at each different establishment. 

We went to The Good Life, which is a wine cellar located in the heart of town. 

I don't remember his name, but the wine sommelier was incredibly insightful about the wines in the area and how to be a better "wine taster." 

We tried 5 decent wines and some of us bought some to take home. Incredible experience! 

Stay at Pea Soup Anderson's Inn

Pea Soup Anderson's Inn is a historic inn known for, you guessed it, their pea soup.

Unfortunately, they closed the door to its restaurant during the pandemic and there is no knowing if they will ever reopen their doors. 

While the kitchen is closed, its hotel rooms continue to be open. 

The hotels around this area are generally expensive, but thankfully the rates at Pea Soup Anderson's Inn were cheaper than most! So I recommend a stay here if you are more budget-minded, but still want to enjoy a decent room. 

Eat Brunch at Paula's Pancakes

Paula's Pancakes is arguably the most popular brunch spot in Solvang. And that was evident by the 1 hour wait when we arrived at 9 AM. 

But was it worth it?

Heck yes. I had to try the Danish Pancakes (because, again, do as the Danish do) and they were delicious. 

It's similar to a crepe, but possibly even thinner, and it's topped with powdered sugar and your choice of fruit topping. 

Overall, I definitely recommend this place for brunch, but you may want to consider going early!

Try Pastries at a Local Bakery

Bakeries are scattered all over Solvang with Danish pastries galore. 

We got some goodies at Olsen's Danish Village Bakery since it was right next to Paula's Pancakes. But honestly, you can't go wrong with any bakery here. 

My recommendations are to get their Danish butter cookies sold in these cute buckets, kringles (Danish pretzels), and strudels. 

You've probably realized by now that I am a big foodie...

Feed Ostriches at OstrichLand USA

We ended our trip with a bang! 

I've heard of this place for a long time, and to be honest, I was expecting it to be overhyped. 

But it was honestly very fun! We spent about 30 minutes feeding and simply watching hoards of ostriches and emus roaming about. A great family activity for sure!