Staycation: Solvang, CA

As I mentioned in my previous post, we took a road trip up the 101 into Solvang, CA. It’s a small Danish town tucked away in Wine Country that celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2011.

Rather than go into detail about the trip, I thought I’d post some pictures and then a little about each one. Note that the images were taken with three different cameras as well as my phone so there will be considerable differences in color, contrast, etc. Click on each to enlarge slightly.

This was taken along the highway as we made our way in. A rather large storm made its way into the area as we were driving out on Friday which slowed our progress a bit. By Saturday, despite the clouds, there was no rain but it was still pretty cold.

This was on the way out but I figured to post it here since it’s similar to the one above.

Me and Anthony wander the streets of Solvang.

One of the many rows of shops and restaurants. Speaking of restaurants, we ate at Bit O’ Denmark…

…where I had some delicious frikadeller (Danish meatballs).

When we were done eating, we did some more wandering around and souvenir buying.

Of course, a trip to Solvang is not complete without a few things. First, you have to get your picture taken with the giant clog outside Solvang Shoe Store…

…or in front of a windmill…

…or posing as a guard inside one of these booths.

After you work up an appetite with all the walking around, it’s time to take a break with some amazing pastries. These were at Mortensen’s Danish Bakery.

On the way out, I came across this interesting composition/pattern.

Before you go home, however, you need to stop here.

Ostrich Land USA is just a few miles east of Solvang and is a lot of fun to visit. You pretty much pay an admission fee and for a bowl of ostrich feed, read the feeding instructions and away you go.

While it’s all fun and games, you have to heed the warning…

In addition to ostriches, there are also emus to feed. They are just as hungry and aggressive.

How hungry and aggressive can these guys be? Here’s a video I shot.

Solvang is definitely a place not to be missed if you are ever in the area or a southern California native who has never been there. It’s a day trip that is easy on the gas tank and a great escape from the noise and hassle of the big city. The vibe is laid back, the people are friendly and for there being “not a lot to do” when compared to other local tourist spots, Anthony (who just turned 8 in March) had a great time and wants to go back. Between the drive out and the lack of huge attractions, it’s great family bonding time.