Solvang is a Danish village located about forty-five minutes north of Santa Barbara, in the countryside of coastal California. It’s a little town, known for its traditional Danish architecture, cheerful windmills, shaded parks and streets, cozy little boutiques and bakeries tucked away on the streets, and sunshine-soaked skies.
In short, it’s the perfect place to escape for a day.
Last weekend was shaping up to be the sort of summer weekend when I just felt like running away on a road trip. My mom and my sister were feeling the same way, so we picked up my best friend and headed southward to Solvang.
Once we arrived in Solvang itself, I accidentally ended up following the signs to a public parking lot on the far end of the city. Oops. So I parked the car and we began our “refreshing girl’s day” by walking halfway across the city in ninety-degree weather.
Arriving in Solvang Park, it didn’t take long to become accustomed to the relaxed ambiance of the city. It was a beautiful day, with wide blue skies above the rooftops. Birds whistled and flitted about. Sunlight dappled the sidewalks. Some people were out walking their dogs, crossing past the statue of Hans Christian Anderson without a glance. Other visitors sat cross-legged on the grass to eat their lunch. One dad was dancing with his daughter on the gazebo, music playing off his iPhone as he spun her around.
The shoppes were all air-conditioned (yay!) so we began at once to wander into the many lovely little treasures tucked into the Danish buildings. I personally hold that the best way to explore a town is to go on a walk and see what you find, so that’s what we did. A few favorites were the “Picket Fences” boutique, “The Mole Hole” antiques, and a darling little fairytale magical shoppe called “Fairy & Frog.”
The “Fairy & Frog” deserves some special attention here, because my sister was enchanted with the place. That’s her, by the way, looking like a fairy goddess in her flowery boho dress.
Another shoppe I really enjoyed (for some strange reason) was the Sock Loft. It’s literally a shop dedicated entirely to socks…of every variety you can possibly imagine. They have Avengers socks, unicorn socks, sports-themed socks, the Softest Socks in the World, tie-dye socks, you name it. The socks crippled me with indecision.
Once we were good and tired from all this exploration, we stumbled upon the darling Solvang Bakery (one of many bakeries around) to pick up coffee and some treats. Out in the backyard was a little garden sanctuary, where we paused to take refreshment: iced coffee, pastries, a scone. Watch the bees hum amidst the climbing jasmine.
Another fun anecdote of the day: my mom kept finding these individual teeth flossers all over the place?! I’m telling you, it’s a conspiracy. My mom can find these literally anywhere. Over the years, she has found them at National Parks, in grocery store parking lots…even when we crossed the ocean and took a trip to the U.K. last summer, she still found them on the sidewalks. Maybe there’s a Toothflossing Fairy?
Now for the highlight of my whole day: As we wandered down the main square, we came across a Thomas Kincade Gallery! Thomas Kincade, known as the “Painter of Light,” is one of my favorite painters of all time. His pieces are usually always of cozy domestic scenes, like hometown America or a city street in the rain. He has a magical way of capturing light; the way headlights shine on rainy pavement, the glow of lanterns through fog, the sun breaking through a storm-cloud.
Apparently Kincade also did a Disney collection, each painting (which was themed around a classic Disney animated film) created to be a treasure trove of movie-related easter eggs. There’s a Thomas Kincade Studio on the Main Street of Disneyland, CA. You can browse through a lot of his original artwork (as well as continued studio pieces) at his website here—https://thomaskinkade.com/the-art/ —if you’re interested.
It was evening by the time we finally walked back to my car and drove home, but it was a lovely day—a taste of European charm in the middle of the Californian countryside. Pretty places like this little town refresh my soul.
The biggest thing I noticed today is that whenever I get out of my hometown, I notice more. A change of surroundings inspires me creatively; I always end up writing and photographing more of my everyday adventures. Over the upcoming months, I’d love to do more of these little one-day road trips. Weekend adventures, you know?
All that to say, thanks for coming along with me to Solvang! Let’s go on another adventure soon. Where to next?
<3 Olivia Grace
