Solvang
Population: 5,445
You know you've entered Solvang when the horse ranches along Highway 246 give way to windmills and half-timber buildings with thatched roofs. Danish settlers founded the town in 1911 near Mission Santa Ines. Nearly everything they built celebrated Scandinavian life, from pastry shops and cobblestone courtyards to smorgasbord stations and fairytale houses, dubbing charming hamlet the "Danish Capital of America." Solvang celebrates its Centennial in 2011 with a packed calendar of memorable events and things to do, including a royal visit by The Prince Consort of Denmark.
While it has preserved its Scandinavian heritage, Solvang recently morphed into a 21st-century wine country hub thanks to its starring role in the film Sideways (2004). Today, visitors and residents enjoy the new and the historic attractions with nearly 20 wine tasting rooms clustered in the town center, while Solvang restaurants deliver plenty of Danish delights like sweet tooth-satiating aebleskiver (melt-in-your-mouth Danish pancake balls). Enjoy quaint and welcoming accommodations in Solvang hotels.
