Romantic Hotels in Solvang

Tucked away in the Santa Ynez Valley, Solvang, CA is visited by over 1 million tourists a year and was selected one of the "ten most beautiful small towns in Western US," by Sunset magazine. Solvang was founded by Danish immigrants in 1911 to preserve Danish culture, has certainly proved successful as evidenced by the assortment of all-things-Danish that appear throughout the town. All you have to do is stroll along the quaint main street to enjoy all manner of Danish-themed stores, cobblestone streets, and windmills.  What better way to spend a fairytale romance-type vacation than to take a tour of the Hans Christian Andersen Museum. Open daily, the exhibits include a model of Andersen's childhood home, tools used to fashion wooden shoes, photos of Andersen and 1st edition writings. Below the museum is a quaint bookstore.  For Danish souvenirs, couples should stop by Slovang's oldest and family-owned general store, The Royal Copenhagen that offers a little bit of everything you could possibly want or need. Equally enjoyable is the fact that the entire staff speaks Dutch and English. An alternative to walking through downtown is "The Honen", or the Solvang Trolley, a wooden replica of an 1800's Danish streetcar, pulled by a pair of stately, Belgium draft horses. Before leaving, visitors must try the largest selection of Danish foods at Slovang's oldest restaurant, Bit 'O Denmark. Customers can sample duck, apple crepes, local wines and a wide array of foods in their daily smorgasbords. You can't leave Solvang without trying a Danish Aebleskiver or crepe-like pancakes served with fresh fruit, at Paula's Pancake House, open all day for breakfast.