Saturdays in Solvang
As much as I love the energy that surrounds me living in Los Angeles, every once in a while I daydream of those quiet, slow paced days I grew up with in Iowa. When I want to escape big city life, one of my favorite day trips is taking the lovely two hour drive to the sweet European town of Solvang in the Santa Ynez Valley.
I almost always start off with food here! One of my favorite sit down restaurants has to be Brothers Restaurant at The Red Barn. Nate can order some amazing meat, and I can enjoy a stellar salad with fresh ingredients from local farmers. The barn, which was a former dancehall, is even decorated with some local photographs dating back to the 1920s. It doesn’t hurt that the owners, the Nicholas brothers, are Iowa boys…and we sure know good, made-from-scratch home cooking in Iowa!😉
If you have a sweet tooth you’ll definitely find your fix at one of the many bakeries here. I can’t stroll through Solvang without stopping for a sweet treat at Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery.
Although I’m not a wine connoisseur, Solvang is located in the Santa Ynez Valley, so there are plenty of places to stop for wine tasting, including Crosshatch Winery (just look for the giant historic windmill while you’re walking down Alisal Road and you’ll know you’re in the right spot).
Speaking of Alisal Road, there are adorable spots to grab a picture and so many shops to pop in…from antiques to souvenirs, you’ll find a bit of everything. I love watching the horse drawn carriage stroll down the street in harmony with the local traffic.
There are even a few fun stops on the way out of town, including Quicksilver Ranch, where you can see some adorable American miniature horses up close. For more touristy spots you can stop at Andersen’s Split Pea Soup in Buelton or feed the big birds at Ostrichland.
What is one of your favorite day trips?