SOMETHING MAY BE ROTTEN IN THE STATE OF DENMARK, but it hasn’t affected Solvang, CA. The story of Solvang, Danish for “sunny field,” could almost have been written by the great-Dane himself, Hans Christian Andersen. It was established in 1911 by a group of Danes searching for a home far from the bitter winters of Minnesota.
Half-timbered buildings One of 7 windmills
Over time Solvang became a fairytale village of half-timbered houses, windmills and even its own Little Mermaid. Today it is a major SoCal tourist destination chock-a-block with restaurants, wine-sellers, bakeries and other shops ready to separate you from your hard-earned krone. That said, Solvang is as cute as hell and a great place to spend a hot autumn afternoon. Skål.
