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My mom is a Worldmark Owner so we take a mother/daughter trip just her and I for a week every year. We have stayed at many resorts including: Oceanside, CA; Kihei, Maui, HI; Discovery Bay, WA; Las Vegas, NV; among many others over the years. This year we decided to spend our week in Solvang, CA. I was apprehensive at first, having never heard of the place, but it turned out to be quite an interesting area. We arrived in rain storms and fog, we took Highway 154 from Malibu, which we were later told was a bad road especially in wet weather as it's notorious for mud and rock slides. Although in good weather, I would recommend it, it's a beautiful drive.
The resort was easy to find, even in the dark and rain. It was larger than I expected, and fit the Danish motif of the town. We were greeted by two very friendly front desk ladies who gave us dinner recommendations (and coupons!) to Cafe Angelica in the center of town, about two blocks away. Starving, we threw our luggage in the room and got back in the car. Seemingly seconds later, we arrived at Cafe Angelica, which was charmingly lit with white lights. The ambiance was just as warm indoors, and they accepted us in our jeans and jackets, and the food was amazing. We shared a mushroom appetizer in a wonderful dark sauce, which took all the restraint we had not to tip the bowl to our mouths and slurp up the remaining droplets of sauce. The server was happy to replenish the basket of hot house garlic bread as soon as it was emptied and scavenged for crumbs. The service was prompt, and we received our dinner selections: Veil Parmigiana, and Lobster Fettuccine. Both dishes were delicious and fabulously put together. If I had it my way, I would have eaten at Cafe Angelica every night of our stay. It was a great first impression that would be difficult to beat.
Our first day in town, we started around 10 a.m. as the shops were rumored to close about 4 p.m. With the atmosphere, it felt as if we were traipsing around in Europe. We began with breakfast at Solvang Restaurant where we had a first ever helping of Aebleskievers, a soft pancake ball topped with raspberry jam. They were very satisfying and the Danish atmosphere was suiting for the town. Around the center of town, there were blocks of Danish chocolate and pastry shops as well as adorable knick-knack and souvenir shopping. One named "The Mole Hole" I remember specifically because it had three floors of fun, rare and unique items.We strolled Copenhagen Street until dinner time where we decided on The Red Viking restaurant. They had a "Smorgasbord" buffet or off the menu. I would recommend their open faced sandwiches.
Back at the resort, ready for some relaxation, we perused the movie rental section in the main building and rented "Sideways" which was filmed largely in Solvang and its vicinity. The front desk even had a map of "to do/to see" around town by way of all things "Sideways." Having loved the movie, we saw a lot of things as mentioned on the map, and so much more. But as always on vacation, you can't do everything; only able to put a dent in it. So we know we will be back for more.
Vineyards lined the highways, and we ooed and awed at the vast and beautiful land dedicated to growing grapes for world famous and new upcoming wines. In March, the vines were just barely budding. They wont be in harvest until August and through November. We were still excited to see the buds at the beginning stages. We had high hopes and a long list of wine tastings to visit, but as wine tastings go, you realize you can only really do two or three in a day without getting yourself into trouble. Wandering Dog in Solvang was a memorable tasting. The flight consisted of two Pinot Noir's and a Syrah all named after the owner's beloved pets. Lucy, a social black lab was excited for some new people to get to know (and tried to convince us to share our food). The wine was good, although pricey, but the wine labels had tear-inflicting stories of past pets which named the wines. We also visited Sanford, another notable vineyard and tasting. But my favorite was Fess Parker up Foxen Canyon Road in Los Olivos (15 minutes away from Solvang). Not only was the scenery breathtaking but the wine was fabulous, reasonably priced; the bartenders even gave us extra tastes and Fess Parker wine glasses at no extra charge.
Got little ones? I'd say the Ostrich Farm is a must. Barely outside of Solvang toward Buellton . For four dollars you can feed the ostriches out of a dog bowl on a dust pan (watch your fingers, they'll take off an arm). We had a good laugh watching them interact with each other, fighting for the last little scrap of food and watching them strut out to the open field, fraying their feathers as they galloped.
Solvang Farmers Market is held on First Street every Wednesday afternoon. We sniffed at beautiful flower arrangements and sampled an array of cheeses, oranges, hummus, and even sprouts. A short, somewhat simple Farmers Market had a lot to offer, and the vendors were extremely friendly.
Everything is in close range if you want to leave town for a day. Lots of people recommended Hearst Castle (about an hour north), Pismo Beach and Santa Barbara on the way back. Nearby there is also the missions of San Luis Obispo, Santa Inez, and Mission La Purisma in Buellton. Buellton was a fun little town just 3 miles away from Solvang. You'll want to have pea soup for lunch at Anderson's, and dinner at the Hitchin Post 2, both off the main road.
I had low expectations of Solvang and was surprised in a big way as we didn't see everything that we wanted to. The Worldmark resort was in a perfect spot, close enough to town center and far enough to be out of the way. As always, it's nice to have your own kitchen, living room, etc. Every time we stay with Worldmark by Wyndham, it's like staying at our home away from home and can be comfortable.The town was charming and its people were extremely pleasant and added to the whimsy of Solvang. I would not hesitate to go back.
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