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Travelling to Solvang with a toddler: Six sites we visited

Solvang is known as the Danish capital of America. During our first trip there, Mommy, Daddy, and I ate Danish pastries, explored replicas of Danish landmarks and buildings, visited museums, and explored the city by horse carriage. That was seven years ago.

Anna was not with us during that trip because she was in the Philippines. So this year, I kept looking for a chance to bring her there. That opportunity arrived on Columbus Day (Indigenous Peoples' Day) weekend. Of course, we must bring the wee one (also going there for the first time, but fast becoming an expert on long drives), so planning this 350-ish mile trip required some thought. Here, I share six sites or activities we decided we couldn't miss, mainly since we brought a toddler.

Solvang Trolley

This was definitely the highlight of my first trip. And my son enjoyed his first horse carriage ride on Mackinac Island, so I knew it was a must-do for us in Solvang. The trolley ride was a 25-minute trip around the city. The tour guide showed us notable buildings and places we could get snacks and souvenirs at a discount and shared snippets of the city's history. 

Elverhoj Museum of History and Art

"The best docents are grandmothers."
– one of the docents in the museum

The wee one didn't want to be carried as we entered the museum (because he wanted to walk). But since Elverhoj is a museum for artwork and historical artefacts, I didn't want the wee one to run around and knock things over while we looked at the exhibits. There were lots of ceramic figurines and model houses that a toddler could easily run over.


Naturally, my son bawled his eyes out right at the entrance to the museum. A motherly docent came out and told us that the museum has a backyard garden where he could play while the adults viewed the exhibits (and we could take turns watching over him). I instantly felt the warm hospitality and thanked her for her kindness. The Elverhoj is definitely a far cry from the museum we weren't allowed to enter because children below a certain age were not welcome. 

Solvang Trolley Ice Cream Parlour

After the long walk from the museum, we decided to take a break at the ice cream parlour. Mommy was so exhausted that her feet were already hurting. The wee one ran a lot on the sidewalk, looking for the horses. Daddy and Anna were also tired. The ice cream parlour was located about five minutes from where we were parked, so it was really a good spot to rest up. And the gelato we got was delicious too, well worth the queue that was there the first time I bought gelato there. 

Olsen's Danish Village Bakery

On my first trip to Solvang, this was our breakfast spot. I carbo-loaded on scones, cupcakes, and doughnuts back in then. For this trip, this was our last stop before going back to our hotel. After the ice cream sugar rush, my son was not too excited to eat pastries, but we still bought quite a bit for when we got back home. Also, we got the must-have buckets of Olsen's cookies (and brought another one for Biboy's family as pasalubong). The bakery was established in 1970, and the owner is a third-generation master baker.

Paula's Pancake House

This restaurant was established in 1986 and features a wide selection of pancakes. Daddy ordered Danish pancakes; these were so thin that they reminded me of crepes. The rest of us had regular pancakes. These pancakes came with fruit, jam, and our choice of savoury dishes. They were so yummy! No wonder the lunch queue was long (we had to wait 30 minutes to get our seats). The staff were also very hospitable and helped lots of families with babies and had strollers.

Mission Santa Inés

One of the most picturesque locations in Solvang, Mission Santa Inés is (I think) where the city was founded in 1804 by Spanish missionaries who aimed to evangelise to the Native Americans. It has some of the oldest church structures in California. The church's interior reminded me of the design at Our Lady of Caysasay Church in Taal, Batangas, which was established in the 1600s. Unfortunately for Anna, a retreat was going on, so we could not explore beyond the church. She wasn't able to see the cemetery and the gardens.


It felt good to be back in Solvang and finally share the place with my sister and my son. We would like to visit again someday, perhaps when we have visitors from out-of-state. 
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