Solvang continues to enchant visitors with its storybook charm, and 2025 is bringing even more reasons to explore! From exciting new events and hotel transformations to fresh dining experiences and unique attractions, there’s always something happening in the Danish Capital of America. Whether you’re planning a getaway or looking for a reason to return, here’s a look at what’s new and noteworthy in Solvang.
The Thomas Dambo Troll is here!
Lulu Hyggelig: California’s First Permanent Thomas Dambo Troll
The California Nature Art Museum is pleased to present Thomas Dambo’s first permanent troll in California. Thomas Dambo is an internationally renowned Danish artist and recycling activist who is celebrated for his imaginative and colossal sculptures made from recycled materials. Specializing in creating enchanting wooden trolls, Thomas Dambo breathes new life into discarded resources, showcasing the boundless potential hidden within our world’s trash cans.
Visit Lulu the Troll
Solvang Brick & Builds 2025
Saturday and Sunday, April 5th and 6th
Get ready for a fun-filled weekend celebrating all things brick in the charming Danish village of Solvang! Whether you’re a seasoned brick builder or a newcomer, Solvang Brick & Builds offers an immersive brick-building experience like no other. Watch pro builders compete throughout town, meet Master Lego Builders, and explore endless displays of creativity. Don’t miss this two-day brick-tastic event!
Tickets
The Marlo Hotel
Originally debuting in 1950 as an apartment complex, this property became Solvang’s first motel in 1953, Solvang Gaard. Designed by sculptor Viggo Brandt-Erichsen, it later evolved into Solvang Gardens Lodge and then The M Solvang. Now reimagined as The Marlo, this boutique hotel blends Danish charm with California cool. The redesign, set to debut in spring 2025, will enhance all 24 guestrooms, create a stylish courtyard, and maintain its lush green spaces, offering an inviting retreat just steps from downtown Solvang.
See More of the Marlo
New Noshes
Adjoining boutique pet shop, Hund N Kat, The Wishing Well boasts a colorfully-curated selection of treats, both newer and nostalgic, fronted by a shop window lined with oversized gummy bears standing guard in a rainbow array.
Former chef/owner of the beloved Ballard Inn, Chef Budi Kazali returned to the kitchen late-summer 2024, taking up a spot behind the stoves of The Gathering Table (2.0), located in the longtime Succulent Café space on Solvang’s Mission Drive.
More Solvang Eats
Now Pouring
Final Girl Wines opened the doors to its Solvang wine tasting room in the summer of 2024, bringing to town a boutique, family-owned wine label that celebrates a love of wine and an appreciation of the strong final girls in the horror film genre. Winemaker Anna Lancucki and her husband, Peter, greet tasters in a lounge-y setting spotlighting slasher film icons and ghoulish gems.
Relocated from nearby Los Olivos, the new Solvang tasting room for winemaker and musician Luke Sundquist’s boutique label offers chill staff, kind tunes, and top-rated wines, all poured in the company of a custom mural by California Central Coast illustrator, Scott Lakey.
More Wineries
Indie Shops
Off The Record Vinyl & Vintage
Featuring an eclectic vinyl records collection and an assortment of vintage and contemporary goods, such as cassette tapes, CDs, vintage audio equipment, and more, Off The Record Vinyl & Vintage is a family-run business you don’t want to miss.
Purple vibes reign at this soothing, scent-filled shop that displays locally-grown lavender products in a vibrant and aptly-hued space, in an equally-vibrant building previously home to the legendary Solvang sundries shop, Rasmussen’s.
Solvang Wine & True Crime Tours
Led by the team at The Haunt, the dynamic gathering that launched Solvang Ghost Tours, the new Solvang Wine & True Crime Tour has guests sipping, savoring, and uncovering the "dark side" of town on Solvang’s wine tasting true crime tour. Beneath the charming façade of the Danish village lies a history of chilling secrets, revealed as you stroll the streets and visit unique tasting rooms.
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Solvang Viking Museum
Later this year, the Solvang Viking Museum will undergo renovations in order to introduce new exhibits and once again, an expanded footprint within THE COPENHAGEN HOUSE, in the center of Solvang village. New exhibits will include Viking women’s outfits, archeological finds acquired in Denmark and England, as well as a new Viking ship – a 32-foot-long reconstruction of a 9th-Century Viking ship. Also planned to debut later in 2025, is a large, authentically-carved runestone created by master carver, Erik Sandquist.
Learn MoreLodging Specials: Experience Solvang!
From exciting new events like Solvang Brick & Builds to fresh experiences in dining, lodging, and entertainment, Solvang continues to evolve while maintaining its charming Danish roots. Whether you’re exploring a new boutique hotel, indulging in gourmet flavors, or uncovering the town’s hidden stories, there’s always something new to discover. Book your stay and be part of the adventure!
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