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Solvang’s quaint old-world European fairy tale feel and friendly Danish hospitality offers a relaxing peaceful atmosphere for families away from home.
Solvang is a great destination to find things to do for the whole family. Whether your kids enjoy relaxing on a pontoon boat or hand-feeding an ostrich, we’ve got something for everyone! A photographer’s paradise, everywhere you turn there are delightful family photo opportunities to create lasting memories.
Family Fun in the Park
Explore playgrounds, skateboard parks, and tennis courts in the three kid-friendly parks in Solvang.
- Kids love the whimsical playground and ball field at Sunny Fields Park on Alamo Pintado Road. For a schedule of area recreational events, call 805-688-PLAY.
- Hans Christian Andersen Park on Atterdag Road is a pleasant retreat with picnic areas, public tennis, a playground and the skate park for “boarders.” To enter the park, you drive through castle arch!
- Year-round outdoor fun and picnics are popular in Solvang Park, where you can find Free Friday Night Movies in the summer, Danish Days in September, and Julesfest in December .
Go Exploring!
One of the most energetic ways for the family to explore Solvang is via bicycles and four-wheeled surrey cycles. Bring wheels of your own or easy-to-ride rentals offer a pedal-powered way to see the sights. The kids will also love taking a ride on the Solvang Trolley (also known as the Honen), which is a historic wooden streetcar pulled by a pair of magnificent draft horses providing 25-minute guided tours around the village. Play a real-life escape game where team members work together in a race against the clock to have your wits tested and your entertainment level raised when you get into the best escape rooms in the county, The Ultimate Escape Rooms.
Try out a fun scavenger hunt at the Elverhoj Museum of History & Art every day. It’s great for kids 5+. There are 2 levels with one being for younger kids who aren’t reading yet and then also older kids who can read and won’t need parents help. Children can also explore the rune alphabet and spell out their name.
Fun for Kids
Spend a beautiful afternoon outdoors with the family checking out some amazing animals. Ostrich Land is a 33-acre breeding farm to see/feed more than 100 ostriches and emus up close. Serving the skateboarding community in Solvang is the Solvang Skate Shop. For those that would like a view of the future – Step into Space VR – “where you can experience unknown realms of imagination and adventure”. Do your kids love horses? Flag Is Up Farms is the home of Monty Roberts, the “Man Who Listens to Horses” where visitors are freely welcome to see the equine facilities and trainers in action.
Twenty minutes away from downtown Solvang, Cachuma Lake Recreation Area offers year-round guided wildlife cruises on a pontoon boat (ages 5 and over), a Junior Ranger program, Nature Center, hiking, picnicking, boating, fishing, snack bar. If you’re feeling really outdoorsy, Cachuma Lake also offers tent and yurt camping, and they also have RV hook-ups.
Sweet Treats
After exploring, playing in the parks, and feeding our lovely four legged friends, you’ve likely all worked up an appetite! The whole family is sure to enjoy some confections at one of our many ice cream parlors, including the Solvang Trolley Ice Cream Parlor and gelato at Café Dolce. And let’s not forget the plethora of candy shops, like Ingeborg’s Chocolates, within a two-block radius downtown!
Feeling Artsy?
Get inspired to conserve wildlife and natural areas through art at the Wilding Museum of Art & Nature.