Spend some time in Solvang, the Danish village nestled in the Santa Ynez Valley that looks and smells like Christmas year-round, with twinkling lights at night and baked goods served fresh every morning. Solvang is a truly unique village rife with activities, seasonal festivals, wine-tasting rooms and delectable dining.

Shop your way through town for authentic gifts like wooden shoes, cuckoo clocks and unique clothing. Along the way, stop by a few of the local bakeries and confectionaries for tasty traditional Danish treats like aebleskiver (pronounced able-skeevers). You’ll find those fluffy, donut hole-type goodies in a number of bakeries and restaurants, but the most popular bites can be found at Solvang Restaurant’s walk-up window serving Arne’s famous aebleskivers.

Discover this 0.8-mile out-and-back trail near Solvang, California. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 28 min to complete. This is a very popular area for hiking and walking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.

The city’s famed Urban Wine Trail stretches across two distinct downtown neighborhoods, each offering its own unique wine and dining, so relax (this is a vacation after all), grab some comfortable shoes and let your palate lead the way for a few days of delicious experiences. The eclectic enclave that borders the beach is home to most of the Urban Wine Trail’s tasting rooms, all of which have their roots in the sprawling valley just on the other side of the hill.

Margerum Tasting Room

a bright and airy tasting room that serves plenty of great food and wine. Margerum actually offers five different tasting flights. From the pinot noir flight to the syrah flight

The Society: State & Mason

Located at the Hotel Californian in Santa Barbara's vibrant Funk Zone, The Society: State & Mason has become a go-to tasting room for locals and visitors alike. Patrons are able to enjoy more than 70 different wines, all of which come from the many wineries within the Foley Family portfolio.

Deep Sea Tasting Room

As the name suggests, Deep Sea Tasting Room allows patrons to sip their favorite wines right above the sea. The tasting room is situated on Santa Barbara's Stearns Wharf, and the ocean and mountain views are simply unparalleled. Deep Sea Tasting Room is the ideal place to post up for a crisp glass of white wine on a sunny day. If you're lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of some dolphins or seals right from your outdoor table.

Driven by our mission to conserve native plants and habitats, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden uses its 78 acres (31 hectares) to showcase the state’s diversity and biological wealth to the public. Just a stone’s throw from downtown Santa Barbara, our five miles (8 kilometers) of meandering trails, historical landmarks, working labs, and more than 1,000 species of California’s native plants on display offer our guests plenty to explore all year long.

Due to our county-directed capacity limitations, visiting Santa Barbara Botanic Garden requires a reservation.

Adult: $20

Seniors (60+) and Military: $16

Students (with valid ID): $14

Youth (3 to 12): $12

Children under 3: Free

Lively Santa Barbara Downtown includes Paseo Nuevo, a shopping center with tiled courtyards, fountains, and chain retailers. Hip cafes, al fresco eateries, and airy wine bars line tree-shaded streets, while small vendors sell noodles, pizza, and gelato at Santa Barbara Public Market.

The Santa Barbara Zoo is one of the more than 220 accredited zoos and aquariums that participate in Species Survival Plans (SSP), a cooperative conservation program of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

$25 For Adults

$15 For Children

$11 Parking