Frommer'sFrommer's
    12 Activities

    California Coast Trip: Los Angeles to Little Denmark and Santa Barbara

    California Coast Trip: Los Angeles to Little Denmark and Santa Barbara
    Starts from

    Los Angeles

    Transportation

    By Car

    Guidance

    Self-Guided

    Activities

    12

    Duration

    2 days

    Length

    84 mi

    Guide details

    Starts from

    Los Angeles

    Transportation

    By Car

    Guidance

    Self-Guided

    Duration

    2 days

    Length

    84 mi

    • History and Culture
    • Natural Attractions
    • Adventure
    Map preview
    Elisa Parhad

    Elisa Parhad

    Travel Expert

    • Feed exotic birds at an ostrich farm.
    • Sample the Dutch sweet treat called abelskiver.
    • Stroll along Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara, California.
    • Discover Danish history in the region.
    Translated by
    Located north of Santa Barbara, California, the Santa Ynez Valley comprises several communities that are a throwback to a simpler time. One of the famous towns in the valley is Solvang, California, also known as Little Denmark. Expect cooler temperatures, golden rolling hills on the way to a vintage northern-European style town, established in 1911 by Danish-Americans.
    Just two hours up the coast from Los Angeles, California, you will find a relaxed pace of life that allows discovery and enjoyment of the moment at hand. On the way back, enjoy the beaches and gems of Santa Barbara, California. Found something you like? Feel free to linger. This is your route to relax and enjoy.
    Translated by

    Categories

    • History and Culture
    • Natural Attractions
    • Adventure
    Located north of Santa Barbara, California, the Santa Ynez Valley comprises several communities that are a throwback to a simpler time. One of the famous towns in the valley is Solvang, California, also known as Little Denmark. Expect cooler temperatures, golden rolling hills on the way to a vintage northern-European style town, established in 1911 by Danish-Americans.
    Just two hours up the coast from Los Angeles, California, you will find a relaxed pace of life that allows discovery and enjoyment of the moment at hand. On the way back, enjoy the beaches and gems of Santa Barbara, California. Found something you like? Feel free to linger. This is your route to relax and enjoy.
    Translated by
    Elisa Parhad

    Elisa Parhad

    Travel Expert

    • Feed exotic birds at an ostrich farm.
    • Sample the Dutch sweet treat called abelskiver.
    • Stroll along Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara, California.
    • Discover Danish history in the region.
    Translated by

    Travel itinerary

    El Capitán State Beach
    6 Activities

    Day 1

    32 mi0.4 mi

    El Capitán State Beach

    Today, you'll take a short drive north to the Danish-inspired town of Solvang, California. In an effort to attract more tourists, business owners here began enhancing the town's Danish heritage in the 1940s, adding windmills on the streets, half-timbered facades to their buildings, and even a scaled replica of Copenhagen's iconic rounded tower, known as the Rundetaarn. Head north from Los Angeles, California, toward the leisurely countryside of the Santa Ynez Valley. Enjoy vistas of the expansive Pacific Ocean between Ventura and Santa Barbara in California, and spend the night in Solvang, California. Get ready to relax on the beach, feed ostriches, and sample Danish foods.
    Butterflies, Museums, and Ocean Breezes in Goleta and Santa Barbara
    6 Activities

    Day 2

    50 mi1 mi

    Butterflies, Museums, and Ocean Breezes in Goleta and Santa Barbara

    Today, you will be leaving the charming rural town of Solvang, California, and heading to Goleta, California for a stroll through a coastal eucalyptus grove. After that, make a stop in Santa Barbara, California for an afternoon of fun at a science museum and a seafood dinner.
    Map preview
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