There is a corner of California where Christmas looks Danish. Solvang was founded by Danish settlers in 1911, and for one month each winter the whole village gives itself over to Julefest. Half-timbered streets are strung with lights, the bakeries turn out æbleskiver and kringle, carolers drift past the windmills, and every evening the village park comes alive with a light and music show. We have built this journey around one simple idea: rather than visiting Solvang, we are going to live in it. Our hotel sits in the very heart of the village, and for four nights we unpack once and step straight out into the season. Our days follow the rhythm of Julefest itself. We arrive in time for the holiday makers’ market, gather in Solvang Park for the tree lighting ceremony as the carols begin, and take reserved seats for the Julefest parade rather than standing at the curb. In between we explore the village on foot, visiting the Hans Christian Andersen Museum and the Elverhøj Museum of Danish history and art, joining a private bakery demonstration, and settling in for a tasting at one of Solvang’s own downtown wineries. One full day carries us out into the Santa Ynez Valley, where we are welcomed at two working estate vineyards and linger over a wine country lunch among the vines. What sets this journey apart is how unhurried it feels. Everything we do in Solvang lies within a few level blocks of our hotel, so there are no long transfers and no waiting for a coach to carry us into the destination. We are already there. Mornings are leisurely, afternoons leave generous time for the shops and the bakeries, and each evening we simply walk out into a village glowing with lights. Travel with us from Portland on a nonstop flight, settle into a Danish Christmas in the California wine country, and let every detail be handled for you.

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