As a kid, I remember going to Solvang with my parents at least a couple of times. D had never been, so we decided to stay a night on our way back home. Solvang is a cute Danish-themed town, with little shops and bakeries lining the streets. I was pretty sure our kids would not last long walking and window-shopping, so I tried to find other things to do. Here is the itinerary I came up with, which worked out well:
Stop #1: Ostrichland USA
610 E. Hwy 246, Solvang, CA 93463; note-this address did not show up in our GPS, but it is easy to see from the highway.
Ages 13 and above $4; 12 and under $1; $1 for a bowl of food to feed birds
This is a once in a lifetime experience. When else will you have to opportunity to see so many ostriches and be in awe of their strangeness?
The feeding is only recommended for adults, as the ostriches are quite aggressive.
Don’t forget about the emus. They seem so small and docile in comparison.
Continue through Solvang, and go to
Stop #2: Seein’ Spots Farm
2599 Baseline Avenue, Ballard, CA 9346; donation suggested to go in the gate and pet the animals.
This lovely farm has chickens, ducks, goats, and a pig, but the main attraction is the miniature donkeys. Neither D and I are “animal people”, but these donkeys were so friendly and cute! The kids were kind of scared of the goats, but they did pet the mini donkeys.
This farm also has a zonkey—half zebra, half donkey! (It is behind an electric fence, so don’t get too close!)
Now you will do a little backtracking. Head back towards Solvang, and on the right you will see
Stop #3: Quicksilver Ranch
1555 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang, California 93463
No charge.
This ranch features miniature horses! I believe you can only see these guys through the fence, but they are also a sight you do not see everyday. However, it was warming up, so the kids didn’t last too long. I tried to cheer them up by giving them some juice and telling them that the next and final stop would be a park.
Continue backtracking towards the touristy part of Solvang, on Alamo Pintado Road, and you will come across
Stop #4: Sunny Fields Playground (on the left).
900 Alamo Pintado Dr, Solvang, CA 93463
One of k’s classmate’s mom told me about this place. It is not your run-of-the-mill park, as there are a lot of interesting features to keep the kids occupied. D was glad that there was a shaded resting place for the parents.
The water feature was especially nice on a warm day.
All of these stops are fairly close together, so the driving is minimal. Afterward, you can head back into Solvang proper, and treat yourself to some Danish desserts, which we will cover next.