Santa Barbara district, California, United States

Places to visit near Solvang

Solvang is a town in Santa Barbara district, California, United States, home to about 5,741 people. Within 50 km by road there are 58 places to visit — 7 beaches & coast, 10 forts & heritage, 11 wildlife, forests & gardens and 6 hill stations & viewpoints. The must-see places are Mission Santa Inés (1 km), Elverhøj Museum (1 km) and OstrichLand USA (5 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Solvang on the map

Solvang, California
Solvang, Santa Barbara district, California, United States. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Solvang at a glance

Location
Santa Barbara district, California, United States
Population
about 5,741
Coordinates
34.5958° N, 120.1376° W
Places within 50 km
58 (28 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to March for beaches & coast; October to February for forts & heritage

Top places to visit near Solvang

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Solvang: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

More places near Solvang

Things to see near Solvang, by type

Beaches & coast near Solvang

40 beaches & coast within 100 km of Solvang. The closest is Gaviota Beach (20 km); the best-known is Refugio State Beach (20 km). Best time: october to march.

All beaches & coast in California →

Forts & heritage near Solvang

30 forts & heritage within 100 km of Solvang. The closest is Fremont Foxon Historical Marker (18 km). Best time: october to february.

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Wildlife, forests & gardens near Solvang

25 wildlife, forests & gardens within 100 km of Solvang. The closest is Gaviota State Park (16 km). Best time: november to march for sightings.

All wildlife, forests & gardens in California →

Hill stations & viewpoints near Solvang

23 hill stations & viewpoints within 100 km of Solvang. The closest is Gaviota Peak (15 km). Best time: october to february for cool, clear air.

All hill stations & viewpoints in California →

Museums near Solvang

19 museums within 100 km of Solvang. The closest is Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum (1 km); the best-known is Elverhøj Museum (1 km). Best time: year-round.

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Rivers, islands & mangroves near Solvang

19 rivers, islands & mangroves within 100 km of Solvang. The closest is Wilson Rock (74 km). Best time: september to february.

  • Wilson Rock · river spot · Santa Barbara · ~74 km
  • Nifty Rock · river spot · Santa Barbara · ~77 km
  • March Rock · river spot · Santa Barbara · ~77 km
  • Kid Rock · river spot · Santa Barbara · ~78 km
  • Hare Rock · river spot · Santa Barbara · ~78 km
  • Prince Island · river spot · Santa Barbara · ~78 km

All rivers, islands & mangroves in California →

A one-day trip from Solvang

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 39 km on the road.

  1. Start in Solvang
  2. 1 km Mission Santa Inés · church, Santa Barbara
  3. 15 km Gaviota State Park · nature spot, Santa Barbara
  4. 3 km Gaviota Peak · peak, Santa Barbara
  5. 15 km OstrichLand USA · park, Santa Barbara
  6. 4 km Elverhøj Museum · museum, Santa Barbara
  7. 1 km Back to Solvang

Plan a longer trip from Solvang — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Solvang

No traveller has reported from around Solvang yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Solvang

    All places near Solvang by distance

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    50–100 km — one-day trips

    Count by type (within 100 km)

    Places near Solvang by type
    TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
    Beaches & coast740Gaviota Beach (20 km)
    Forts & heritage1030Fremont Foxon Historical Marker (18 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens1125Gaviota State Park (16 km)
    Hill stations & viewpoints623Gaviota Peak (15 km)
    Museums619Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum (1 km)
    Rivers, islands & mangroves019Wilson Rock (74 km)
    Parks317Hans Christian Andersen Park (1 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs312Bradbury Dam (18 km)
    Waterfalls311Nojoqui Falls County Park (10 km)
    Churches48Iglesia de Santa Inés (1 km)
    Other attractions38Chumash Casino Resort (6 km)
    Caves25Gaviota Wind Caves (19 km)

    Solvang: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Solvang?

    Mission Santa Inés (church, about 1 km), Elverhøj Museum (museum, about 1 km), OstrichLand USA (park, about 5 km), Gaviota Peak (peak, about 15 km), Gaviota State Park (nature spot, about 16 km), Purisima Hills (hill, about 20 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Solvang?

    58 places on Spotwander: 7 beaches & coast, 10 forts & heritage, 11 wildlife, forests & gardens, 6 hill stations & viewpoints, 6 museums.

    Which is the nearest beach to Solvang?

    Gaviota Beach, about 20 km by road; Refugio State Beach (20 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest fort to Solvang?

    Fremont Foxon Historical Marker, about 18 km by road; Chumash Highway (36 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest sanctuary to Solvang?

    Gaviota State Park, about 16 km by road; Sedgwick Reserve (20 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Solvang?

    Start in Solvang, visit Mission Santa Inés, then Gaviota State Park, then Gaviota Peak, then OstrichLand USA, then Elverhøj Museum, and drive back — about 39 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Solvang?

    October to March for beaches & coast; October to February for forts & heritage.

    Towns near Solvang

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Solvang’s location and population from GeoNames; see also Solvang on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.