Solvang

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Tuesday, May 2.The town of Solvang bills itself as “a sun-soaked slice of Danish culture,” with windmills, thatched-roof buildings, wine tasting rooms, fabled pancakes and other sweets drawing thousands of tourists out to the Santa Ynez Valley each year. I was among them in 2022, and I have the tiny windmill fridge magnet to prove it.“In the self-described Danish Capital of America, friendliness is part of the brand,” my colleague Hailey Branson-Potts…

SOLVANG, Calif. —  This little tourist town in the Santa Ynez Valley is best known for its Danish windmills, aebleskivers and Viking-themed tchotchkes.In the self-described Danish Capital of America, friendliness is part of the brand, with Solvang so outwardly idyllic it was the setting for the saccharine Lifetime TV movie “A Very Charming Christmas Town.” As one city councilman declared: “This is the friendliest goddamn town I’ve ever been in.”But lately — if you’re queer — something smells rotten in this wannabe…

Los Angeles is more than 5,500 miles from Copenhagen — but for those in search of some hygge this holiday season, a warm and cozy solution is a mere three-hour drive up the coast. The city of Solvang — also known as the “The Danish Capital of America” — is in the Santa Ynez Valley, making the community of half-timbered buildings and windmills an easy day- or weekend-trip destination for Southern California travelers. What’s more, Solvang’s six-week-long Julefest kicked off last weekend, which means it’s a great time to…