Top : The Landsby ’ s courtyard features fire pits and s ’ mores kits can be purchased inside the hotel . Above : Kids can feed animals at Vega Vineyard & Farm . Below : Children will enjoy the open space and pond while adults sip vino at Dovecote Estate Winery . |
STAY After a leisurely afternoon at Vega , there ’ s an option to stay at the vineyard — guests can book a two-bedroom casita with full kitchen and wraparound deck — or make your way to Solvang , a charming town with Danishinfluenced architecture that offers a home base for visiting wineries in the region . The Landsby is a great place to stay overnight . This newly remodeled boutique hotel with 51 rooms features contemporary Scandinavian design and a courtyard with fire pits to gather around and even roast s ’ mores ( bring your own fixings or purchase a kit at the hotel ). On-site restaurant Mad & Vin offers wine country-inspired cuisine . Located on the main road through town , it ’ s an easy walk to shops and other eateries .
A few blocks away , make sure to check out Hanson ’ s Clock Shop Jewelers , a store filled with unique cuckoo clocks from around the world , as well as the Hans Christian Andersen Museum filled with books and displays related to the life of this Danish writer who penned fairy tales including “ The Snow Queen ”— upon which Disney ’ s “ Frozen ” is loosely based — and “ The Little Mermaid .” Not far away , a Little Mermaid fountain is a perfect photo opp .
PLAY In Solvang , families might enjoy taking a ride in a horse-drawn trolley on weekends or a motorized trolley daily except Tuesdays , which depart from Copenhagen Drive and Second Street across from the visitors center roughly every half hour . Also , just outside town , going
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toward Buellton , OstrichLand USA is worth a stop : Visitors can feed the enormous birds , with more than 100 ostriches and emus on-site .
As you continue driving through the region , wineries and vineyards abound . Those seeking a peaceful and secluded setting might want to head to Dovecote Estate Winery , north of Solvang in the Los Alamos area ; a reservation and gate code are required for entry . Kids will have fun exploring around a large pond , surrounded by plenty of open space . Several picnic tables allow for an alfresco lunch . Pull up a seat at the historic redwood tasting shack or take a glass of vino back to your group picnic beneath a 250-year-old constitution oak tree .
Dovecote seeks to convey a sense of its location through its wines . Try Redtail , a complex but balanced red blend named for the families of red-tailed hawks on the property . Or sample the estate viognier , made with grapes from the label ’ s single-acre vineyard — hand farmed without machinery — in the Los Olivos District , which offers a relatively cool growing climate .
But don ’ t leave without drinking some dark , rich syrah , which put Dovecote ’ s vineyard on the map . A previous owner , David Thompson , acquired coveted Estrella River syrah cuttings , which were snuck into the country by suitcase from the famous Chapoutier vineyard in Hermitage , France . At Dovecote , these prized vines grow in just a few rows of land that are sandy , windblown and nutrient depleted , producing tiny , nearly pea-sized grapes . But the high skin-to-pulp ratios create fruit with intense density that translates to highly acclaimed wines . Demand from soon made the Thompson property one of the most sought-after sources of single-vineyard syrah . In 2014 , the Thompsons passed the reins to the Rowles family , which now crafts limited quantities of Dovecote Estate Wine .
About 30 minutes away , Babcock Winery & Vineyards offers another unique experience . Guests will feel transported back in time by the vintage furniture and decor throughout the eclectic tasting room and shop . Teens — and their parents — will enjoy flipping through a collection of vinyl records , pins and patches ; perusing the retro band posters on the walls ; and gawking at the antique television set , typewriter , clothes washer and more . Grab a glass of wine , along with some cheese and charcuterie , and nestle into one of the nostalgic spaces arranged like mini living rooms with throwback couches , coffee tables and knickknacks . With fun names like Status Crow and Opportunity Knocks carignan , Ocean ’ s Ghost pinot noir , Once in a Lifetime viognier and
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FROM TOP : DAVID TSAY PHOTOGRAPHY ; SHARON STELLO ; COURTESY OF DOVECOTE ESTATE WINERY ; OPPOSITE PAGE , LEFT : COURTESY OF BABCOCK WINERY & VINEYARDS ; RIGHT : JEREMY BALL |
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