As the road winded through rolling hills and a ranch full of playful ostriches, we knew something special was awaiting. And when we past a pasture of grazing horses and entered a tiny village of windmills and half-timbered buildings with gabled roofs, our suspicions were confirmed: we were going to have a memorable time in Solvang. 

Our getaway to the small Danish-inspired town began at The Landsby Hotel, a contemporary boutique hotel, with 51 rooms, all finished with blonde woods, brushed brass accents, unique animal paintings, and elegant hand-crafted furnishings. Here we checked into a beautiful suite, overlooking a serene courtyard with trees, benches, firepits and walkways. 

Our room at The Landsby came with a comfy, four poster king bed, 47” inch flat-screen TV, mini bar, office desk and an elegant Scandinavian design feel. The room was highlighted by a unique painting of a fluffy alpaca, leather accents on the furniture and lots of windows looking over the courtyard. 

Once settled in our room, we explored town. Named by Sunset magazine as one of the “10 Most Beautiful Small Towns in the Western United States,” Solvang’s rich history dates back to 1911 when adventurous Danish-Americans traveled across the plains from Iowa to establish a colony and escape harsh Midwestern winters. Since then the city has retained its heritage with numerous Danish-styled structures with windmills and pitched roofs.

One of the great things about Solvang is that it is very walkable. From our room at The Landsby we explored all the sites by strolling up and down Mission Drive, the town’s main street. 

Our first stop was Ingeborg’s Danish Chocolate Factory, which was opened in 1961 by Ingeborg Larsen, who prior to moving to Solvang, ran her own chocolate shop in Copenhagen, Denmark. When she came to America, she brought with her many original recipes, some of which are now over 70 years old and still popular today.

At Ingeborg’s I felt like a kid in a candy store – an actual candy store! I was surrounded by swirls of pure chocolate, chocolate-covered marshmallows, nut & truffle creations, chocolate-covered fruit-filled marzipan, crunchy peppermint, orange sticks and award-winning butterscotch sea salt to name a few. The place also has an old fashioned malt shop. 

After sampling an assortment of hand-made chocolates, we boarded a horse-drawn carriage, pulled by two huge Belgian draft horses. As we clip-clopped through town, the driver/guide, who was dressed in traditional Danish garb, gave everyone on board a fun history lesson on Solvang. He also made an exciting U-turn on a small side street, which was quite a feat for a long carriage being pulled by massive horses.

During the ride we waved to tourists as we drove past a copy of the famous Little Mermaid statue from Copenhagen, as well as a large bust of Danish fable writer Hans Christian Andersen. We also past the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art, one of the few museums outside of Denmark devoted to Danish culture and the Danish-American experience. Another unique sight during our horse carriage tour was the eMoke car, a little, open-air, electric vehicle that looks like an old Jeep. Made for sight-seeing, these small cars are currently very popular in Solvang.

After the carriage ride, we headed back to The Landsby for dinner at the hotel’s signature Mad & Vin Restaurant. Specializing in delicious wine country-inspired cuisine, Mad & Vin serves fresh dishes with seasonal ingredients from California’s central coast. They also boast traditional and craft cocktails, specialty shrubs, beer, and acclaimed, locally produced wine.

Our dinner at Mad & Vin began with delicious shrimp ceviche, with citrus-cured wild red shrimp, avocado, onions, tomato, cilantro, and house-made hot sauce. We followed this with an incredible plate or golden-fried calamari with lemon, peppers, sweet onions and a succulent dipping sauce. 

For the main course at Mad & Vin we split a tender filet mignon, grilled to perfection and served with gorgonzola, bacon whipped potatoes, baby arugula, and a green peppercorn reduction. For dessert we devoured a tantalizing creme brulee and a heavenly flourless chocolate molten cake, with cherry port wine sauce, mcconnell’s vanilla bean ice cream, fresh berries, and whipped cream.

The next morning we drove a couple miles to Ostrichland USA to feed the world’s largest birds. Located along Highway 246, the 33-acre ranch is home to about 100 hundred giant ostriches and a few emus, all roaming freely behind fences. The friendly birds are raised onsite and love to be fed by visitors. For $1, guests can get a bowl full of bird food and walk up to the fence and feed the birds. But as I quickly learned, you must hold the bowls very tight or the ostriches will pull them from your hand with their powerful beaks. 

Ostrichland USA is so popular it’s been in numerous TV shows, including an episode of The Simpsons entitled, “How Munched is That Birdie in the Window?” For this episode, artists from The Simpsons visited the farm in 2010 to draw inspiration. 

Besides ostriches and emus, Ostrichland USA features a unique gift shop with t-shirts, ostrich socks, fresh ostrich eggs, and more. Admission is $7 for adults and $3 for kids under 12. 

Back at The Landsby Hotel, we had lunch at Mad & Vin and sipped local CARR Cabernet Franc red wine from Santa Ynez Valley. And speaking of wine, Solvang and The Landsby Hotel are located in the heart of beautiful Santa Ynez Valley, one of California’s most productive wine regions. From the hotel, guests can catch a shuttle to numerous award-winning wineries, located only a few miles away. 

For more information on staying at The Landsby Hotel and visiting Solvang, visit: www.thelandsby.com, or call 805-688-3121. 

The post A Savory Sojourn to Solvang and The Landsby Hotel appeared first on Traveling Archive.

The only thing better than a great hotel room, is a great hotel room on the beach. And this is why Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach is one of my new favorite Southern California destinations. Located steps from the beautiful sand and ocean in Oxnard, California, the resort has everything one could want for a waterfront vacation.

The family and I began a recent two-night stay at Zachari Dunes by experiencing two different rooms. The first night we stayed in a luxurious 2-queen suite, overlooking the water, and the second night we were in a palatial presidential suite.

The 625-sq-ft, 2-queen suite overlooked the ocean and stunning Mandalay Beach. It came with a large entertaining room, featuring a sleeper sofa, comfy chairs, chest of drawers, huge TV, and balcony looking out to the water. This main room also had a wet bar, microwave, refrigerator, table and chairs, and a bathroom with a shower.

In the suite’s separate bedroom, there were two queen beds, a private bathroom with a tub and shower, big closet, another TV, and access to the giant balcony overlooking the blue Pacific Ocean and the Channel Islands in the distance.

Outside the suite, we played on the beach or in the sparkling hotel pool. To get to the beach, we walked out the back gate of the resort, crossed a walking/biking path and stepped on the fluffy white sand of Mandalay Beach. I love this beach because it’s rarely crowded and it is great for sunbathing, building sand castles, and playing in the water with kids.

Another favorite spot was the hotel pool, where we had our own private cabana for a day. Available for rent, the cabanas offer shade, a refrigerator and a couch and chairs. They are a great way to enjoy the pool and the extra large Jacuzzi. While relaxing in the cabana we enjoyed champagne and fresh, local Oxnard strawberries.

After a day at the beach and pool, we enjoyed dinner at Ox & Ocean, the hotel’s signature, gourmet restaurant. Located beside the lobby, the restaurant offers an elegant and eclectic mix of surf and turf dinner options, as well as creative and tasty breakfast and lunch – all in a fun, indoor / outdoor setting.

“Tying into the unique makeup of California, Ox & Ocean serves locally sourced produce and seafood fresh from Oxnard’s plains and sea, celebrating a diverse influence and distinct flavors in an elegant, yet approachable fashion,” reads the hotel website.

Our dinner at Ox & Ocean began with a beet salad, with roasted poblano vinaigrette, avocado puree, goat cheese amaranth and local citrus. This heavenly salad was followed by delicious Oxtail Bao Buns, with hoisin, cilantro, kimchi and kewpie mayo.

Our savory adventure continued with a fresh and spicy Ahi Tuna Crudo, with aji amarillo, yuzu, apple pieces, avocado and radish. One of my favorite dishes on this incredible culinary journey was the Crab Croquettes, with lump crab meat, panko bread crumbs, and sesame chili-garlic dip.

These croquettes alone are worth a drive to Oxnard.

While dining, we sat outside, enjoying a cool ocean breeze and the beautiful Zachari Dunes resort. Featuring Spanish mission-type architecture, the white hotel buildings are highlighted by arches and red tile roofs. The grounds are covered with palm trees, lush vegetation, brooks and ponds, and winding pathways.

The hotel, which became part of the Hilton Curio Collection last year, is one of only two beachfront Hilton branded properties on the Pacific Coast. Besides 250 suites, Zachari Dunes boasts a fitness center, full-service spa, a bar with a game room, tennis and basketball courts, a small convenience store, and a beach gear rental shop with surf boards, paddle boards, hoverboards, skate boards, DSLR cameras, gopro cameras, binoculars, backpacks, wagons, a record player and more.

After dinner we strolled along the beach, as the sun fell behind the rugged outline of the Channel Islands about 20 miles offshore. We then joined other hotel guests for s’mores at the hotel’s giant fire pit.

The next morning I worked out at the fitness center and then it was back to Ox & Ocean for breakfast. And it was another delicious affair, as I devoured Chilaquiles with roasted red pepper salsa, tortilla chips, sunny side egg, queso fresco, pico de gallo, and lime crema.

After breakfast we rented a four-person surrey bike and pedaled along the beach path. We pedaled by the ocean and next to large sand dunes and by a park, where we rested our legs and enjoyed lunch under a shade tree.

Back at the hotel we took advantage of a great perk at the hotel that allows all guests to check out anything in the gear shop for free for two hours. The first day we borrowed a large beach wagon with oversized plastic wheels, to pull the kids and all our stuff across the sand to the water.

Our next adventure at Zachari Dunes was also quite memorable. We checked into a 1,600-sq-ft presidential suite that was fit for a king. The suite, which can easily sleep up to six people, came with two separate bedrooms, with a king bed in one and two queens in the other.

The suite also came with three bathrooms, two balconies overlooking the ocean and the pool, and a giant main living room with fireplace, office desk, wrap-around sofa, dining table, and kitchenette area with microwave, refrigerator, and wet bar. A highlight of the suite was the stand-alone bathtub in the main bedroom that was perfect for bubble baths.

The presidential suite was so great, we didn’t want to go outside. But with a sparkling pool below us and the blue pacific ocean mere steps away, we had to venture out. So on my second day at the hotel, I headed to the gear shop and used my free two-hour rental on a longboard skateboard. Measuring about 48 inches long, the board came with a long paddle-like oar that I used to propel myself along the walking/bike path. Not only was this fun and thrilling, but it was also a great full body workout. I think I have a new sport!

Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Bay is located at 2101 Mandalay Beach Road, Oxnard, California, 93035. For more information and reservations, visit: www.zacharidunes.com or call (805) 984-2500

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