Solvang, California

I classify Solvang as a 'make-believe' or theme-park type of town, designed to replicate buildings of Danish origin.  If you can imagine Mickey Mouse wearing wooden clogs walking around a windmill Magic Kingdom, you can envision this small town.  Solvang means "Sunny Field" in Danish.  The settlers of this city left for the west to escape Midwestern winters. The city is home to some bakeries, restaurants, and merchants offering a taste of Denmark in California. Thanks to its Danish lifestyle and impressive architecture, Solvang has become a major tourist attraction in California with over a million visitors a year. Ever since 1936, the town has scheduled a Danish Days festival, currently held during the third week of September. Solvang is located off Highway 101, approximately 40 miles north of Santa Barbara.  EARNS OUR HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION.