Press releases are posted on Independent.com as a free community service.
July 17, 2025 – Solvang, CA – Solvang, California (http://www.SolvangUSA.com), affectionately known as “The Danish Capital of America,” has been nominated for the Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards in the category of “Best Historical Small Town.” The awards contest and online voting launched for the history-themed category on Thursday, July 17, 2025, at 12 Noon ET, and are now live on the Newsweek site: http://www.newsweek.com/readerschoice. Voting is open to the public and all official contest rules may be found here (limit one vote per person, per Category List, per day; voters must be 18+). Online voting runs through Thursday, August 14, 2025, at 11:59 AM ET.
The Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards present up to 20 nominees in a broad range of categories to be voted on by readers. All nominees are editorially driven with contributions from a panel of travel experts, or experts from various fields. Newsweek editors then determine the final lists of “the best of the best in the USA.” Every three weeks, Newsweek publishes an entrants list of up to 20 businesses, services or products by Awards category for public voting to pick the Newsweek Reader’s Choice Winner (each a “Category List”). Once a Category List is published, voting runs for 28 days for each Category List and at the end of the voting period, once voting is closed, Newsweek announces and publishes the businesses with the most votes as Reader’s Choice Winners in their respective categories. More information about the Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards may be found here.
“This particular Newsweek awards nomination aligns with a number of heritage and history projects that the City of Solvang is undertaking, including preparations for our annual Danish heritage festival, Solvang Danish Days, this year September 19 through 21. Solvang’s history and Danish roots are always on display for visitors from around the globe, and we’re thrilled to be recognized for how we proudly protect our heritage,” said Randy Murphy, Solvang City Manager.
Solvang, the Danish-settled, California Central Coast getaway spot with a resident population hovering around 6,000, has been nominated for similar “best of” awards in the past, with a recent Awards nod when Solvang was named as the second “Best Christmas Town” in the 2024 Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards.
Dog-friendly and ideal for kids, Solvang, known for its Danish-American ambiance, architecture and design details, pastries and bakeries, and array of wine tasting options, also boasts dozens of unique boutiques, restaurants and gourmet food purveyors. Carefully-curated indie booksellers and high-end home goods suppliers mingle with fairy tale-like children’s stores and museum gift shops. Solvang’s foodie destinations offer everything from elevated street cuisine – like locally-sourced fish tacos on hand-made tortillas, and comforting ramen noodles – to European-style pretzels and sausages, to Italian standbys or iconic Danish dishes, to elevated new-Californian fare in the form of MICHELIN-honored menus. Solvang visitors sip small-batch, locally-roasted coffee, shop for exotic, hand-bottled spice blends, or enjoy Tiki cocktails and craft beer, all part of an indulgent and one-of-a-kind, year ‘round shopping and playing escape.
Questions, media requests for interviews and/or photos related to this announcement may be directed to Anna Ferguson-Sparks, Stiletto Marketing, at 1-877-327-2656 or solvang@stilettomarketing.com.
About the City of Solvang:
Referred to as “The Danish Capital of America,” the City of Solvang is located in the Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County, California. Founded by a group of Danish-Americans in 1911 and incorporated in 1985, Solvang offers a taste of Denmark in Southern California. Danish design and Old World charm fill Solvang’s numerous interior courtyards, cozy communal spaces, and open-air venues, where vacation itineraries for all unfold. The walkable village features plentiful free parking options for locals and visitors, and more than 20 lodging options for staycation-ers, weekenders and midweek travelers, from classic comfort to luxury-level. The Solvang Visitor Center, located at 1639 Copenhagen Drive, is open daily, 9:30 AM-5:30 PM (closed briefly for lunch). For more information, including travel itinerary ideas and inspiration for things to do, where to eat and drink, and places to stay, follow our adventures on Instagram (@SolvangUSA) and Facebook (facebook.com/VisitSolvangUSA).
You must be logged in to post a comment.