Solvang self-guided app tour: Copenhagen Drive at your pace

Copenhagen Drive without the crowds or the clock

This self-guided app tour of Solvang lets you walk the town's Danish-style streets, bakeries and wine shops at your own pace using the Pintours app on your phone. The app includes detailed information about each stop — Mission Santa Ines, the 1922 windmill, the Petersen Museum and the Amber Museum — and you control when to pause, move on or skip a location entirely. Audio guide in English; suitable for all fitness levels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Solvang's Danish culture and sites

• Pass by Mission Santa Ines
• Visit historic windmill on Fredensborg Canyon
• Tour Petersen Museum in Danish-style building
• Stroll Solvang's charming downtown square
• Enjoy outdoor Danish eatery garden
• Explore amber museum collection
• Visit Andersen childhood home museum

The Experience

Solvang's downtown centers on Copenhagen Drive, where you'll find aebleskivers and Danish pastries in bakeries, wine tasting under the shade of windmills, and European-style shops mixed into California sunshine. The app guides you through the town's most charming spots — the heart of downtown, a popular garden restaurant serving authentic Danish food, and the historic buildings that make up the core of the "Danish Capital of America." You move at your own speed, which means you can linger over a pastry or spend extra time in a shop without anyone waiting.

Mission Santa Ines, founded in 1804, was the first European settlement in the Santa Ynez Valley and the nineteenth of California's 21 missions built by Spanish Franciscan priests. The Petersen Museum occupies a historic Danish-style building that once belonged to one of the town's founding families. The 1922 windmill on Fredensborg Canyon was originally built as a working well for a farm. The Amber Museum houses an impressive collection ranging from small trinkets to large sculptures. Each stop comes with background information through the app, so you have context without needing a guide beside you.

The app's main feature is control: pause whenever you want, skip any stop that doesn't interest you, and come back to the information whenever you need it. The tour takes 1 to 2 hours depending on how many stops you visit and how long you stay at each one. You'll need a smartphone with the Pintours app downloaded, and the tour works on your own schedule — no meeting time, no group, no one else's pace to match.

What’s included

• Free navigation on your smartphone through the Pintours app.
• audio guide in English.
• detailed information about each stop including Mission Santa Ines, the windmill, the Petersen Museum, downtown square, the garden restaurant, and the Amber Museum.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Pintours

Is this one for you?You set the pace and the stops, which works best if you want to browse bakeries and shops without rushing or if you prefer exploring alone rather than in a group. The app means no meeting time and no guide keeping everyone moving together.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What is Mission Santa Ines and why is it on this tour?

Mission Santa Ines was founded in 1804 and was the first European settlement in the Santa Ynez Valley. It was the nineteenth of California's 21 missions built by Spanish Franciscan priests from 1769 to 1836, making it a key landmark in understanding Solvang's history.

Can I skip stops or take breaks with the app?

Yes — the Pintours app lets you pause the tour at any point, spend as long as you want at a location, and skip any stop you don't want to visit. You control the pace entirely.

What kind of information does the app provide at each stop?

The app includes detailed background about each attraction, from the history of the 1922 windmill to the collections in the Amber Museum and the story of the Petersen Museum's Danish-style building. You have all the information at your fingertips without needing a guide.

How long does this tour take?

The tour runs 1 to 2 hours depending on which stops you visit and how long you spend at each one. Since you set the pace, you can finish faster or take longer.

Do I need anything special to use this tour?

You'll need a smartphone with the Pintours app downloaded before you start. The app provides audio guide in English and works on your own schedule with no meeting time required.