Solvang ghost tours and food tours split the day neatly: lunch by daylight, Spirit Boxes after dark. The big one is The Haunt's, $55, nightly at 7pm or 8pm with an EMF meter in hand; its 21+ Wine & True Crime crawl ($115) finishes the night. By day, Secret Solvang walks you through lunch in 2 hours from $115.
The short version
- Real ghost hunt, 12+The Haunt, $55, nightly
- Date night, 21+Wine & True Crime, 3 bars, $115
- Lunch in 2 hoursSecret Solvang, $115 to $135
- Most tastingsEat This, Shoot That!, up to 7
- Kids 5 to 12Viking Kids Tour, $35
This week
- Nov6–8Buellton Fall Festival · Visit Buellton
Avenue of the Flags; Fri 4-10pm, Sat-Sun 12-10pm; carnival rides, live music on two stages; Ales on the Avenue beer and wine tasting Sat (tickets) · Free · by City of Buellton
- FriNov 6NatureTrack Film Festival · Visit NatureTrack Foundation
8th annual; reception 6pm, program 6:45pm at the SYV Grange Hall · $25 · by NatureTrack Foundation
- SatNov 7SYV Historical Museum Vaquero Benefit Dinner & Auction · Visit Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum
42nd annual · Tickets (early bird from Aug 1) · by Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum
- SatNov 7Alma Rosa Fall Harvest Dinner · Visit Alma Rosa Winery
Winery event; check access on the listing · Not published · by Alma Rosa Winery
Book ahead, any time of year
Halloween week 2026 is over, but the tours aren't. Book ahead any time of year: every tour here sells online first, and The Haunt and Secret Solvang both say walk-ups aren't guaranteed. Each operator's own booking calendar has the current dates:
- The Haunt ghost hunt: leaves nightly at 7pm or 8pm, per its own page.
- Wine & True Crime, Secret Solvang food tour and Viking Kids Tour: their Halloween week dates (Oct 23 to 31, 2026) have passed, so check each booking page for what's next.
Solvang Parks & Recreation's Haunted House at the Festival Theater, Oct 23 and 24, is over. The Haunt also ran a Lompoc Ghost Hunting Tour in Old Town Lompoc, which it billed as an October exclusive. For pumpkins and harvest weekends, see Solvang pumpkin patches and Halloween.
Compare the tours
Prices are per person, from each operator's own site and booking page.
| Tour | When | Length | Price | Ages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Haunt ghost hunt | Nightly, 7pm or 8pm | 1.5 to 1.75 h | $55 | 12+ recommended |
| Wine & True Crime | Fri to Sun evenings | 2 h | $115 ($100 no alcohol) | 21+ |
| Sinister Solvang | Nightly | 1 h | At booking | Not posted |
| Secret Solvang food tour | Fri to Sun, 11:30am | 2 h | $115 to $135 | All ages |
| Eat This, Shoot That! | See its calendar | 3 to 3.5 h | $145 to $150 | All ages |
| Viking Kids Tour | 10:30am & 2pm on tour days | 1.25 h | $35 | 5 to 12 |
Solvang ghost tours
Solvang goes quiet after dark, which is the point. The Haunt hands you the gear and lets you do the hunting; Sinister Solvang tells the stories on a walk from Old Mission Santa Inés.
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Hands-on ghost hunt after dark · Solvang
The Haunt: Spooky Solvang Ghost Hunting TourBook
You do the hunting: every guest carries an EMF meter, and the guide brings a Spirit Box and dowsing rods. The Haunt calls itself Solvang's original ghost tour, built from years of interviews with residents, and it walks past spots like the Solvang Festival Theater before ending at Solvang Park with a ceremony so nothing follows you home.
- Open
- Nightly at 7pm or 8pm
- Fee
- $55 Ghost Hunter ticket
- Booking
- Online only (Peek); walk-ups not guaranteed
Go with The dog
More details
- 1.5 to 1.75 hours, up to 22 people
- Ages 12+ recommended; paid ticket from age 4
- Leashed dogs welcome; wheelchair and stroller friendly
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead
- Runs in rain; no restrooms on the route
Copenhagen Drive & 2nd Street, Solvang, CA 93463
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Wine bars and dark history, 21+ · Solvang
The Haunt: Solvang Wine & True Crime TourBook
Three generous pours at Final Girl Wines, the slasher-movie-themed winery, then a wine cocktail at a second bar and a champagne toast at a third, with stories of 1970s serial killers, hidden tunnels and haunted mortuaries in between. It meets at the Little Mermaid fountain outside Chomp. The tour page still names High Roller Tiki Lounge for the cocktail stop, which closed on Oct 25, 2026; ask The Haunt where that stop is now.
- Open
- Friday to Sunday; 6pm on its October calendar
- Fee
- $115 with wine; $100 non-alcoholic
- Booking
- Online only (Peek); tickets non-refundable
Go with The dog
More details
- 2 hours, up to 12 people
- 21+ with photo ID
- Non-drinker ticket available
- Small dogs OK if you email ahead
- Ends 2 blocks from the ghost tour start
1693 Mission Drive, Solvang, CA 93463
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Haunted-history walk from the Mission · Solvang
Sinister Solvang Ghost Tours (US Ghost Adventures)
A storytelling walk rather than a gear hunt: Mission Santa Inés, Solvang's oldest surviving building, the Solvang Theaterfest and the legend of its real human skull used in Hamlet, and the town windmill. It meets at the Mission Santa Ines sign across from the Solvang Library.
- Open
- Nightly
- Fee
- Price shown at booking
- Booking
- Online; bring ID, no printed ticket
More details
- 1 hour, about 1 mile on foot
- Ask about the extended tour to more locations
- Bring your ID; no printed ticket needed
1745 Mission Drive, Solvang, CA 93463
Solvang food tours
Both are walking lunches, with wine for adults. Short on time? Secret Solvang takes 2 hours. Want the long crawl? Eat This, Shoot That! runs 3 to 3.5.
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2-hour lunch on foot, wine optional · Solvang
Secret Solvang Food & Culture TourBook
Enough food for lunch in 5 to 6 stops: Danish pastry and coffee, a sandwich from a Michelin Bib Gourmand spot, a spicy tuna hand roll from an artisan Japanese restaurant, a cheese plate, valley olive oil and gelato, with Santa Ynez Valley wine flights for adults. It starts at Mortensen's Danish Bakery, and restaurant costs and tips are included.
- Open
- Friday to Sunday, 11:30am
- Fee
- $135 with wine tastings; $115 food only
- Booking
- Online (Peek); walk-ups not accepted
Go with The dog
More details
- 2 hours, up to 12 people
- All ages; a ticket for everyone
- Vegetarian, gluten-free, pescatarian and alcohol-free options
- Dogs welcome with a heads-up
- Refund or reschedule 24 hours ahead
1588 Mission Drive, Solvang, CA 93463 · 805-225-7865
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3-hour food crawl with photo tips · Solvang
Eat This, Shoot That! Solvang Food Tour
Billed as Solvang's first food tour: up to 7 tastings across an artisan cheese shop, traditional Danish restaurants and bakeries, wine tasting rooms, a valley olive oil bar and a family chocolate shop where you tour the kitchen with the chocolatier. Your guide adds smartphone food-photo tips. It meets at Cailloux Cheese Shop in the courtyard at 1623 Mission Drive.
- Open
- About 3 to 3.5 hours
- Fee
- $145 to $150 per person
- Booking
- Online (FareHarbor) or text 805-699-6719
More details
- Up to 8 people; all ages
- About 1 mile of walking, with seats along the way
- Enough for a full lunch
- No dogs; runs rain or shine
- Guide tip not included (cash or Venmo)
1623 Mission Drive, Solvang, CA 93463 · 805-699-6719
A tour for kids
The ghost tours suit ages 12 and up, so younger kids get a daytime Viking quest from Secret Solvang instead.
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Clue hunt for ages 5 to 12 · Solvang
Secret Solvang Viking Kids TourBook
Kids hunt clues through town and the Solvang Viking Museum (entry included), see a full-size Viking ship built in Denmark, eat a fresh aebleskiver halfway through and finish with arcade tokens at Peasants Deli & Arcade. It was developed by an educator and parent, and every child gets a paper Viking crown.
- Open
- 10:30am and 2pm on tour days
- Fee
- $35 per person, adult or child
- Booking
- Online (Peek); one adult per booking
More details
- 1.25 hours, up to 16 people
- Made for ages 5 to 12
- Meets in Solvang Park
Solvang Park, Mission Drive, Solvang, CA 93463 · 805-225-7865
One spooky night
Want both tours in one night? Book Wine & True Crime at 6pm and the ghost hunt at 8pm. The Haunt says that 2-hour gap works, and the wine tour ends 2 blocks from the Solvang sign where the hunt starts. Eat a real meal first, because the pours are generous (our Solvang restaurants guide has the options). After the hunt, The Haunt's own pick for a drink is Vaquero Bar.
Make a day of it
Start with the 11:30am Secret Solvang food tour, which meets at Mortensen's Danish Bakery and covers lunch. Fill the afternoon with Solvang wine tasting or the Solvang museums, then end the day with the ghost hunt at 7pm or 8pm. Staying over? Compare rooms in our Solvang hotels guide, and see things to do in Solvang for the rest of the weekend.
Plan your day
- MorningBreakfast first: Breakfast in SolvangDanish pancakes to bear claws
- MiddayGo tasting: Wine tasting in SolvangNebbiolo to Rhône in an adobe
- EveningBook dinner: Solvang restaurantsBib Gourmand chicken to aebleskiver
- LateNight out: Solvang happy hoursSpritzes, Industry Night, 8pm deals
- OvernightFind a bed: Solvang hotelsNordic rooms to a 1946 ranch
Good to know
How much is the Solvang ghost tour? The Haunt's Spooky Solvang ghost hunt is $55 for a Ghost Hunter ticket, nightly at 7pm or 8pm, and every guest uses an EMF meter. Its Wine & True Crime Tour is $115 with wine or $100 without. Sinister Solvang Ghost Tours shows its price at booking.
Is there a ghost tour in Solvang on Halloween? Halloween 2026 has passed. The Haunt's own page lists the ghost hunt nightly at 7pm or 8pm and points to its booking calendar for the current schedule. Book online: The Haunt doesn't guarantee space for walk-ups.
Are Solvang ghost tours OK for kids? The Haunt recommends its ghost hunt for 12 and up because of talk of brothels, serial killers and dark history, and Wine & True Crime is 21+. For ages 5 to 12, Secret Solvang's Viking Kids Tour is $35 and includes the Solvang Viking Museum and an aebleskiver.
Can you do the ghost tour and the wine tour the same night? Yes, if the start times are at least 2 hours apart, The Haunt says: Wine & True Crime at 6pm, then the ghost hunt at 8pm. The wine tour ends 2 blocks from where the ghost tour begins. Eat first, since Solvang is quiet at night.
Are dogs allowed on Solvang tours? Leashed dogs are welcome on The Haunt's ghost hunt, small dogs on Wine & True Crime if you email first, and dogs on Secret Solvang's food tour with a heads-up. Eat This, Shoot That! doesn't allow dogs.
Quick answers
What is the best food tour in Solvang?
For a 2-hour lunch with a Michelin Bib Gourmand sandwich and sushi, Secret Solvang ($115, or $135 with wine). For the longest crawl, up to 7 tastings including a chocolate kitchen tour, Eat This, Shoot That! ($145 to $150, about 3 to 3.5 hours).
Sources
tap to open
- The Haunt: Spooky Solvang ghost tour and Wine & True Crime, plus their Peek booking calendars for prices and October dates.
- US Ghost Adventures: Sinister Solvang Ghost Tours.
- Secret Solvang Food & Culture Tour and Viking Kids Tour, plus their Peek booking calendars.
- Eat This, Shoot That! Solvang Food Tour.
Last updated Nov 2, 2026. Our own guide. No tour company pays to be listed; the Viator links are paid affiliate links (see our disclosure). We never copy reviews or business photos; the photos are licensed and credited. Prices and dates change, so confirm when you book. Spot an error? Corrections.
