8 Small Towns in California That Look Like Europe

Despite my 40-plus years living in California, I have yet to tire of city romps and off-the-beaten-path adventures in the Golden State. Even as a younger person, I knew a good thing when I had it—to live here is to have enviable access to some of Earth’s most spectacular places. In fact, the state's wildly diverse geographies are part of the reason why the film industry moved to Southern California at the turn of the last century.

I didn’t really leave California (or the country) until college. A proud book nerd, I registered for a Shakespeare-focused study abroad program that let me read and watch plays in England for four weeks. Budget sprees in Italy, Ireland, and France soon followed. It wasn’t a luxe European tour, but I was grateful for and inspired by the experience.

Now, I will not argue that sipping Champagne in, well, Champagne, France, can be perfectly replicated in California, but if you’re looking for a similar sense of escape in an equally winsome setting, I dare say you will find some pretty solid European dupes in California. I may not be in Europe very often these days, but I am on the highways and byways of my home state more than most.

Here are eight towns in California that look like they could be in Europe.

1. Solvang

Danish immigrants founded Solvang in 1911. They built a folk school and a church, printed Danish-language newspapers, and worked as dairy and crop farmers. Today, one of the oldest structures in town is the Bit O’ Denmark restaurant, constructed in 1911. Pop in for an open-faced frikadeller (sliced meatball) sandwich or a plate of flaeskesteg (roast pork). The Elverhøj Museum of History and Art focuses on local Danish history and heritage and is well worth a visit. Plus, you can even view “Lulu,” a wooden troll created by Thomas Dambo out of found objects like sticks, old pallets, and wine barrels, at the California Nature Art Museum.

When I bring my children to the area, we like to go windmill hunting. We stroll down Copenhagen Drive to see the Blue Windmill and then turn south on Alisal Road to see the grand Solvang Windmill. En route, we often snack on Danish pastries like aebleskivers (round pancakes filled with jam) or Mazarin cakes and roulades from Danish Mill Bakery.

2. Catalina Island

• Dupe for: Santorini, Greece, or Italy’s Amalfi Coast  

California’s Channel Islands are more than 20 miles off its coast. The southernmost island, Catalina, is arguably the most popular, and it's no wonder—with crystal-clear water, a gorgeous rock shoreline, and beaches for swimming and sunbathing, it's often compared to Santorini or the Amalfi Coast.

Travelers usually reach the island via the Catalina Express ferry. Since the island is so small, you don't need a car to get around, and you can always use the City of Avalon Seaside Transit if you ever do need a ride. Shops and restaurants line Crescent Avenue—head to Luau Larry’s for a tiki drink and Lobster Trap for a lobster roll—or while away a day at Descanso Beach Club, where you can eat and drink with your toes in the sand. If you're looking to do something more active, the Trans-Catalina Trail stretches for 38.5 miles across the island, or you could even zip-line.

3. Mammoth Lakes

When I think of Switzerland, I immediately picture the giant, jagged peaks of the Swiss Alps. In California, you’ll find (arguably) equally splendid summits in the Sierra Nevada Range. For comparison, California’s Mount Whitney is 14,494 feet tall, while Switzerland’s Matterhorn is 14,692 feet—if these mountains could duel, the winner would be anybody’s guess.

Many travelers heading to the Sierras are aiming for the mountain town of Mammoth Lakes or its beloved ski resort, Mammoth Mountain. Like Switzerland’s Saint Moritz or Zermatt, Mammoth draws outdoor enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies like mountain climbers, hikers, and fishermen all year long. I prefer visiting in the summer when I can fill my days with scenic, sunny hikes—but really, there's no bad time to visit.

4. Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara’s Spanish architectural details—cream stucco walls, red-tiled roofs, and pretty arches—are striking. Spanish settlers arrived in the area in the late 1700s (you can still find Franciscan Friars at the Old Santa Barbara Mission), and the coastal city’s iconic look is a reflection of that storied history. Take a walking tour to see sights like the historic Santa Barbara County Courthouse (the view from its clocktower is hard to beat), or visit during Fiesta, an annual, multi-day fête that celebrates Santa Barbara’s heritage with song, dance, a rodeo, and more.

5. Mendocino

• Dupe for: Coastal England and Ireland

The walkable village of Mendocino looks out onto the Pacific Ocean from a misty blufftop perch. Consider a morning stroll along Mendocino Trail, which undulates along the continent’s edge for miles, delivering a symphonic show of rolling waves and squawking sea birds, who sing their wild tunes from the top of dramatic rock formations. Mendocino is known for its cute-as-a-button Victorian architecture, and there are also plenty of adorable shops to pop into and eateries aplenty—we never skip a chance to visit Good Life Cafe & Bakery.

6. Carmel-by-the-Sea

Dupe for: Rural France and Germany

In the 1920s, storybook architecture became very popular in the Los Angeles area (this one in Beverly Hills still turns heads as people cruise along North Walden Drive) as well as in the small, but undeniably posh town of Carmel-By-the-Sea, located on California’s central coast. The Cottage of Sweets and The Tuck Box are both fine examples of this fanciful architectural style and can be easily seen from the street via a self-guided walking tour.

7. The Napa Valley Area

Dupe for: Europe's wine castles

Europe has hidden castles and so does California's Napa Valley area—and not only are they gorgeous, but they are also fantastic places to taste wine. Our top picks include Castello di Amorosa in Calistoga, which is modeled after 14th-century Tuscan castles. Book a seated tasting, which includes a flight of five wines and time to roam the castle. Then, about 20 miles away in Kenwood, there’s the Chateau Montelena Winery. The winery was founded in the late 1800s and offers reserve tastings and tours as well as limited walk-in spots.

8. Temecula

Dupe for: Tuscany

Southern California’s wine region is the Temecula Valley and the rolling vineyards here are often compared to those in Tuscany. There are dozens of wineries in the area, but for a European-esque escape head to Europa Villag Wineries & Resort, which—as its name implies—was designed to make guests feel as if they were in Europe (Spain, Italy, and France, to be specific). There are three tasting rooms, each representing one country from that trio. You can even spend the night at Europa—take your pick of a Bolero casita or a hilltop inn with vineyard views.