How to Have a Perfect Weekend in Sonoma County, Wine Country

 

West of Napa Valley and just an hour from San Francisco,  Sonoma is a California wine country destination that feels undiscovered, yet offers a refined esthetic. Go now, because, with feature stories in National Geographic and the Smithsonian Magazine, Sonoma is definitely not a secret anymore.

Sonoma is not only for wine and food lovers although you couldn’t choose a better destination for five-star wining and dining. 

It’s a place where you can spend the morning sipping Pinot Noir surrounded by vineyards, the afternoon hiking among ancient redwoods, and the evening watching the sun dip into the Pacific. Whether you come for the wine, the food, or the outdoors, Sonoma offers the perfect mix of sophistication and authenticity.

In this guide, we’ll explore how to have a perfect long weekend in Sonoma, weaving together wine tasting experiences, coastal adventures, and local culture. 

Decide Where To Stay in Sonoma County

Your first decision when planning a long weekend in Sonoma is choosing a home base. Because the county is so large, covering more than 1,500 square miles, you’ll want to stay in an area that matches your travel style and interests.

• Santa Rosa is the county’s capital and the largest city. It makes a convenient hub, only 55 minutes from San Francisco. Santa Rosa offers cultural districts, craft breweries, and easy access to wineries in every direction.
• Sonoma (the town) offers history, charm, and plenty of walkable wine bars and restaurants.  Built around California’s largest town square, it’s home to Mission San Francisco Solano, the last California mission. You’re also a stone’s throw from historic tasting rooms like Buena Vista Winery. 
• Guerneville or the Sonoma Coast suit those craving more nature. Stay under the towering redwoods or along the rugged Pacific shoreline in Bodega Bay or Jenner, where hiking, kayaking, and ocean views define the experience.
• Healdsburg is ideal if you want a stylish getaway and Michelin-star dining. Healdsburg also has plenty of boutique shops, tasting rooms, and a historic plaza. Best of all, it sits at the crossroads of three major wine regions: Dry Creek, Russian River Valley, and Alexander Valley. You’ve got Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon covered.  

Accommodations in Sonoma County

Grape Leaf Inn

Built in 1905, the beautifully restored Grape Leaf Inn is located on a quiet residential street just a five-minute walk from the Healdsburg square. A lovely porch offers a place to pass the time with a good book or a bottle of wine. The owners also own several wineries, all are open to guests of the Inn for a tour and tasting.

A real treat is the home-cooked breakfast. The menu is different day-to-day and it is always delicious. I stayed three nights so I was able to try quite a few of the chef’s creations. My favorite was the eggs benedict, a treat I don’t often allow myself.

The Grape Leaf Inn offers thirteen guest rooms: two queen rooms, nine king, and two suites. A peek inside several of the rooms revealed big comfortable beds in a light and bright room and well and well-appointed bathrooms.

If you seek privacy, try the Champagne Suite. Completely detached from the main house the Champagne Suite has a furnished terrace, king-size bed, and most fun of all, an outdoor shower which you access by walking through the indoor version. It was too cold when I was there to shower outside but if you’re sharing the room this could be convenient. It’s a whimsical feature that is also fun to talk about on social media.

Best Western Dry Creek Inn

Healdsburg has a variety of accommodations to choose from including the five-star Hotel Healdsburg. However, for value and location, the Best Western Dry Creek Inn gets my vote.

Tastefully reminiscent of a Tuscan villa, this hotel is located right off the 101 Freeway and Dry Creek Road.

Rooms are large and comfortable, with all of the traditional amenities. (The Villa Toscana rooms have whirlpool tubs. If you like a good soak, ask for one of these rooms). Breakfast is included.

There is also a full gym if want to keep up with your fitness routine, plus a sauna and two swimming pools. In high season, you can find your OM at the bi-weekly yoga classes.

One of the nicest features of this hotel is the outdoor fireplace. There were always people gathered here to enjoy the cool evening air and a bottle of Sonoma County wine. In the mornings, I usually saw someone sitting by the fire reading a book. What really impressed me was that even though the hotel is located off the 101, this area always felt tranquil and secluded.

Camellia Inn

If you prefer a smaller and more intimate experience, the Camellia Inn, located within walking distance of the square downtown, is a restored Victorian home turned bed and breakfast. The Inn is aptly named after the variety of camellias, which grow on the property.

Breakfast is served in the dining room in the main house. Homemade bread, fresh fruit, yogurt, quiche (made with fresh eggs delivered daily) coffee, and tea are served around a beautiful antique mahogany dining table.

Breakfast at the community table with other guests is one of the things I enjoy about staying at a bed and breakfast. You never know who you may meet and at least one person usually has some good travel tips.

All the rooms are decorated with period furniture and luxury linens which the Camellia Inn is known for. I did have amazing sleep, though I’m sure all the wine I drank at the tasting didn’t hurt either.

Camellia Inn is owned by the same owners as the Grape Leaf Inn. A reservation includes passes to all  eleven of their tasting rooms.

Furthermore, Russian River Valley

For a completely different vibe visit Furthermore and stay at the farmhouse in the Russian River Valley. Furthermore produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from vineyards all along the California coast. West Sonoma County has a more bohemian vibe than Northern Sonoma County. You’ll also be closer to the coast, so you might get lucky and wake up in the fog.

Jordan, Alexander Valley

What could be more romantic than waking up to vineyard views? Bonus points if there’s a restaurant on site. There are a number of places in Sonoma County that offer winery accommodations along with wine and food pairing. One of my favorites is Jordan, in Alexander Valley. Jordan specializes in French-inspired Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. The aesthetic is French chateau, and very elegant.

 Wine Tasting 

There are many places you can enjoy wine tasting in Sonoma County, with over 400 tasting rooms. In Healdsburg alone, there are about thirty tasting rooms, plus a few in Geyserville, just a few miles north. Geyserville is surrounded by the Alexander Valley. You’ll find big-name producers like Coppola and Pedroncelli and smaller producers such as Ramazzotti

You can choose which places to visit based on what kind of wine you like, or what you want to do. The tasting rooms and wineries offer a wide range of options from picnics to private tastings, with food and wine pairing.

Just five minutes from downtown Healdsburg, Flanagan Wines recently opened tasting room offers high-end Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and sources from some of the area’s top vineyards. The tasting room is small but there is outdoor seating with gorgeous views of Dry Creek Valley. Tastings are by appointment and hosted by some of the most fun wine industry professionals I’ve had the pleasure to know. 

In historic downtown Sonoma, Corner 103 is a place to learn about pairing food and wine. Corner 103 offers a sparkling wine made in the classic champagne style; an Albarino, a Spanish grape varietal that is lively and aromatic, as well as a Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petite Sirah, and Pinot Noir. And those are just the current releases.

Also in Sonoma, do not miss Three Sticks At The Adobe, a tasting room housed in a restored adobe built in 1842. There are several tasting options including vegan and gluten-free tastings.

In Dry Creek near Healdsburg try Simoncini Vineyards is a very small, family-owned winery, with state-of-the-art facilities. They make quite a few different wines from a sparkling rosé of Pinot Noir to Zinfandel, Viognier, and a late harvest Muscat, to name a few.

You definitely want to experience the wine cave and then step outside to enjoy the wooded picnic area with a glass of dessert wine and chocolate. Simoncini is by invitation or appointment only. To enter you have to drive through a gated parking lot. 

Truett Hurst has a beautiful property and tasting room in Dry Creek, roughly ten minutes from the Dry Creek Inn.

The property backs up to the Russian River, where it flows into Dry Creek. This would be a great place to relax in one of the big Adirondack chairs by the river with lunch and a bottle of wine.

Truett Hurst is known for an excellent selection of zinfandels. The grapes are sourced in the Dry Creek Valley. Other varietals are sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, and pinot noir, all from the Russian River Valley. Great wines. Great location. Tastings are $10.00, and you can try as many wines as you like.

The Russian River Valley is famous for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. Try Korbel for sparkling wine and and good tour. The Russian River Valley Wine Growers has an excellent website to help you plan your time there.

Food and drink in Sonoma County

Sonoma is largely agricultural, and the food is as fresh as you can get. Eating in Sonoma County is an integral part of any trip. With Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen and Madrona Manor, a Michelin-star restaurant, it would be hard to have a bad meal.

Valette, Healdsburg

A  Michelin-star destination restaurant, Valette is a favorite with locals and tourists alike. The menu features the bounty of Sonoma County. The wine list features small boutique wineries and has been on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list. Chef-owner Dustin Valette earned his chops working with the best of the best in the hospitality and restaurant industry. He was most recently at Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen before opening Valette with his brother Aaron Garzini in the space that was once their grandfather’s bakery.

It’s been a minute since I was at Valette, it had not yet earned those Michelin stars, but I  knew it would. It’s a small room, always full, and best with friends. Valette also has bar seating and a fun cocktail menu. You can bring your own wine and pay a corkage.
You will want to make reservations well in advance.

Tasca Tasca, Sonoma

There’s no better place to try Portuguese food and wine(other than Portugal of course), than Tasca Tasca just off the Plaza in Sonoma. When I lived in the area I went as often as possible. The atmosphere reminded me of Portugal, the portions are tapas-style, and they have a good selection of Portuguese wines by the glass.

Insider tip: this is also a good place to try a real port wine from Porto, not one of the local port-style wines.

Cibo Rustico, Santa Rosa

I ate here a lot when I was living the area. Vintner’s Square has other options but for delicious and reliable Italian food, this was my go to place.

In town, be sure to check out Vintner’s Square, a co-op of wineries, breweries, pizzerias, and juice bars anchored by the flagship winery D’ Argenzio. Located near a historic railroad square in downtown Santa Rosa, this is a good place to discover more about the county’s capital city.

Savor Healdsburg Food Tours

A convenient and fun way to sample the food and drink of Sonoma County (no matter where you stay) is a foodie tour. Most tour guides will also give you insider tips and a history of the area. That always makes the food taste better to me.

Tammy Gass, owner of Savor Healdsburg Food Tours, is long time resident of Healdsburg. I found Tammy to be a reliable resource for all things Sonoma, not just Healdsburg. Her tour includes six stops. Along the way, you’ll sample foods that define local and delicious: scallops, cocktails made with fresh produce, and Sonoma County wines.

Taste of Tea

Taste of Tea serves freshly brewed loose-leaf teas, mainly from Japan, though there are a few varieties from other areas. I found this place to be a little oasis of respite from a little too much wine drinking. Wine tasting is hard work!  To top it all off, I had a bowl of house-made green tea ice cream. One can never have too much ice cream (or tea)!

If you find a tea you love, you can purchase some to take home with you.

Outdoor Adventures and the Sonoma Coast

Another must-do in Sonoma is a drive to the coast along California Highway 1. 

I suggest you plan at least a 1/2 day for this. From Healdsburg you can go north to Jenner where you must stop for sunset atRiver’s End, or south to Bodega Bay, where you’ll find more restaurants, great camping, and a bird-watching preserve.

Bodega Bay is where Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller, The Birds was made, but no matter which direction you go, the scenery is unforgettable.  If you only have two days in the area, maybe skip this but if you have three or more, go for it.

For more information on stops along the way and route details read Bodega Bay Road Trip.

The Russian River Valley

The drive through the Russian River Valley to the coast is magical, passing through ancient redwood trees, the tallest living things on the earth. I have friends who biked to the coast via Guerneville. Be safe – the roads are narrow and vision is often limited.

Armstrong Woods

Things to do in this area include hiking and walking at Armstrong Woods State Reserve, water sports on the Russian River, vineyard visits, and camping. This is a twenty to thirty-minute drive from Healdsburg, though it seems farther because of the curves in the road. Guerneville is the main town here and is about halfway between Healdsburg and the Sonoma coast.

Interesting side note: A logger, aptly named Armstrong, recognized the value and beauty of the trees he farmed and set aside the Armstrong Woods Reserve for preservation. There is no camping inside the reserve, but there is camping within the immediate vicinity.

I recommend a picnic under the trees or beside the river with a bottle of whatever color wine you like followed by a hike in the woods. Breathe in the clean air and relax in the scenery. This is what life is really about.

Tips for Visiting Sonoma

Travel Safe – Hire A Tour Guide Or A Driver

The easiest way to explore a wine region is to simply hire a good local tour guide. Give them an outline of what you would like to see and do, and together you can work out an itinerary. Guides should have local knowledge of the history, sights, and best spots for sunset photos over the vineyards.

Using a tour guide or a designated driver to chauffeur you around may seem elaborate, but aside from making sense, it will allow you to enjoy the whole experience, and see more of the beautiful Sonoma countryside. 

• Plan 3–4 wineries per day max.

• Book tastings and pairings in advance.

• Hire a driver, tour, or rotate designated drivers.

• Best times to visit: harvest in fall, fewer crowds in spring/summer, cozy tastings in winter.

Sonoma truly is a little bit of paradise in northern California. Have you been yet? Have questions? Feel free to reach out via my contact page. I will be updating this article as my travels take me back to Sonoma so subscribe to my email list so you never miss an awesome article.

 

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