Advertisement
Find Your Ultimate Playground

Sonoma County

Escape to California wine country to find secret vineyards, cozy inns, rich history, and sustainable practices

Spanning more than one million acres from the Pacific Ocean to the rugged Coast Range, California’s Sonoma County defies typecasting. Yes, it's increasingly famous for its premium wines, sharing the pedestal with Napa Valley for luxury cult collectibles like the wait-list-only bottles from Kistler VineyardsA. Rafanelli, and Cirq. But in Sonoma County you’re just as likely to stumble across extraordinary wines being crafted out of a backyard setup.

Start your explorations with a quick geography lesson (the Sonoma County Visitors Bureau has an interactive map to help you get your bearings). There’s the town of Sonoma, with its historic Sonoma Plaza. Then, there’s Sonoma Valley, referring to the area between Santa Rosa and the town of Sonoma (and known as the Valley of the Moon), featuring individual wine regions such as Kenwood and Glen Ellen. And then there’s the entire region encompassing it all, officially known as Sonoma County.

[[ crowdriff-gallery-id: faad1594-e1f5-425d-a900-00605f2bd7a7 ]]

Sonoma County Small Towns

An easy hour’s drive north of San Francisco, the journey through Sonoma County begins in the historic town of Petaluma, with its classic stone buildings. You could zip straight up U.S. 101 to arrive at the county’s northernmost town, the poshly perfect Healdsburg, but that would be missing the essence of this nook-and-cranny wine region—like the towns of Sonoma, Sebastopol, Santa Rosa, and Guerneville. It’s all about slowing down here, mingling with winemakers and locals, and knowing that it doesn’t get much better than this.

Sonoma County Wineries

Intimacy abounds at Sonoma County wineries. Take Forestville’s Joseph Swan, which has been around since 1967 and still serves its award-winning wines out of a tasting room that’s really an old wood-barrel barn. Often, it will be the actual winemaker who’s filling your glass, with his or her faithful winery dog sitting nearby. With that sense of family and continuity comes a sense of responsibility. Here, the future is not taken for granted—with 99% of Sonoma County’s vineyards certified sustainable, its multigenerational wineries are continuing to pioneer best practices for regenerative agriculture, thus preserving the environment for later generations.

When to Visit Sonoma County

Until a few years ago, agriculture-rich Sonoma County was primarily a summertime destination. But now the towns buzz year-round, thanks in part to festivals like the Sonoma County Fair, spring’s winery open houses, and autumn’s harvest events. Visitors can glamp year-round at Wildhaven Sonoma, where safari-style tents with vineyard-mountain views are outfitted with queen beds and heaters. Another year-round draw is the Sonoma Raceway, about a dozen miles south of downtown Sonoma, which is one of the few places in the state that hosts NASCAR races. Or come during the holiday season and you can ring in the New Year at boisterous parties at the county’s restaurants, wineries, and storybook inns.

 

 

 

Official Resources

Advertisement

Related Articles

Use keyboard arrow keys to move through items.
  • Sonoma County Wines & Wineries

    Sonoma County Wines & Wineries

    Toasting the region’s star sips

  • So You Think You Know Sonoma County?

    So You Think You Know Sonoma County?

    Discover 12 under-the-radar restaurants, wineries, shops, and experiences

  • Mendocino & Sonoma County: The Wine Road

    Mendocino & Sonoma County: The Wine Road

    Twist through redwoods and over hills to the home of 150 wineries

  • 3 Bucket-List-Worthy Experiences in Sonoma County

    3 Bucket-List-Worthy Experiences in Sonoma County

    Wine tasting is just the beginning in this stretch of Northern California

  • Sonoma County State & City Parks

    Sonoma County State & City Parks

    Embrace Mother Nature in wine country

  • Sonoma County Luxury Lodgings

    Sonoma County Luxury Lodgings

    From luxury resorts to B&Bs, beautiful places to relax between tastings

  • Sonoma Plaza, Sonoma

    Sonoma Plaza, Sonoma

    Explore the historic park and plaza in this wine country town

  • Ideas for a Solo Trip to Napa and Sonoma

    Ideas for a Solo Trip to Napa and Sonoma

    Take recommendations from Sugar and Charm's Eden Passante for your next weekend in wine country

  • Tasting Rooms in Sonoma

    Tasting Rooms in Sonoma

    Visit a wine-country hub with nearly two dozen tasting rooms

  • Why Winter Is a Great Time to Visit Sonoma County

    Why Winter Is a Great Time to Visit Sonoma County

    "Low season" features high-impact events, smaller crowds, and fantastic deals

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Get weekly travel inspiration, offers, contests, and more!

Plus, receive communications from California Grown and their exclusive ebook 'Iconic California Dishes to Celebrate California Wine Month' FREE.