Healdsburg

Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center

Peanuts characters are alive and well at this Santa Rosa institution, which celebrates the life and legacy of Snoopy creator Charles M. Schulz. The museum was founded in 2002 by Jean Schulz, the cartoonist’s widow, and today it houses the largest collection of original Peanuts artwork in the world. Permanent exhibits include a look at some of Schulz’s original comic strips, as well as a recreation of his art studio. There’s also a tile mural composed of 3,588 different comic strips. Temporary exhibits change throughout the year. The museum also has an outdoor area with sculptures that depict iconic moments from the cartoons (such as Charlie Brown with a metal kite stuck in a real tree) and a theater that screens documentaries on a loop. If you’re traveling with children, the best part of the museum is the laid-back-but-hands-on education room, where docents help visitors learn how to draw specific characters. Also worth exploring with kids: the Redwood Empire Ice Rink, located across the street. Schulz loved skating at the rink, which is open to the public. Skate rentals are available, and a café serves breakfast and lunch daily.

Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve

Grays and greens abound in this public conservation tract in the tiny town of Guerneville along the Russian River. The area predates logging in the northern part of the state, so the preserve is home to some of the oldest and tallest trees in Sonoma County—one, the Parson Jones Tree, is more than 310 feet tall. Not coincidentally, the park is also a popular place for weddings; go on a weekend and you’re practically guaranteed to see one. As far as public parks are concerned, Armstrong Redwoods is more accessible than most. The main sections of the reserve are relatively flat, and there are ample picnic areas for hikers of all abilities. There’s also a self-guided nature trail just behind the visitor center. On foggy summer mornings, the damp pathways inside Armstrong are great places to spot banana slugs—just one of a few attributes that makes the park kid-friendly. With more than 30 miles of trails, the park offers plenty of longer hiking or running options, too. When you’ve had your fill of nature, head down the hill to downtown Guerneville for an ice cream cone at Nimble & Finn’s, inside the Guerneville Bank Club.

CIA at Copia (The Culinary Institute of America)

Consider the Culinary Institute of America at Copia the center for continuing education about food and wine. The facility—which in its first iteration was bankrolled by the late Robert Mondavi—offers to the public a host of cooking classes, wine and beverage explorations, chef demonstrations, and more. Situated next to the Oxbow Public Market on the east side of the Napa River, CIA at Copia also has expansive chefs’ gardens and an on-site restaurant. Most of the programming involves education, with classes ranging from demonstration-style to hands-on. Some, such as one on how to make ice cream, are family-friendly. Others, like sabering a bottle of champagne, are geared distinctly toward grown-ups. Private classes for groups of 10 to 20 people are also available. Throughout the year, CIA at Copia also hosts a number of regular events such as a seminar series, as well as the popular Easter Egg Hunt, Bud Break Festival, Summer Luau, Ciderfest, Oktoberfest, and Holiday Marketplace. There’s even a store on-site, which is stocked with kitchen tools, hard-to-find ingredients, cookbooks, and housewares.

The Hess Collection

Yes, the Hess Collection in Napa makes wine and sells it under the same name. But really, the brand is about something equally wonderful in entirely different ways: modern art. Owner and entrepreneur Donald Hess began collecting art in the 1960s, and the collection on display at the Mount Veeder winery and tasting room represents a small portion of the pieces he’s amassed since then. The three-story gallery is open to the public for free and displays work from artists Franz Gertsch, Francis Bacon, Leopold Maler, and others. Despite the high caliber of work on display, the Hess Collection gallery is relaxed and without pretense. Visitors can take self-guided strolls through the collection or sign up for a formal docent-led tour. This latter option provides guests with insider information about the art, and follows the tour with a private tasting of Hess Collection wine. Housed in a circa-1903 stone winery originally constructed by Colonel Theodore Gier, the building evokes the grandeur of yesteryear—especially in summer, when ivy covers the stone walls of the gallery.

Round Pond Estate

Yes, this Rutherford-based agricultural operation sells wine. But what sets Round Pond apart from just about every other Napa Valley winery is its olive mill. Through tours and tastings, visitors get an intriguing behind-the-scenes look into the world of olive oil. Tours wind through the olive orchard while guides explain the process of harvesting. Tastings take place inside the mill; you smell the oil first and then taste it with different vegetables, breads, meats, and cheeses. With the exception of a few reserve samplings, most wine tastings at Round Pond occur on the second-story tasting lounge and covered terrace, a space with panoramic views of the estate and the palm-lined driveway. To combine both sides of the house, try the Il Pranzo tasting, which includes wine and food on the winery side and olive oil and food on the olive mill side. What’s more, for an unparalleled winery visit, book a spot at the weekly garden-to-table brunch, a four-hour experience that includes a tour, a harvesting session in the winery garden, a cooking class, and a farm-to-table meal served in the garden itself.

Napa Valley Paddle

Napa Valley Paddle (NVP) rents kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and inflatable paddleboards by the hour, day, and weekend. But the company—based on the Main Street Dock at Riverfront Plaza—also offers guided tours that offer a completely different perspective on a part of wine country that so many visitors see only by land. There are four such trips, including a two-hour paddle around the Oxbow River in downtown Napa; a four-hour fishing excursion from downtown Napa to the top of San Pablo Bay; and a day-long adventure through the marshlands south of Napa and the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge (both are prime spots for bird-watching). Tours include all equipment (including a personal flotation device and a waterproof bag to keep wallets and cell phones dry), as well as a brief safety lesson. NVP can also orchestrate casual “unguided” tours of downtown, complete with maps and gourmet picnic lunches, or family-friendly excursions on inflatable stand-up paddleboards that are big enough for six paddlers at once. All tours and rentals are subject to weather conditions, so it pays to call ahead.

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Rodney Strong Vineyards

Rodney Strong, a former professional dancer, opened this pioneering winery in 1959. Today, in addition to a traditional tasting room, the winery has added more sophisticated options on the Terrace, an outdoor lounge that looks out on vineyards. Here, the menu offers seated wine flights that incorporate the Davis Bynum, Upshot, and Rowen labels and seated wine-and-food pairings that include cheese and charcuterie and poached lobster. Pro tip: Be sure to ask your server for a special pour of single-vineyard cabernet sauvignon or some of the winery’s popular port. During the summer, Rodney Strong hosts a concert series and brings in food trucks to cater the events. The winery also offers free guided tours daily at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.; these hour-long strolls take visitors from the vineyard into the production area and back again, providing a crash-course in everything from growing grapes to crush, fermentation, and bottling.

Ram's Gate Winery

Pairings are everything at Ram’s Gate, one of the first wineries on the drive to wine country from San Francisco. First is the combination of sights: the wonders of architect Howard Backen’s open-concept tasting room in a refurbished barn and the panoramic vistas of Carneros and San Pablo Bay. Next is the marriage of wine and food—winemaker Jeff Gaffner’s single-vineyard designate Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs matched perfectly with seasonal small bites from executive chef Taylr Behnam Cuneo. The most popular tasting is called “Palate Play,” which marries five wines with five dishes from the kitchen. For a truly unparalleled afternoon, book the three-hour Vineyard Table experience, an immersion for four to 10 people that includes a glass of bubbly, a guided tour of the winery and on-site gardens, and a custom-designed meal with wine pairings served at a table in the vineyard. There are other, less involved ways to experience Ram’s Gate: seated wine tastings, stand-alone site tours, and picnics down by the pond. Whatever your fancy, just be sure to make a reservation before you go.

Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery

The perspective from Gary Farrell Winery, on the outskirts of Healdsburg, is distinctive. Perched high on a ridge above Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley, you get a sense of the fog that makes this growing region so perfect—the clouds trap cool air and moisture down below, enabling Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes to mature slowly. This general understanding of the microclimate only enhances your enjoyment of the wine itself, which winemaker Theresa Heredia has made with a deft touch since 2012. After extensive renovations to the main tasting salons in 2017, the visitor experience at Gary Farrell now ranks as one of the best in the county, especially if you reserve a spot on the covered patio outside. All the tastings are seated; the Inspiration Tasting matches six wines with three small bites from chef Didier Ageorges, while the Exploration Tasting includes a tour, five wines, and a cheese-and-nuts plate. Both experiences take about 90 minutes and reservations are suggested. In case you’re wondering, although his name is still on the wine and the winery, Gary Farrell himself—a true pioneer of Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley—hasn’t been involved in day-to-day operations since he sold the winery to the Vincraft Group in 2004.

Scribe Winery

This small-production and boutique winery near downtown Sonoma has achieved cult status in recent years for the exclusivity of the experiences that owners (and brothers) Andrew and Adam Mariani have put together. Standard tastings run about 90 minutes and include four current-release wines paired with four food courses served family-style. On sunny days, the tastings unfold on open-air patios in the shade of big white umbrellas; when the weather is less than stellar, guests are greeted and served in one of the many rooms of the circa-1858 hacienda. Reservations are only accepted by phone and often book out weeks in advance, especially in summer. For an even more intimate experience, reserve seats for one of the many pop-up dinners pairing Scribe wines with multiple courses prepared by visiting chefs who come in for brief residencies. The Marianis espouse organic and biodynamic farming methods and non-interventionist winemaking techniques, which translates into distinct fruit-forward estate wines that rarely overpower. Pro tip: Most visits don’t include tours, but if you book an early morning tasting midweek, you might get the chance to explore the hacienda before the formal visit begins.

Williams Selyem Winery

Entering the reservations-only Williams Selyem winery may feel like a walking into a wine barrel—and that’s by design. The architects incorporated wood from old redwood wine tanks for a more authentic feel. Wine lovers call the facility the “Palace of Pinot” because it’s where the label’s legendary Pinot Noir is blended. Williams Selyem is home to the first Wine Enthusiast 100-point Pinot Noir in North America; the winery also makes Chardonnay, Zinfandel, and a host of late-harvest wines as well. During a standard seated tasting, visitors sample at least five or six different wines from the cellar; there could be even more if hospitality associates have others open and are willing to share. Most tastings are preceded by a tour of the facility’s cellar, winemaking facilities, and tank rooms, showcasing the components of the architecture that make the place special. Technically, you have to join the winery’s list to schedule a visit, and in busy years it can take up to nine months to have the option to get on the calendar. But if you love the subtlety of Bordeaux-style wines, the upscale experience is well worth the wait.

MacRostie Winery & Vineyards

Visitors to this modern Russian River Valley winery receive a personal greeting and a glass of sparkling wine as they walk up—an appropriate welcome for a relaxed-yet-sophisticated few hours. Most tastings take place in the comfortable and airy Estate House, where all guests enjoy seated tastings under soaring wood ceilings, or outside, on one of three patio terraces overlooking 13 acres of vineyards. Some tastings feature only wine; others incorporate a tour and food and chocolate pairings. Winemaker Heidi Bridenhagen specializes in Bordeaux-style varieties, which means she only makes Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Year after year, the wine earns high scores from experts, and the winery garners accolades for mixing estate-grown grapes with some of the best fruit the Russian River Valley has to offer from farming families such as the Duttons, Sangiacomos, Martinellis, and Bacigalupis. The highlight of the in-person experience is the view; the Estate House sits atop a hill, offering visitors panoramic vistas of Sonoma County in just about every direction. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Mount St. Helena, more than 40 miles east. On gray days, you can look into the fog—the natural feature responsible for keeping temperatures cool and making Russian River wines so good.

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Sonoma County offers travelers an embarrassment of riches but until recently gourmands seeking a world-class dining experience often felt compelled to venture east to the Napa Valley or south to San Francisco. Thanks to Kyle and Katina Connaughton, those days are over. The husband-and-wife team—he’s the executive chef; she’s the head of culinary gardens and farm manager—opened Single Thread in late 2016, instantly transforming the local food scene with their exquisite take on farm-driven, Asian-inspired haute cuisine. The 52-seat restaurant, which also features an upscale five-room inn, received three stars from Michelin and is worthy of making a special trip to Healdsburg.

The evening begins on the rooftop garden, where snacks are served, beverages are poured, and the day’s stresses soon melt away. From this vantage point, just one block off Healdsburg Plaza, you can see where the farm is located—about 10 minutes away on the banks of the Russian River. You are then escorted to the downstairs dining room, a stylish space that provides foodies with a clear view into the kitchen and offers design aficionados a master class in understated elegance. From the hand-carved wooden spoons to the custom sake cups (you get to pick your own!) to the Zalto stemware, every detail oozes excellence.

And then the food begins to arrive. Single Thread features three 11-course tasting menus—vegetarian, pescatarian, and omnivore—and the Connaughtons’ love of Japanese culture shines throughout. The first course is a collection of intricately crafted single bites—hyper-local selections of impeccably plated vegetables and seafood. The bulk of the seasonal menu is constantly in flux but Dungeness crab, Mt. Lassen trout, Monterey Bay abalone, Sonoma Grains, and assorted treasures from the Connaughtons’ farm feature prominently. Every bite marries California product with Japanese technique, and the results are uniformly magnificent without being the slightest bit fussy.

Excellence comes at a cost, of course. Dinner will set you back $225 per person, exclusive of service, and head sommelier Evan Hufford’s two wine-pairing options go for $155 and $295. (The wine program features many local favorites, including some hard-to-find bottles, and is worth every penny.) You’ll want to book your reservations at least several weeks in advance of your visit; new seats are released on the first of each month.

For the full Single Thread experience, book one of the rooms upstairs ($700–$1,000 per night) where you’ll find the latest Teforia tea system, Matouk linens, heated floors, and a Japanese toilet that may startle you the first time you encounter it. You can help yourself to the goodies in the room, which include candies created in the restaurant below and even a bottle of Pliny the Elder, the acclaimed (and hard-to-find) double IPA brewed down the road in Santa Rosa. Best of all, your overnight stay includes a high-end breakfast that somehow manages to build on your dinner experience from the night before and will prompt you to plan a return visit.

—John Godfrey

Every weekend, it seems, there’s another terrific festival or flat-out party going on in Sonoma County. One of the best comes in March, when Petaluma hosts the California Artisan Cheese Festival, featuring farm and creamery tours, hands-on lessons in cheesemaking, and tastings of local cheese, wine, beer, and cider.

In May, you can feed your appetite for art with open studio tours during the annual Salmon Creek ArtWalk in Bodega Bay. And in June, the annual Beerfest, at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa is your chance to sip some of Northern California’s finest brews and ciders from more than 60 breweries and cideries.

Sonoma County locals haven’t forgotten how to celebrate some of their more humble exports though, or the fact that sometimes you just have to turn up the volume. They celebrate a local apple varietal at August’s Gravenstein Apple Fair with tractor rides and pie eating, and rock out at September’s Russian River Jazz & Blues Festival, held at Johnson's Beach in Guerneville.

All year long, different Sonoma County wine regions hold open houses, such as April’s Passport to Dry Creek Valley, and Taste Alexander Valley in May. For the crown jewel, visit over Labor Day weekend for the Taste of Sonoma, when thousands of guests join chefs, wineries, and artisan food purveyors for three full days of wine tastings, elaborate meals, and the Sonoma County Wine Auction.

Harvest time is one of the best times to visit a winery, to embrace the energy of sorting, stemming, and wine-crafting.

Still, harvest season (early September through mid-November) is a popular time to visit Sonoma County, when you can embrace the energy of sorting, stemming, and wine-crafting—and sometimes even participate in grape stomps. During this time of year, workers converge on the vineyards from dawn to dusk, and tourism is at its peak as well, so take that into consideration when timing your trip. For many wineries, the work actually runs around the clock, with innovators like Jordan Winery in Healdsburg picking fruit through the chilly nights. After all, keeping grapes cold protects their delicate flavors, as well as the pristine skin and pulp.

Some wineries celebrate the season by hosting pre- or post-crush parties with wine tasting, food, and live music. The Dry Creek Valley region hosts a slew of classy tastings and events, such as the Wine and Food Affair, when more than 100 wineries pair special wines with dishes they prepare and serve on-site. To really dive in, Sonoma Valley Crush invites guests to get hands-on over a September weekend at 15 area wineries, with one-of-a-kind, behind-the-scenes looks at every aspect of winemaking, from picking grapes and juicing to fermentation.

During the holiday season, enjoy wine, food, and live music in the courtyard of the Cornerstone Gardens in Sonoma as you witness the Lighting of the Snowmen. Also in December, the Luther Burbank Home and Gardens gets in the holiday spirit with spiced tea and other holiday treats. Tour the home, greenhouse and gardens of the famous horticulturalist while it’s decked out in its holiday finest, amidst reveling carolers.

Tour companies abound in Sonoma County, which are great for helping you visit a variety of wineries, with knowledgeable guides at the wheel who can pepper your journey with insights and fun tidbits.

Yet Sonoma County encompasses such a broad range of terrains that the mode for exploration happily goes beyond a mere shuttle or even a limo. You can go horseback riding, for instance, at Chalk Hill Winery or along the coastal bluffs of Bodega Bay at Chanslor Ranch. For more speed, go zip-lining through the redwoods with Sonoma Canopy Tours, hiking or biking with Getaway Adventures or Sonoma Valley Bike Tours, or kayaking along the Russian River.

Plenty of folks, of course, would rather just explore and taste on their own (to peruse tasting opportunities and schedule your itinerary, consult this downloadable winery map). Five minutes from Sonoma’s plaza square is Buena Vista Winery, where the historic Press House is open for tastings year-round. The free Sonoma County Vineyard Adventures program offers no-appointment, self-guided vineyard tours at top wineries. Check its site for options, then pick up maps at participating wineries. Options include Matanzas Creek Winery, with its blooming lavender fields, or the 156-acre Paradise Ridge Winery and its stunning sculpture gardens. Happily, the strolls typically end at a tasting room, where you can toast your enhanced appreciation of the great outdoors.

Insider tip: Wine tastings in Sonoma County don’t have to be a pricey. Here’s a list of wineries that offer them for $10 or less.

The best way to get better acquainted with the city of Sonoma, in the heart of Sonoma County, is through its wine. But you can also get a sense of the past—just for good measure—at the tasting room of Three Sticks Wines at The Adobe: It’s actually set inside the historic 1842 Vallejo-Casteñada Adobe home, and features artifacts like an 1800s horse stirrup, delicate china, and tools. The nearby Pangloss Cellars Tasting Lounge, meanwhile, revels in a historic stone property built over a century ago, offering wine flights paired with bites like caviar, Cowgirl Creamery crème fraîche, and capers on crackers. And don’t miss Bartholomew Memorial Park nearby, home to Bartholomew Park Winery: Its on-site museum details the long history of Sonoma winemaking since the park’s first villa was built in 1861, and features a display of primitive agricultural tools.

The culinary scene in Sonoma far exceeds what anyone might expect from a town with a population hovering around 10,000. Café La Haye is widely considered the best bet for dinner, serving expertly conceived dishes that showcase local product and make the most of an impeccable wine list. Visitors also flock to The Girl and the Fig for its duck confit and crispy chicken thighs, as well as the sun-dappled outdoor patio.

Other great options on or near the plaza include Tasca Tasca, a Portuguese tapas spot that stays open late; Oso, which features bold flavors and an inventive young chef; and El Dorado Kitchen, a vibrant spot inside the El Dorado Hotel that offers a people-pleasing menu and a scenic outdoor space. For bubble fans, Sigh Champagne Bar showcases an amazing collection of sparklers.

A more immersive dive into Sonoma’s past will be rewarding for history buffs or fans of Old West culture. In the mid-1800s, the town of Sonoma was just a collection of ranchos, governed by Mexico. Even though the U.S. government and the State of California took over the territory not too long after that, you can still sense its heritage. The centerpiece of town, Sonoma Plaza, is still anchored by the northernmost Franciscan mission in California—and it’s even the birthplace of the California State Bear Flag, created by Americans rebelling against Mexican rule.

Be sure to take one of the cool historic tours of still-standing monuments. For starters, explore the parish-turned-museum Mission San Francisco Solano de Sonoma, the Sonoma Barracks military post and cannon arsenal, and the former home of Lieutenant Colonel Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, commander general of the Northern Alta California's frontier forces and founder of the town of Sonoma.

With nearly 180,000 residents, this is Sonoma County’s largest commerce hub, but even so, Santa Rosa still feels pretty cozy. Its small-town heart prides itself on a rich agricultural heritage, burgeoning arts and brewpub scene, and two famous native—a horticulturalist and a cartoonist.

Experience the city’s casual-warm vibe at the welcoming Railroad Square Historic District. Once the home of bootleggers and ladies of ill repute, the square now hosts 40-plus shops and eateries clustered around the restored 1903 Northwestern Pacific Railroad train depot. Every day the SMART train heads south to Marin County, but there are plenty of reasons to stay right here. Wander the square and admire Santa Rosa’s early 20th-century brick buildings. Order a demitasse of Espresso No. 9 at Flying Goat Coffee. Pop in for breakfast at Omelette Express. Browse through vintage dresses, hats, and period costumes at Hot Couture, or marvel at delicate china teacups perfect for pinky-lifting at Whistlestop Antiques. Have dinner or spend the night at the stately Hotel La Rose, built by Italian stonemasons in 1907.

Santa Rosa’s under-the-radar SOFA arts district (South A Street) is a fashionable home for creative types. The Santa Rosa Arts Center and neighboring art studios sponsor events, classes, and concerts. Entrepreneur and chef Liza Hinman has transformed an aging building into the ultra-hip, mid-century-modern Astro Motel, a sister endeavor to her Spinster Sisters restaurant, where nightly specials include eggplant croquettes, roasted bone marrow, and Moroccan-style carrots. A few footsteps away, the Luther Burbank Home and Gardens honors the self-taught horticulturist Burbank, who took advantage of Sonoma County’s rich soil to develop the Shasta daisy and Santa Rosa plum. Take a home or garden tour and visit the Carriage House Museum at this registered National and State Historic Landmark.

All around town, you’ll notice larger-than-life statues of Snoopy, often accompanied by Charlie Brown, Woodstock, and Lucy. Cartoonist Charles Schulz lived and worked in Santa Rosa from 1969 until his death in 2000, claiming Sonoma County as an inspiration for his iconic Peanuts comic strip. At the Charles M. Schulz Museum, visit a re-creation of the artist’s studio to see his sketches, then head next door to Snoopy’s Home ice rink for year-round skating.

Santa Rosa’s brewpub culture thrives at Plow Brewing Company, Third Street Aleworks, and Russian River Brewing Company, where innovative brewing methods are creating some of California’s most coveted beers, like the triple IPA Pliny the Younger. And you can’t forget you’re in wine country—tasting rooms are located right in the city’s heart. Santa Rosa Vintners Square makes sipping-and-sampling neighbors out of D’Argenzio Winery, Topping Legnon Winery, and Fogbelt Brewing Company—all dotted around a lovely terrazzo-like outdoor setting.