The drive to Bodega Bay is only 45 minutes from Santa Rosa. You will drive through beautiful farm land, pass farm stands, and soon be at the bay! There are many restaurants, but we highly recommend Fishetarian. There is seating on the water, and you can usually see seals or sea lions while you eat (bonus for the fellow celiac/gluten free guests: Fishetarian has SO many options, including calamari and churros!). Continue driving down Hwy 1 along the beautiful Sonoma Coast, stopping at the many beach access points. There are hotels/Air BnB if you wish to spend time near the water! There are also hiking trails along the coast. Note: it can get chilly on the coast in the afternoon and evening. Bring a jacket and dress in layers, as the coastal temperature can be 20-30 degrees cooler than Sonoma County. No matter the temperature, we highly recommend the drive to Bodega Bay and along the Sonoma Coast, it is beautiful!
We go to downtown Healdsburg frequently as there are many options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and wine tasting rooms. There are also some great boutiques to check out. There are also many wineries around Healdsburg, along Dry Cheek Road, and throughout the Russian River Valley to book tastings at. MUST TRY: Quail and Condor which is Nick's favorite bakery (it is a popular place, so go early before they sell out), Flying Goat is one of our favorite coffee shops, and Noble Folk for ice cream
There are endless wineries in and around Napa Valley to book tastings at. We also recommend checking out Downtown Napa! There are tasting rooms, shopping, and restaurants. Oxbow Market is a fun place for food options. The Napa Valley is beautiful to drive through! We recommend checking out Pride Mountain Vineyard! It is our favorite winery and the place where we got engaged! It is a beautiful property at the top of Spring Mountain. It is about a 40 minute drive from Santa Rosa/Windsor and 20 minutes from St. Helena if you are exploring Napa Valley. Note: like many wineries in the area, especially during the summer months, you will need to make a reservation.
Downtown Sonoma has a few restaurants and boutiques to check out. There are endless wineries throughout Sonoma Valley to book tastings at and enjoy some wine! If you head to Sonoma from Santa Rosa/Windsor area, we recommend stopping in Kenwood for a wine tasting at Kunde Family Winery and lunch or dinner at Salt and Stone.
Saturday there are farmers market in Healdsburg, Santa Rosa, and Windsor Sunday is the Marin County Farmers Market in San Rafael and it is the 3rd largest in California - we love this farmers market! There are so many food options for breakfast or lunch. BONUS: August 9th is the French Market, a large outdoor antique market in the parking lot across from the farmers market. If you are flying out of SFO on Sunday, the Marin Farmers Market will be along your drive!
A few of our favorites... Santa Rosa: Willi's Wine Bar, Augie's French, The Bird and The Bottle Healdsburg: Barndiva, Dry Creek Kitchen, Willi's Seafood, Valette, Acorn Cafe (breakfast/lunch) Napa: Zuzu, Bistro Don Giovanni Sonoma: Girl and The Fig, Tasca Tasca Kenwood: Salt and Stone Glen Ellen: Songbird Parlour Bodega Bay: Fishetarian Coffee Shops Santa Rosa: Land and Water, Avid, Crooks Coffee Healdsburg: Flying Goat
There are endless wineries both in Sonoma and Napa counties. Some wineries offer a casual sit down experience, whereas some offer a walking tour. Wine tastings are a great way to sample wines while learning how the wines are made, including how the different climates of the area contribute to the wine making process! We have loved living in Wine Country, getting to learn more about the process of wine making, and enjoying a relaxing afternoon sipping wine!
The Barlow in Sebastopol has many restaurants, wine shops, and a cider taproom. Our favorite restaurant here is Fern Bar! Bonus for the fellow celiac/gluten free guests: Fern Bar has gluten free fried chicken
There are many places to hike in Sonoma County and surrounding areas! Hiking: Muir Woods National Monument, Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, Taylor Mountain Regional Park, Mount Tamalpais State Park, Hood Mountain Regional Park, Sugarloaf Ridge State Park Walking Trails: Howarth Park to Spring Lake (park at Howarth Park to avoid parking fee at Spring Lake), Santa Rosa Creek Trail
There are so many fun things to do in the city! If you fly into SFO, but only have a short period of time to explore the city, here are some quick things to check out: - Drive by The Painted Ladies, the houses from Full House - Drive down Lombard Street, a famous steep street in the city - Go to Fisherman’s Wharf to see the Sea Lions - Cross the Golden Gate Bridge - Once you cross the bridge, there will be a view point parking lot; however, head up into the hills for a better view of the city and bridge. To get there, put “Battery Spencer” into the directions. It will take you through the hills to a great look out spot. Once you get there, there will be parking along the road and it is a short walk to the view. Of course, if time allows, are so many more things to see and do in the city! Hungry after your flight? Stop at Fish. in Sausalito - a casual counter service restaurant on the water. After, take a drive to downtown Sausalito.