Wine Not Visit Sonoma County

You’ve probably heard at least once about just how chill and romantic wine country is but have you ever thought about planning a trip there? Wine not? Here are my top 5 reasons for moseying on down to Sonoma County, CA (once the COVID-19 pandemic has calmed down, of course!):

1. It’s a totally different side of California to experience. This is no Los Angeles or San Francisco (busy traffic and sometimes questionable people (Jon didn’t want to stand around too long on one seedier SF street corner because he felt like someone might pull a knife). Here the air smells a bit like pine instead of urine and the people are more chill than your friend’s grandma that crochets/knits with a cat on her lap (Oh wait, did I just describe myself? Well….the description still stands!). The pleasant atmosphere might just be a side effect of wine abundance in a beautiful valley but who can really say? Honestly, this experience is perfect for a girls’ trip, honeymoon, vow renewal, etc.
   

2. Did I mention the wine??? Once you see a winery, it’s almost a guarantee there are at least 3+ more in close vicinity. While my boyfriend Jon and I were in Sonoma County for 2 days, we visited a grand total of 5 wineries. We could have visited a lot more (they practically line up for you on the road) but I swear the laissez-faire mentality hits you like a dream immediately after you turn off of Old Redwood Highway. And man after my own heart, Jon prefers a laidback chat with wine to a rigid schedule so we chillaxed to the max.
   

At Kendall-Jackson, we sipped a $17 bottle of 2018 Riesling and talked about the meaning of “faith alone” while the sun caressed our faces and a mother-daughter duo played a game of bocce ball a few yards away. At Ferrari-Carano we opted into a $15 wine tasting that included history, a knowledgable sommelier, and 5 terrific wine samples. Honestly, wine tasting at Ferrari-Carano was our favorite experience and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting wine country! Not only were the wines fantastic but when we told them we were there for the Black Muscat wine we had read about, they sent us down to their second tasting room for a free sample. Oolala, the Eldorado Noir (Black Muscat) and Baci (Zinfandel infused with chocolate) from Ferrari-Carano turned out to be our two favorite wines! Yes, we both have an admittedly strong sweet tooth for a pair of wine drinkers! But have no doubts, Sonoma County caters to both dry and sweet wine lovers so everyone can happily sip.

3. The Redwoods are so darn close! We chose to stay at an Airbnb in Santa Rosa, CA as it was closer to the Redwoods/Pacific coast and also a lot cheaper due to it not being in the highly advertised city of Napa. This worked in our favor as we were able to make time to visit Armstrong Woods TWICE during our 3-day stay while also visiting the plethora of wineries surrounding the woods. I’ve wanted to see the redwoods since my Dendrology course at ISU but it took my bestie’s wedding to get me to that magical part of the country. Thanks, girl! <3 If you’ve never seen the redwoods or even if you have, please go again. It’s such an otherworldly experience to get to walk among the giants and take in the hush that permeates the forest floor. I half-expected a T-rex to emerge from behind a Douglas Fir, trampling all of the ferns in his wake as he chased us down one of the 3 walking paths in this particular park. 10/10 I would recommend Armstrong Woods. We heard a lot about Muir Woods from friends but I don’t feel like we missed out by only having time to visit Armstrong.
   
   

4. Seafood – there’s no way I’d clam up about all of the great seafood to be found along America’s west coast. My favorite meal from the San Francisco leg of my trip was fresh Dungeness Crab with a side of clam chowder at Sabella & La Torre (Fisherman’s Wharf). This was followed very closely by Cioppino (clam, shrimp, scallop, white fish, mussel, tomato) from Santa Rosa Seafood in Santa Rosa, CA. If you have time, another area touted as having great seafood by the locals is Bodega Bay.
   
   

5. San Francisco is just over an hour away! Home to the beloved “Full House” house, the Painted Ladies (unique remnants of the California Gold Rush), Alcatraz, Google, Golden Gate, streetcars, crooked Lombard St, and a few sidewalk poopers (please watch your step!!!), this city is very walkable. As it can be hard to find parking and there are numerous public transport systems available, I highly recommend going car-less while you’re here. We actually rented electric scooters for the first time while we were in SF and found it pretty easy to navigate using the bike lanes. For those that enjoy exercise, this is a lovely place to develop killer glutes and hamstrings. Steep hills ftw!
   
   

One day (hopefully soon) when COVID-19 isolation feels like the plot of a weird dream, I hope that you’ll be able to visit this beautiful part of the country! In the meantime, feel free to message me with your questions, comments, etc. We’re all in this together! <3

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”

– Author unknown (falsely attributed to St. Augustine)