Top 10 things to do in Sonoma County
By David Ferry April 20, 2018 Updated: Feb. 20, 2019 11 a.m.
1of7Lori Kitching and Adam Dweck relax in the vineyard at Gundlach Bundschu Winery in Sonoma.Photo: GANG CREDIT HERE: Michael Short / Special to The Chronicle
2of7A cheetah hisses at Safari West in Santa Rosa.Photo: Noah Berger / Special to The Chronicle 2017
3of7The historic ivy-covered winery building at Korbel Champagne Cellars in Guerneville, Calif.Photo: Eric Risberg / Associated Press 2017
4of7The fountain on Healdsburg Plaza.Photo: Spud Hilton / The Chronicle
5of7A discarded oyster shell at Hog Island Oyster Company in Marshall.Photo: Loren Elliott / The Chronicle 2015
6of7Russian River Brewing Company customers clink their glasses while drinking the newly released Pliny the Younger triple IPA beer in Santa Rosa.Photo: Justin Sullivan, Getty Images
7of7Horse and Plow's outdoor patio area in Sebastopol.Photo: GANG Credit here: Mason Trinca / Special to The Chronicle
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It's a pillar of Wine Country, but overshadowed by its world-famous neighbor. It is lush and picturesque, but not quite like Marin, with its national parks and million-dollar vistas. It's laid back, but doesn't carry the reputation like Santa Cruz does.
Sonoma is its own animal. And it just may be the most pleasurable of all Northern California's counties.
There's the wine, of course, but there is also the sea and redwoods and farms and so much more. Jack London, writing about his adoptive home county in the Valley of the Moon, struggled to describe the place: "When I look out over it all, it kind of makes me ache in the throat with things in my heart I can't find the words to say."
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Here are our top 10 ways to enjoy Sonoma County.
1. Wine tasting
If you visit one winery in Sonoma County, make it the iconic Gundlach Bundschu Winery — affectionately known as Gun Bun. Just a short walk from the Plaza in Sonoma, Gun Bun is the second-oldest winery in the state, after Buena Vista (just down the road), and the old vines produce reds to savor. The renowned Pinots and Cab Sauvs will take your breath away — and set you back $50 or so. For a less wallet-busting souvenir, take home a bottle of the 2016 Estate Vineyard Dry Gewurztraminer, a much-praised white that comes in at $25. 2000 Denmark St., Sonoma; (707) 938-5277; www.gunbun.com
2. Oyster grilling
The town of Bodega Bay is the North Coast ideal: a small fishing village, protected by a tranquil harbor and embraced by the coastal range. Like a lot of the county, it's an ideal place to take advantage of nature's bounty. But for those unwilling to cast for rockfish off the jetty or shimmy into wetsuits for some abalone diving, there's the Fisherman's Cove. It's a bait shop and deli, yes, but really it's the perfect place to buy a dozen — hell, two dozen — local oysters, a couple Anchor Steams and tuck in at some old-school picnic tables. 1850 Bay Flat Road., Bodega Bay; (707) 377-4238; www.fishermanscovebodegabay.com
3. River floating
The simple pleasure of acquiescing to a slow flow — of paddling over to protected inlets or deserted sandbars for beers or dozing — is mostly reserved for other parts of the country. The Russian River, however, is the Bay Area's answer to America's tubing culture. In the summer, when the air is warm and the flows are low, the rocky beach parks near Guerneville are the places to be. A good place to put in is Steelhead Beach Regional Park (get there early — the parking lot fills up quickly), and there are several places downstream to relax. Sunset Beach River Park is a best bet, but river access spots abound from Forestville to Monte Rio. Make sure you have a plan for getting back to your car safely, and don't forget sunscreen. Steelhead Beach Regional Park, 9000 River Road, Forestville
4. Cider pressing
Guy Fieri may be Sonoma County's most famous resident, but the county's slow food activists argue that the Gravenstein apple should be the region's most esteemed celebrity. The sweet apple dominated the county's slopes long before grapes. Come August, at the dawn of picking season, the county holds a Gravenstein festival and local apple presses open up for community-made cider. Apple season isn't just about juice and pies, either — the county is home to more than a dozen craft hard cider makers, too. Along the narrow roads near Sebastopol, the county's traditional apple capital, you can stop by half a dozen different cider houses for samples year round. Try Horse & Plow for something to excite your palate or Ace if you like your cider house a bit funkier. Gravenstein Apple Fair, Aug. 11-12, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Ragle Ranch Regional Park, 500 Ragle Road, Sebastopol. Horse & Plow, Thursday-Monday 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; 1272 Gravenstein Highway. N., Sebastopol. Ace Cider, Friday 1 p.m.-5 p.m.; 2064 Gravenstein Highway N. #40, Sebastopol.
5. Wildlife watching
Plenty of interesting creatures are indigenous to Sonoma County — hawks and herons, salamanders, slothful second-generation winemakers — but the most exciting animals reside on 400 acres of grassland north of Santa Rosa at Safari West. Here, Peter Lang chose to open one of the country's few accredited private zoos, a safari trip in the middle of Wine Country replete with giraffes, rhinos and cheetahs. Once inside, khakied safari guides will load you into an open-air wagon and ferry you about the grounds for three hours, bringing you surprisingly close to zebras and flamingos and more. Plus, you can stay overnight in one of the facility's glamping tents. 3115 Porter Creek Road, Santa Rosa; (707) 579-2551; www.safariwest.com
6. Champagne sipping
Whatever your choice of bubbly, you have to appreciate Korbel's staying power. The California Champagne house opened in 1882, in the Russian River Valley, and has been producing ever since. The Champagne Cellars are well worth the 50-minute tour — docents lead you through historic cellars and a museum filled with antique vintner equipment — especially since the educational experience ends with a tasting. The winery is also home to lovely gardens and nice spots for a picnic with a bottle. 13250 River Road, Guerneville; (707) 824-7000; www.korbel.com
7. Museum touring
You don't have to be a Peanuts superfan to enjoy the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center. (Though it helps.) The museum, in Santa Rosa, houses thousands of original comic strips featuring Snoopy, Charlie Brown and Lucy, and brings them to life with behind-the-scene details about Schulz's work and life. The current exhibit, running through September, showcases some of the creator's family and friend's favorites. 2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa; (707) 579-4452; www.schulzmuseum.org
8. Window shopping
The plaza in Healdsburg didn't used to be like this, locals will tell you. Before the spas and hotels and boutiques, Healdsburg was a legitimate farm town. Today, with luxurious digs and swank bars, it is a tourist destination in its own right. It is also home to the county's best shopping. It's easy to peruse all the town's shops on foot in a single afternoon. Don't miss: painfully beautiful dinnerware from Shed, and reasonably priced antiques at the flea-market-esque Mill Street Antiques.
9. Beer swilling
In a county that can draw a stream of pinkies-up tourists, Russian River Brewing Co. is a soothing balm. Of course, the unadorned brewhouse in downtown Santa Rosa is home to one of the most celebrated beers on Earth — Pliny the Elder IPA — but it's also a nice place to pull up a barstool and dive into an unpretentious plate of "beer bites," the pub's signature hunks of torn pizza dough covered in cheese and garlic. Stick around and try some of the brewery's equally renowned barrel-aged beers — there's usually around 20 on tap — including funky, hard to find releases like Sanctification or Consecration. 725 Fourth St., Santa Rosa; (707) 545-2337; www.russianriverbrewing.com
10. Tree swinging
The redwoods of western Sonoma County are just as majestic as any down the coast at Big Sur. At the Armstrong Grove State Park, the oldest is thought be over 1,400 years old. And while an afternoon in the serene forest grove is certainly good for the soul, Sonoma Canopy Tours has something more exhilarating on tap, too. The outfitter's 2½-hour tour takes you into the heart of the redwood canopy — a full 250 feet off the ground — across custom built sky-bridges, through the fragrant needles and down over 2,000 feet of high-speed zip-line courses, too. Prices start at $119 for adults and $89 for kids over 10. 6250 Bohemian Highway, Occidental; (888) 494-7868; www.sonomacanopytours.com