10 Must-Dos in Sonoma Wine Country

Located just 45 minutes north of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, Sonoma County is an ideal getaway with a lots to do. Here are 10 insider tips for enjoying your escape to Sonoma Wine Country.

1. Sip & Nibble at Sonoma County Wineries

Sip premium wine paired with the farm-to-table tastings of talented winery chefs. Wine-and-food-pairings are a wonderful way to experience the best of this bountiful area.

St. Francis Winery & Vineyards in Santa Rosa offers stunning vineyard views and fine dining with an extraordinary multi-course wine and food pairing. Open Table named this the No. 1 restaurant in America. 

Jordan Vineyard & Winery in Healdsburg offers an ultimate, insider look when you book an Estate Tour and tasting at this beautiful site.

Find more Wineries with Food Pairings and Luxury Wine and Food Experiences in Sonoma County and discover the complete listing of all Sonoma County Wineries. 

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2. Find Sonoma County’s Best Breweries

With at least two dozen breweries, close to a dozen cider producers, and more than a dozen distilleries, Sonoma County is a craft beverage paradise.

Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa and its new brewpub in Windsor have a big fan base and draw big crowds every year with the release of its award-winning Pliny the Younger for a limited two-week run.

For more fun brewery choices, follow the Sonoma County Craft Beverage Map and find your favorites.

Leave the driving to an expert with a Sonoma County tour guide and enjoy a fun, relaxing ride to the best breweries and distilleries. Or, visit craft breweries on two wheels with a guided cycling tour by Getaway Adventures or Ace It Bike Tours. 

3. Head Out on Sonoma County’s Farm Trail

Small farms flourish in the rolling hills and pastures of Sonoma County. Get the Sonoma County Farm Trails Map to farm life, cows, sheep, llamas, honey bees, and more.

Chat with local cheese makers and sample hand-crafted wares at sites on the California Cheese Trail.

For more visit-the-farm fun, check out Agri-Tourism, Farm Tours Offered Throughout Sonoma County.

Or browse the bounty at Sonoma County’s year-round farmer’s markets, held Tuesdays in Petaluma, Wednesdays and Saturdays in Santa Rosa, Fridays in the town of Sonoma, and Sundays in Sebastopol. Seasonal markets also crop up to offer the freshest local harvests.

4. Whale Watch on the Sonoma Coast

The gray whale migration peaks in the winter months, and Bodega Head is one of the county’s top whale-watching spots. This small peninsula juts into the ocean, providing great views of the magnificent creatures swimming by, spouting water, or displaying tails as they dive for tiny shrimp (krill).

Docents are on hand at Bodega Head to help would-be whale watchers on weekends from approximately January to May. Other sites along the Pacific Ocean are also good for Whale Watching Along the Sonoma Coast and you can even venture out on the water for Fishing, Boating & Whale Watching tours.

5. Savor the Sea — Sonoma County Style

Sample the freshest seafood (and plenty of other farm-fresh options,) in the restaurants along the Sonoma coast — many with views of the ocean and fresh catches of the day.

Make plans for the annual Chowder Day in the seaside town of Bodega Bay every January. This tasty tour can take three or more hours to sample the many offerings and meet chefs in this celebration of all things chowder.

The height of Dungeness Crab season is typically in winter months when you’ll find this treat on menus at restaurants along the Sonoma Coast.

On select Fridays each winter, the Tides Wharf Restaurant hosts reservations-only crab feeds. Or if you’re in a do-it-yourself mood, you can pick up live, freshly caught crab at the Spud Point Crab Co. or buy their crab sandwiches and crab cakes to eat at the outdoor picnic tables.

6. Go on a Sonoma County Safari

Ride in an open-air vehicle to catch sight of gazelles, zebras, cheetahs, antelopes, giraffes, cape buffalo, and other exotic animals at Safari West Wildlife Preserve & African Tent Camp. Located in the rolling hills of Santa Rosa, this 400-acre preserve is home to about 700 animals in an environment close to their African habitat.

Watch the animals socialize, eat, and play. After enjoying the day tour, you can spend the night in a luxury tent imported from Africa. Pale green canvas walls enclose plush beds and hot showers for glam destination camping at its finest.

7. Visit Peanuts Country — Shulz’s Sonoma County Homebase

Famed cartoonist Charles Schulz — the creator of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the entire Peanuts gang — called Sonoma County home for more than 40 years. At the 8,000-square-foot Charles M. Schulz Museum, you’ll see the world’s most extensive collection of original Peanuts artwork and animation, and browse character products from as far back as the 1950s.

Next door, you’ll find Snoopy’s Home Ice and the Warm Puppy Café snack bar. And scattered throughout Santa Rosa, you’ll discover 5-foot-tall fiberglass statues of whimsically decorated Peanuts characters created as fund-raising art. Spot Peanuts statues and sites with this handy guide to Explore Snoopy and the Peanuts in Sonoma County (2-Day Itinerary).

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8. Enjoy Live Performances in Sonoma County

Renowned musicians of all styles perform in the 240-seat Schroeder Hall and 1,400-seat Weill Hall at Rohnert Park’s Green Music Center, a world-class performing arts center in the heart of Sonoma Wine Country. 

In Santa Rosa, the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts presents an eclectic mix of music, theater, dance, comedy, and family shows on its newly renovated stage in the 1,625-seat theater.

In a 120-year-old cannery building in downtown Santa Rosa, the 6th Street Playhouse offers music, drama, and laughter in live theater performances.

For more, check this listing for Music & Nightlife and Arts & Culture in Sonoma County. 

9. Appreciate Art in Sonoma County

Sonoma County’s pounding surf, rolling vineyards, and dynamic communities inspire artists to create towering sculptures, vibrant paintings, and one-of-a-kind jewelry. Everywhere you look, you’ll find thriving arts.

Visit two dozen art galleries within walking distance of downtown Healdsburg Plaza, like the Paul Mahder Gallery.

Follow sculpture trails in the towns of Geyserville and Cloverdale, or enjoy the whimsical art made from recycled materials on the three blocks of Florence Avenue in Sebastopol. 

Experience the quirky river town of Guerneville on its First Friday Art Walk, when art galleries, art studios, and merchants host receptions from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

For more, check outArt Walks in Sonoma County and Amazing Art in Sonoma County (3-Day Itinerary).

10. Explore Sonoma County’s Great Outdoors

Home to 11 California State Parks, more than 50 Sonoma County Regional Parks, and miles of trails — Sonoma County offers so many ways to get outside and enjoy.

• Enjoy free, self-guided vineyard walking tours
• Stroll through towering trees at Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve  
• Discover the Guide to Hiking in Sonoma County
• Check out the Outdoor Activities Listings

This is just a sample of the wonderful array of fun activities and entertainment in Sonoma County. Check the complete listings of Things to Do in Sonoma County and the tantalizing array of Restaurants & Dining in Sonoma Wine Country.

Don’t forget — the mild climate makes this a popular destination in every season, and you’ll find plenty of cozy winter resorts to discover in Sonoma County.

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Written by Sonoma Insider Patricia Lynn Henley