This past weekend I was in Sonoma with my mom and sisters for a girls weekend. We had a great time tasting wine and taking in the beautiful countryside. This was my first trip in a while so I didn't realize quite how spread out everything is and how many small adorable towns are in both Sonoma and Napa. These are just a few highlights from our long weekend.
We wanted space to spread out so we rented this adorable little cottage a few miles from downtown Sonoma. It was perfect for what we needed and we loved the outdoor space where we enjoyed a glass of wine after our daily outings.
Our first full day we wanted to see the beautiful coastline of Sonoma County so we headed an hour west to Bodega Head. The views were pretty spectacular and afterwards we stopped at Roadhouse Coffee which is the quintessential small town coffee shop. We ended up talking to a few local patrons and it is definitely worth the stop for a taste of the local color.
Afterwards we drove up the coastline then followed the Russian River inland to Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. The park is less crowded than some of the more well known Redwood parks and the trail we took was extremely flat and easy. We finished off our day in Healdsburg, an adorable town full of shops and restaurants. We only had time to stop at The Shed, a cafe and home goods store, but it is top of my list to visit on my next trip back.
On our second day we headed over to Napa and had brunch at Boon Fly Cafe. When you go you have to order the bakers dozen donuts, just trust me. Our first vineyard of the trip was Turnbull Wines and it was like walking into the pages of a restoration hardware catalog. Before heading back to Sonoma we stopped at Farmstead cafe in St. Helena for coffees and a snack.
Our final vineyard of the day was Ram's Gate in Sonoma and might be the most gorgeous winery I've ever visited. From the soaring wood cathedral ceilings, indoor and outdoor space that flowed together and dramatic light fixtures, I just couldn't get enough. Just to note this is one of the vineyards you have to make an appointment for so plan ahead.
Our final day was definitely the most memorable. We booked a private tour with Kent from Squire Livery and while it was a splurge I now can't imagine doing wine country any other way. He took us to small boutique vineyards not open to the public and we had private tasting experiences with such gracious hosts who are passionate about making wine. We took tours of wine caves, were driven amongst the vines in a dune buggy vehicle and enjoyed tastings at farm tables in the middle of vineyards. It was the perfect way to end our trip and we will definitely be calling Kent up on any of our future visits.
