Come on a journey with me to Sonoma, California, USA! Here I share with you all the wonderful Sonoma County delights I explored, courtesy of my amazing client, Ranchweb.
I've only travelled internationally minimally since Covid, as I've been thoroughly enjoying the freedom full time vanlilfe in the UK has given me.
I've explored little enclaves of my very own country, the UK, for the first time in my life and it's been wonderful!
But the beckon of international travel still absolutely calls and when I was invited by my client – a Sonoma local – to experience Sonoma County as a local I, of course, couldn't wait to park up and fly off!
Read my top tips on where to eat, drink and sleep in Sonoma, and adventure with me to the Pacific coast, hills and valleys of Napa Valley, in and around San Francisco's famous wine country.
Contents
- Where to stay in Sonoma
- Explore Sonoma's sweet little side streets
- Where to eat in Sonoma
- Wine tasting in Sonoma and Napa Valley
- Sonoma Summer Farmer's Market
- Road trippin' Sonoma
- Time to relax: the best spas in Sonoma
Where to stay in Sonoma
I was lucky enough to stay at the gorgeously quaint Swiss Hotel Sonoma; my third time as a guest.
Built in 1835, right on the Plaza, it's a wonderfully authentic boutique hotel in Sonoma that still retains its olde worlde charm, with very few upgrades to bring it in line with modern life.
That being said, comfort and cleanliness are not compromised and I very much enjoyed the cosiness The Swiss Hotel in Sonoma offers.
It's the perfect retreat after long hours of travelling to the U.S. and this quaint boutique hotel in Sonoma is also a welcoming respite after days out exploring this amazing region.
Once you step into The Swiss Hotel Sonoma, you're greeted by a small hallway totally covered in the most fascinating old photos from decades gone by, depicting all sorts of Bacchanalian-related quips, get-togethers and lively scenes of a bygone Sonoma Town.
You'll find yourself drawn in... one could spend hours simply looking at all the photos!
As you head to one of five cosy rooms on the second floor, think creaky wooden stairs, off-centre ceilings and lovely vintage taps, tubs and tapestries.
One of the rooms' beds is so huge, you need steps to get into it!
The Swiss Hotel in Sonoma is also blessed with a lovely open-faced, covered wooden balcony, that looks directly over Sonoma Plaza. It's like something straight out of an old Western movie...
Pop down to the bar, grab yourself a bottle of local plonk and while away the time in the shady retreat, watching the world go by. It's a people-watching delight and the balcony at The Swiss Hotel Sonoma is so old it even has a weight limit, so go easy on those U.S. portions!
If you're looking to stay right out in Napa Valley rather than Sonoma itself, you have to treat yourself to the incredibly luxurious and utterly decadent Auberge du Soleil.
A Relais & Chateaux property that sits right up in the hills of Napa, it's a superbly designed tiered layout, with a beautiful terraced restaurant at the top for exquisite dining with 10* views.
The hotel's tiered design ensures you can see the sprawling valleys from all angles; whether eating and drinking, relaxing by the pool or spending time on the terrace by your room.
Explore Sonoma's sweet little side streets
Now you've settled into your hotel in Sonoma, grab your walking shoes and head out to explore your immediate surroundings.
For the avid shoppers, or if you want some souvenirs for those not lucky enough to have joined you on this quite simply wonderful excursion to the delights of Sonoma, there are myriad high-class boutique shops.
Think quintessential chocolate shops, luxury kitchenware shops (the famous Williams Sonoma is a must-visit!) artisan cheese shops, bespoke art shops, handmade jewellery and boho fashion abound. Simply delightful.
If you're more of a culture vulture, then Sonoma Plaza is a dream come true. One side still retains the actual buildings of times gone by and it's well worth stepping back in time for a look to see what life in the town was like in yesteryear.
All that exploring will have you thirsty for a cuppa, so head on over to the gas station in Sonoma and get yourself a delicious coffe or chai latte (my personal fave!) from Cup of Love Coffee wagon in the car park. Quite frankly one of the best chai lattes of my life. Get involved! Oh and the people who run it coudn't be lovelier.
Once you've picked up your coffee, it's time to take it 'rogue' and head off the beaten tourist trail and into the neighbourhood's quirky little suburbs. Honestly you won't regret it, especially if you love checking out cute, quaint and unique little homes, houses and dwellings.
Sonoma town's surrounding suburbs are jam-packed with tiny house-lovers' delights; many of the smaller homes that you'll see on a stroll around Patten Street and beyond used to be vineyard staff workers' accommodation. Not so much now, these highly sought-after, high-price plots are being snapped up and sadly modernised, although some originals are still shining bright!
Where to eat in Sonoma
All that exploring and wandering round Sonoma Plaza in the sun works up an appetite, and there are many delightful gastronomic establishments to choose from, just a stone's throw away from each other.
Many offer charming courtyard settings to soak in those warm, balmy, Sonoma summer evenings; suntraps often with beautful winding wisterias and vines adorning the walled enclaves.
It feels almost European; the chinking of glasses, gentle hubub of conversation and quite possibly the most polite, gracious and attentive wait staff I've experienced this side of the planet (the Filipinos take some topping!).
Here are my favourites:
- Della Santina – a secret, gorgeous courtyard setting just off the Plaza; a locals' favourite.
- The Girl & The Fig – a perfectly-placed Plaza favourite; located just on the corner, this is a great little lunch spot with wonderfully rustic-chic French fare.
- La Haye – also a step off the Plaza, this is just for VERY special occasions, the service is impeccable.
- EDK – nab a spot in the balmy courtyard and enjoy being utterly indulged by the courteous wait staff.
If you want to stock up the fridge in your Sonoma hotel room, or want to pick up some wine and nibbles for an afternoon or evening relaxing on the Plaza, head over to the amazing Sonoma Market store for some groceries.
You are quite simply spoilt for choice by the incredible fresh juices, sweet treats, pastries, fabulously fresh fruit and veg, and the best takeout salad bar I've ever seen.
There's an abundance of cheese too – try the Sonoma goat's cheese: so so good! Plus an epic meat counter for if you want to contribute to a BBQ – probably the best ribeye steak I've ever eaten...
Wine tasting in Sonoma and Napa Valley
Most of my wine drinking and tasting was in the aforementioned restaurants in Sonoma, and in the exquisite local Sonoman wineries, also a little farther out at the Napa Valley wineries.
Bartholomew Estate Winery, Sonoma
However there are plenty of little cellar doors right in Sonoma around the Plaza and down some curious little ivy-covered lanes, where you can sample the delights of the fabulous local tipples.
Just head out from your hotel in Sonoma and explore, and you're bound to stumble across a cute little corner or courtyard with plenty of wine tasting choices.
But here are a couple of the wonderful wineries in Sonoma country that I visited on this trip:
Bartholomew Estate Winery, Sonoma
Deemed by the San Francisco Chronicle to be one of the 15 most beautiful wineries in Napa and Sonoma, Bartholomew Estate Winery is a gorgeous winery set in green and rolling vineyards just outside Sonoma.
A calm, cool, peaceful and welcoming place to head to on a sunny day, we were greeted by the most effervescent sommelier who passionalty presented us with a wonderful flight of reds and whites, with which to whet our palettes.
And once you've purchased your favourite vino, why not do what the locals do, and head out to the cool and shady picnic benches overlooking the vineyards, to enjoy your delicious new purchase!
If you're not planning to quickly bounce to the next vineyard, plan ahead and pack up a scrumptious picnic with gastronomic delights purchased from Sonoma Market, so you can soak up the vino, vineyards and good vibes. Pure heaven!
Gundlach Bundschu Winery is another must-visit vineyard in Sonoma amongst many, many others and their lively, buzzy outdoor atmosphere is the perfect wine terrace on which to relax under the Californian sun.
And have no fear about wanting to take a couple of special bottles home with you, any Sonoma winery worth its salt will provide a wine bag, a special wine bottle-shaped padded bag with absorbent material inside in case of in-flight accidents!
Am pleased to say that both my bottles, one from each vineyard, survived the trip back to the UK. Happy days.
Sonoma Summer Farmer's Market
The Sonoma Farmer's Market is an absolute must-do when in the area. Presented by the City of Sonoma, the Sonoma Farmer's Market takes place every Tuesday evening between June and September.
This free summer event in Sonoma is like something straight out of a wholesome all-American movie! Designed to bring fresh, local, small-scale farmers' produce to the community, Sonoman locals armed with picnics galore descend on the historic shady Plaza to escape the balmy summer evening heat. And boy do these guys know how to picnic!
The Plaza is furnished with plenty of large picnic tables and those who get there early come laden with baskets and coolboxes, and spread their gaudy or red-and-white chequered table cloths out, covering them with an abundance of the most delicious fare.
Sonoma Plaza
Think olives, local cheeses, artisan breads, home-cooked barbecued meats, fruits and of course wine. If you're lucky enough to be invited by the locals, as was I, you'll come away with a whole new level of how to picnic.
And that's not all, the Sonoma Farmer's Market itself is such fun. Once you've caught up with friends old and new, wander round the stalls and buy gorgeous local soy candles, hand-crafted jewellery and clothes, taste exotic and local foods alike, and dance it all off to the local bands.
The Sonoma Farmer's Market finishes at sunset and then everyone heads to the nearest wine bar, or home for some much-needed post-partying R&R! My jetlag made sure I was usually ready for bed by 10pm...
Road trippin' Sonoma
There's so much to do in and around Sonoma, however I was excited to explore more of California's stunning Sonoma County itself, outside the town.
This one is for the seafood lovers, especially those (like me!) who love, but choose not to eat seafood for many reasons, including quality and sustainability.
We took a drive out of town through the wonderful rolling landscape of Sonoma County, where we passed many spacious ranches, drove through cool mountain pine groves, up winding coastal roads with incredible views of the Pacific bays, and headed to the tiny little coastal enclave of Marshall and Tomales Bay.
The temperature noticeably dropped the further towards the coast we drove, it was over 90 degrees (around 32c) in Sonoma and by the time we reached the coast it was in the 70s (around 24c), so this little day trip is a pleasant respite for those who aren't so great with the heat and relish some fresh, coastal breezes!
Tip: bring a light top if you want to sit outside at the restaurant as said breeze was somewhat fresh when we went in June!
Situated right on the shoreline at the roadside is the fantastic and very popular Tony's Seafood Restaurant, part of the Hog Island Oyster Co. Family.
Established in 1948, when Marshall was a busy and bustling seafood port, Hog Island Oyster Co. bought the popular restaurant in 2017, wishing to 'preserve and pay homage to the stories, traditions and foods of old, while creating a space to welcome in new ones'.
As someone who these days only chooses to eat seafood under very specific conditions, this was a dream come true. Tony's Seafood Restaurant's offerings really couldn't be more local and sustainable.
With their produce grown and bred right on their doorstep – or 'seastep' – Hog Island Oyster Co. invests in conservation and sustainable farming and business practices, working with leading scientists to understand the oceans, climate and coastlines.
What a treat it was to eat fresh, clean, locally-produced and raised seafood, I had the most exquisite bowl of mussels in creamy garlic sauce, and – an absolute must-try – a mint choc chip ice cream sandwich! (Not caught from the ocean admittedly, but comes highly recommended, too!)
Time to relax: the best spas in Sonoma
At some point during your busy and adventure-filled vacation to Sonoma, you're going to want (and probably need!) to indugle in some serious downtime. Whether that's when you arrive, to stave off the jetlag, or at the end before you fly or travel again, there are a couple of spas in Sonoma you can't miss.
First up, I was overwhelmed with gratitude to be treated to the most wonderful massage at The Spa at MacArthur, at the beautiful MacArthur Place Hotel, Sonoma.
Photo: MacArthur Place Hotel
The Spa at MacArthur is the most wonderfully refined, relaxing place to visit to seriously unwind. The feelings of peace and serenity when you arrive and check in for your massage in Sonoma are just what I, as a weary traveller, needed!
Needless to say my hour massage at MacArthur Spa went by far too fast and I'm sure I fell asleep, but I left MacArthur Place feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, and I swear it helped me beat the jetlag.
Another spa in Sonoma you must try is actually a little out of town, in Glen Ellen. Run by a very friendly, talented and professional couple, Justin and Erin, this lovely boutique spa, BridgeView Spa offers an exclusive, bespoke service, focusing on only one client at a time.
If you're looking for facials in Sonoma, or massage in Sonoma with a holistic approach that integrates Western and Eastern massage techniques, I suggest heading out to BridgeView Spa!
Photo: BridgeView Spa
So I know some folk don't actually enjoy, or want to take a spa day or treatment and if that sounds like you, then another great way to relax in Sonoma when the weather's good, would be to pack up a blanket, picnic and book, and simply head to the shady Plaza for a snooze in the warm summer air. After all, the best things in life are free!
Sayonara Sonoma
My schedule in Sonoma was so busy and fulfilling, and I've come away from the pretty little Californian town feeling a sense of home-from-home – and that's not only down to the truly gracious, generous, welcoming and fascinating people who live there.
It's a charming oasis with an upscale, yet laid-back, bohemian vibe and no big-chain invasions. And of course well-known for its wineries and beautiful scenery, Sonoma attracts artists, writers and other creative individuals who appreciate its relaxed atmosphere and natural beauty.
Sonoma is also a place where people can connect with nature, explore local shops and galleries, and enjoy the delicious food and wine that the region has to offer.
I cannot wait to go back and maybe one day plant some roots there, who knows where the wind will blow!
Thank you to my immensely generous and hospitable clients, hosts and friends, Gene and Regina Kilgore, of Top50 Ranches, Ranchweb, Luxury Ranch Real Estate and The World's Best Fly Fishing Vacations.
If you'd like to work with me, drop me a line and I'll get back to you ASAP, or if you want to see more of my vanlife adventures, head to my Instagram @what_katie.did.
© Images www.katehammaren.com unless credited
Author: Kate Hammaren, Freelance Writer & Editor
Get to know Kate here
