The historic town of Healdsburg makes a perfect base camp when you want to take a few days to visit Sonoma County’s famous wineries. Many attractive Healdsburg vacation rentals are available, so if you search for rentals in Healdsburg, you’ll be able to relax in style in between your wine country adventures.
Exploring Healdsburg Wineries
Healdsburg is a hub for three separate California wine appellations: Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley and Alexander Valley. Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery on Dry Creek Road offers tastings of its award-winning Fumé Blancs as well as the opportunity to stroll through five acres of exquisitely landscaped gardens. If Italian varietals are more to your taste, you won’t want to pass up Seghesio Family Vineyards, which first opened in 1895. The countryside around Healdsburg is crisscrossed with picturesque backroads; pick any one of them, and start to drive, and you’ll discover an abundance of smaller, family-owned vineyards.
Other Healdsburg Adventures
Not an oenophile? Don’t worry: Healdsburg offers plenty of other things to see and do. Spend a lazy afternoon canoeing or kayaking on the Russian River; you’ll find many attractive beaches where you can stop, swim, sun and enjoy a picnic. There’s also boating and fishing on nearby Lake Sonoma. Take a ride in a hot air balloon and marvel at the beauty of your birds-eye view of Sonoma County’s rolling hills and scenic vineyards.
Plan a day trip to a nearby town like St. Helena or Calistoga. Calistoga is known for its natural mineral hot springs and mud baths, which have been helping travelers relax for more than 100 years. The western campus of the famed Culinary Institute of America is based in St. Helena. Many of the chefs who graduate from this program stick around, so the restaurants in this area serve world-class meals.