The rolling hills and vineyards of the Sonoma Valley are just part of a natural tapestry that has beckoned art-lovers and wine connoisseurs to this region for decades. Indeed, the fathers who founded missions here were growing grapes hundreds of years ago. Then, in the late 1850's, a fellow named Col. Agoston Haraszthy figured it all out.
Haraszthy was a Hungarian immigrant who convinced the state of California to send him to Europe on a fact-finding mission to see just how European growers created what were acknowledged to be the best wines of the time. He came back convinced that the soil in the Sonoma Valley was ideal for growing grapes, and that locally produced wines could rival those in Europe. He founded the Buena Vista winery and, by 1876, the Sonoma Valley was producing more than 2.3 million gallons of wine per year.
Today, the Sonoma Valley and the nearby Napa Valley are the cornerstones in a winery industry that continues to grow well beyond Northern California. Whether you're visiting Mendocino in the north, or Temecula in the south, the California wine-growing regions continue to show the world that the local product can compete with the best wines anywhere.
And so Sonoma and Napa keep packing in visitors seduced by the fertile landscape, the charm, the history and now the variety of wineries that each region has to offer the California traveler. Stately inns and luxurious resorts have sprung up alongside the hundreds of wineries in those regions today, each accommodation offering a getaway experience that becomes almost spiritual in the way it transports the visitor to a completely different way of life.
In Sonoma Valley, you're likely to see more family-run wineries and fewer of those owned by international conglomerates. The landscape is similar to Napa but everything seems just a bit more "small-town."
Our first visit to Sonoma was during one of its many festive events held down in the Plaza ? a "town square" kind of park that all of the downtown buildings are built around. During this celebration the park was decked out with dozens of booths offering draft beer and food items, and locals were toe-tapping to classic rock performed by a lively group of middle-agers. The party was spilling out into the historic shopping district that surrounds the park and, on this hot summer Sunday, Sonoma was attracting a parade of weekend visitors.
At least a half-dozen wineries ? including Buena Vista ? are within a few blocks of the Sonoma Plaza. If you're a serious wine-lover, this is just the start. Drive up Highway 12 a few miles and you run into a bunch more ? continue onto Highway 101 and you discover wineries all the way from Santa Rosa on up to Geyserville. Then you figure out that this is just a small corner of Sonoma County and that you'll find lots os wineries and grape-growing throughout the area.
We spent a couple of hours exploring the attractions in the Plaza area ? such points of interest as the Mission San Francisco Solano de Sonoma, the Sonoma Cheese Factory and a wide variety of stores, most of them housed in well-maintained historic buildings. Then it was off down the road a couple miles to the resort we'd chosen for this short getaway to Sonoma ? the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa.
Driving into the Fairmont Sonoma is like arriving at your French country estate for the weekend. The ambiance and grandeur just make this seem like a larger-than-life experience as you make your way into the circular driveway and are immediately greeted by the helpful hotel valet. You notice at once that the grounds of this stately hotel have been impeccably manicured, not a blade of grass out of place. Walkways weave around the main inn and into the forest behind the inn where the hotel has dozens of stylish new suites.
In fact, the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn spent $62 million upgrading the inn to make it one of the most prestigious spa resorts in Northern California. Built in the style of a mission in 1926, the hotel has a rich history of beckoning travelers even before the present structure was built. The inn's Mission-style architecture has been maintained, but enhanced. Rustic woods and wrought iron are used in the restored lobby to fit in with the feel of the surrounding wine country. French antiques adorn the lobby. Just outside the lobby a three-tier circular fountain is the centerpiece of the entrance plaza and looks like something you would find in Rome.
We were shown to a suite that was tastefully decorated with furniture featuring the most stylish fabrics, carefully color-coordinated to look like a scene out of Architectural Digest. A little breakfast nook looked out the shuttered windows to the lush landscaping, trees and gardens found throughout the resort's eight acres. A fireplace was at the ready with a small couch positioned nearby for total relaxation. The spacious bath area was typical five-star with its separate shower stall plus an oversized bathtub.
One reason the Sonoma Mission Fairmont Inn has long been popular with travelers is the natural hot springs that provides thermal mineral water for soaking. This goes hand in hand with the spa services offered at the resort ? more than 50 such treatments in all, making the inn a hit with guests seeking a little renovation of their own. The hotel offers a successful "Girls Weekend" package that has proven too much to resist for homemakers and professional women wanting that special pampering.
Golfers will find that the Fairmont offers what many say is the best 18-hole golf course in the Sonoma Valley. And, finally, Fairmont Sonoma is known among locals for its exquisite fine dining at Sante, one of the Valley's best known restaurants. Chef Joseph Brown has been brought on board to prepare a healthy, uncomplicated cuisine that focuses on the fresh ingredients found in the Sonoma wine country.
So it was obvious to us that we had found a big-town resort in what really could be Smalltown USA. The recipe for relaxation at the Fairmont Sonoma Inn and Spa is one part ambiance, one part style, one part history lesson, one part world-class recreation and one part total indulgence ? whether it be fine dining, the spa or the wines produced by some of the best vintners in California.
Several attractions are just a short distance from the Fairmont Sonoma:
General Vallejo's home -- Sonoma founder General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo purchased this historic home's site in 1850 and today you can get a sense of history while at the same time enjoying the various fruit trees, cottonwood trees and Castilian roses that are part of the home's landscaping.
Haraszthy Home -- Agoston Haraszthy's home is still there at the site of the historic Buena Vista Winery.
London State Historic Park ? Located on 800 acres, this park has the remains of London's house, which was burned. The park also has a museum and picnic spots to enjoy a little cheese and some of that Sonoma wine.
Sonoma Cheese Factory -- Celso Viviani was the founder of the Sonoma Cheese Factory in 1931 and today his son and grandson still run the business. You'll see how the cheese is made and the best part is you'll get to taste any of the cheese they make.
Sonoma Train Town ? If you're into exploring full-sized cabooses, this attraction not only has cabooses, but nearly two miles of train track located on 10 acres. It also has a 47-foot clock tower modeled after the 16th Street Depot in Oakland.
AT A GLANCE
WHERE: Sonoma and the Sonoma Valley are located about 45 miles northeast of San Francisco.
WHAT: Sonoma Valley is right next door to Napa Valley with the same breathtaking scenery and ambiance and the same good wine, just with fewer people and wineries. Wineries here tend to be smaller, family-run.
WHEN: Any time of year. The weather in the Sonoma Valley is pleasant year-round, although check with the locals about when to see the grape crush and harvest and other special events that occur throughout the year.
WHY: A charming destination in its own right but made even more special with a stay at a world-class spa resort like the Fairmont Sonoma Inn and Spa.
HOW: For more information on Sonoma Valley, please go to www.bestinsonoma.com. For information on the Sonoma Fairmont Resort and Spa, please go to www.fairmont.com/sonoma/ .
We had spent an enjoyable weekend on a previous trip in the town of Sonoma ? the best-known visitor destination in the county and a less corporate, less developed version of nearby Napa ? but this time we wanted to get off the beaten path a bit and experience the Sonoma County countryside. Because we had heard about the historic downtown buildings there, we decided our first stop would be Petaluma, a city of about 60,000 people that is about 32 miles north of San Francisco.
Driving up from Southern California, we went straight to the Sheraton Petaluma to rest up and begin a day of exploration the following day. This particular hotel is located on the Petaluma River with its full-fledged marina providing both moorage for local boaters and ambiance for the hotel. The river also provides a pleasant backdrop for hiking trails that begin at the hotel and take you several miles into the local marshland ? the perfect start to a sunny day in Sonoma County.
After a brisk morning walk we drove just a couple of miles to Downtown Petaluma, which was just as advertised. The small downtown area had the good fortune to survive the San Francisco earthquake of the early 20th Century and today offers the visitor a complete collection of historic buildings, both business and residential. It's all within easy walking distance and it was fun to pick up local publications and do our own historic walking tour of the area. The river adds a special feeling to the downtown area and it's apparent that the locals have put great emphasis on creating boardwalks, special docks and other amenities to add to the area's overall charm.
As we ventured outward a few blocks from the downtown, we were awed by rows and rows of Victorian homes, most in good repair. Petaluma's Historic Downtown, in fact, is on the National Register of Historic Places. It soon became apparent why so many people choose to use Petaluma as a base of operations for exploring nearly 200 wineries in Sonoma County.
The area's history is formally celebrated at the Petaluma Historical Library and Museum, where the building and everything inside are part of the town's history. The 41-acre Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park is three miles east of town and was once the adobe ranch of General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo. Dating back to 1834, the house is a historical landmark and today features authentic furniture and interpretive displays. After our morning of history it was time to venture on with our daytrip by driving about 30 miles north on Highway 101 to the quaint town of Healdsburg. The town derives its name from Harmon Heald, an Ohio entrepreneur who initially set up the town grid back in the 1850's and sold lots for $15 apiece. Healdsburg was built around a Spanish-style plaza which, today, remains the centerpiece of a downtown that still retains many historic buildings. The town has something of a Mayberry feel with its Sweet Shop selling gumballs on the corner and institutions like the Raven Performing Arts Theater that hosts local plays and features dinosaur rock acts such as Bo Diddly, the performer in town during our visit.
But while the town may seem as simple as Mayberry, life here is definitely more sophisticated. There is a high per-capita number of gourmet restaurants, and high-end galleries, jewelry, apparel and other gifts are clustered around the plaza. When you get right down to it, the best part about Healdsburg is its location. From here you can take gorgeous drives through the countryside, which is occupied in large measure by grape vines. You can get started at one of the many wine tasting rooms in town or wait until you visit the wineries along the way ? in this part of Sonoma County, a glass of premium wine is never far away.
A local resident directed us north and west on Dry Creek Road, a country road that almost seems European it is so lush and colorful. As promised, the road meanders through vineyards and bright fields of flowers, offering mystic vistas of the nearby hills. We passed farmhouse settings so idyllic they seemed like they were created for fairy tales. And, of course, every couple miles or less there was another winery, many with tasting rooms beckoning the traveler to stop in and just "drink up" some of this famous Sonoma County atmosphere.
The Dry Creek Road runs parallel to Highway 101 for several miles and then we took a right on Canyon Road to cross back under the freeway and head over to Geyserville, just east of 101. This town of about a thousand souls is home to some inns and is known for its location right in the heart of wine country. It's estimated that about 70 wineries are within a 15-minute radius of town.
From Geyserville we headed south on scenic Highway 128, which eventually climbs out of the valley, over and through the hills and, finally, down into Napa County and the historic town of Calistoga. This area was settled back in the mid-19th Century by Samuel Brannan, who published San Franciso's first English language newspaper and was California's first millionaire. He was interested in Calistoga's hot springs so he purchased more than 2,000 acres, where he wanted to build a spa similar to Saratoga in New York. It opened in 1862, and was an immediate hit with the rich and famous of the day.
The privileged still come to Calistoga ? along with plenty of ordinary people. The appeal remains the area's hot springs, and several inns and resorts offer a hot spring experience as part of their amenities. Still a small town with only about 5,000 people, Calistoga prides itself on being a center of wellness that attracts visitors looking for therapeutic benefits from the hot springs. No need to stay overnight to enjoy the hot springs; day spas offer visitors the chance to dip and drive.
Calistoga has a small-town, Western feel, even though there are plenty of expensive spa resorts nearby to cater to your every whim. We especially enjoyed spending some time over at the Sharpsteen Museum where they have a large diorama depicting Calistoga as it looked like when it was settled by Brannan. The museum was a project of Ben Sharpsteen, an animator, producer and director for Walt Disney Studios.
Calistoga was an ideal stop for the day, and put us in position for a drive further into the Napa Valley for another day trip that was bound to bombard the senses just as this day's journey had. It was a backroad odyssey that had shown us some of the best that California wine country has to offer ? that is, that doesn't come in a bottle.
AT A GLANCE
WHERE: This journey begins in Petaluma, about 32 miles north of San Francisco, and ends at Calistoga, about 27 miles north of Napa. You'll travel through some of the most beautiful parts of California wine country.
WHAT: California wine country is the perfect antidote to big-city hustle and bustle: idyllic farms, colorful fields of flowers, stately wineries with vineyards clinging to the rolling hills.
WHEN: Any time of the year.
WHY: To enjoy historic attractions, gorgeous scenery, upscale shopping and ? oh, yes, great wine-tasting.
HOW: For more information on Sonoma County, please go to http://www.sonomacounty.com. For information on Calistoga, go to http://www.calistogachamber.com. For information on the Sheraton Petaluma, go to http://www.starwoodhotels.com or phone 707-283-2888. The classically styled Sheraton Petaluma features 183 over-size rooms, many with excellent views of the marina or valley. The hotel is completely updated and includes high-speed internet access as well as many other major-hotel amenities. It's a great choice for moderate to upscale visitors who want quick and easy access to Sonoma wine country.
Cary Ordway has sinced written about articles on various topics from Yacht, Types of Cancer and Travel and Leisure. Cary Ordway is president of Getaway Media Corp which publishes www.californiaweekend.com, focusing on , and www.northwesttraveladvisor.com, featu. Cary Ordway's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.