3 amazing days in Sonoma County

Where to begin? The Dry Creek and Russian River valleys—dotted with rambling hills, historic bridges, and thousands of vineyard acres thanks to the near-perfect growing conditions—offer a marvelous mix of highlights including outdoor excursions, fine food, and strolls around the charming towns of Sebastopol and Healdsburg. You’ll find some good wine along the way, too.

Stick around for dinner and hit The Barlow’s lushly landscaped Fern Bar, a locals’ favorite serving up bold global fare. (Think green curry trout with hen-of-the-woods mushrooms or falafel with sweat pea hummus, spicy onion, and dukkah.) The place is equally renowned for its innovative cocktails that incorporate fresh juices, herbs, and seasonal produce. 

Wind down the afternoon by soothing those biked-out muscles with a specialty massage at the Wellness Barn, the on-site spa at the luxe Farmhouse Inn in the tiny town of Forestville. Inside the open-air spa modeled after a very stylish horse stable, therapists blend local remedies like Pacific sea salt and wild mustard seed to create customized treatments. Go for the hour-long Antidote, tailored to your preferences ($215), or indulge in the 90-minute Gems and Stones massage ($355), which incorporates both chilled gemstones and hot basalt rocks to release tension and reduce inflammation.

When you can finally tear yourself away from the massage table, freshen up for dinner before making the 30-second walk to the property’s newly designed Farmhouse Restaurant, which fuses fine dining with fresh farm-to-table fare that often highlights in-season ingredients chef Jackson Clark picks up at local farms. The ever-changing 6-course menu ($150 per person) boasts innovative, artful dishes like asparagus gazpacho topped with a delicate Hokkaido scallop and wild king salmon with potato pave, porcini mushrooms, and broken balsamic vinaigrette. For a more casual— though equally farm-driven—option, the inn’s all-day, mainly outdoor eatery Farmstand churns out simple but impressively executed shareable plates, including mussels with cherry tomatoes, miso butter, and ciabatta; oven-roasted carrots with salsa verde and quinoa; and a selection of wood-fired pizzas. Top it all off with a grown-up version of vanilla soft-serve.

Take a scenic drive south about 29 miles to Gold Ridge Organic Farms in Sebastopol, where farmer Brooke Hazen planted a 70-acre orchard of French, Italian, and Spanish varieties of olives (along with 18 acres of apples and citruses) more than 20 years ago. Today, the literal fruits of his labor are used to make a variety of nuanced certified extra-virgin olive oils, including Arbequina, Tuscan, and Picholine blends, in addition to a few flavored oils infused with farm-grown citrus. Make a reservation for the in-depth Organic Olive Oil Tasting Exploration ($75 per person), which includes a tour of the olive orchard and estate mill, followed by a formal sit-down tasting to sample the farm’s oil, vinegar, and syrup offerings paired with local breads and other goodies. Those who are shorter on time can opt for a pared-down Organic Olive Oil Introduction ($25 per person) at the tasting bar. 

End your day back in Healdsburg with small plates and cocktails—and people-watching—by snagging a stool at the bustling, open-air Roof 106, which overlooks the streets and square below. Larger parties can grab a table or sofa around one of the multiple blazing firepits. The concept comes from longtime local chef Dustin Valette, who’s created a menu of flavorful fare including spiced Delicata squash with sage crema, Rancho Gordo white bean hummus with pickled veggies and sourdough flatbread, and an assortment of creative pizzas. And don’t miss the Modern Margarita made with clarified lime.

Siblings and fifth-generation Sonoma natives Joe and Catherine Bartolomei have spent 20 years transforming the Farmhouse Inn into an intimately luxurious property with a country-chic feel plus a standout spa and culinary program. The property is anchored by pale yellow farmhouse-style structures, a pool pavilion, and plenty of stone pathways, rose bush–covered trellises, and trickling water features. Inside the 25 rooms, suites, and cottages you’ll find pillow-top beds, gas fireplaces, and spa-inspired bathrooms equipped with steam showers and downright dreamy heated floors. Expect special touches at every turn, like glasses of bubbly and goodie bags to fill up with locally made olive oil soaps and scrubs at the lobby’s “soap bar” during check-in. There’s also a daily wine hour, helmed by a visiting winemaker, which offers a chance to taste something new while mingling with fellow guests and the hotel’s owners. Come evening, the kitchen leaves house-made s’mores kits by the firepit and freshly baked cookies on your bed for post-dinner indulging. But some of the property’s most outstanding offerings come in the form of curated experiences the staff arranges for guests—from tastings at exclusive wineries to reservations at impossible-to-get-into restaurants to kayaking excursions on the Russian River. Tell the staff your likes and interests, and how active you want to be during your stay, and they’ll take care of the rest. Rooms from $635.

The property’s 36 sleek and stylish rooms come equipped with Egyptian cotton–covered king beds, natural wood accents, walk-in glass-and-tile showers, balconies, and all-natural bath products. It’s chock-full of art, too, with eye-catching paintings, prints, and sculptures throughout, including the signature water sculpture that flanks the entrance, created with 2,000 espresso spoons by Sonoma-based artist Ned Kahn. The on-site restaurant, Spoonbar, offers seasonal California cuisine along with a selection of craft cocktails in both in its lobby-adjacent dining room and on its outdoor patio. Rooms from $449.

With just 6 suites, this cozy hotel is a cork’s throw from Healdsburg Plaza. Owned by local couple Mark and Marie Luzaich, it’s done up in a European-inspired minimalist style that’s heavy on warm woods and cool concrete. Bigger is clearly better here as each suite—equipped with its own private outdoor patio—includes a California king bed, sitting areas with oversize pillows and robes for lounging, large walk-in showers, double-sink stainless-steel vanities, and Aveda bath products. Rooms are centered around a grassy courtyard with a spa and a 50-foot pool surrounded by branchy olive trees. With no more than 12 guests on the property at a time, this one’s a quiet oasis; it also offers the option to buy out all 6 rooms at once for families and groups making the trip together. Rooms from $495.

Lizbeth Scordo is a food and travel writer based in Southern California.