• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Abra's Kitchen

Real Food Recipes (Mostly Plants)

  • Recipes
  • Wellness
  • Meal Plans
  • Lifestyle
  • About Abra
    • Contact
  • Work With Me
    • Brands
  • My Favorite Things
    • My Favorite Wellness Resources
    • Business Resources

48 Hours in Sonoma Valley, California – Travel Guide!

October 9, 2019 by Abra Pappa, MS, CNS, LDN 2 Comments

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

I was invited to Sonoma, California to experience harvest season in one of the most beautiful little nooks in this country. Not one to turn down a weekend of wine and good food I packed my bags and jumped on a plane.

Sonoma California is just north of San Francisco nestled between the Pacific ocean and the Mayacamas mountains. Home to nearly 60,000 acres of vineyards and over 425 wineries. 

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

I don't always have time for long travel adventures, and sometimes the soul just needs 48 hours of newness. This was the case with Sonoma. If you have 48 hours, this is how I would recommend spending it.

TRAVEL LOGISTICS TO SONOMA, CALIFORNIA

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

Sonoma is about an hour's drive north of San Francisco, making SFO the easiest airport to fly into. 

I flew into San Francisco and stayed for one night before heading north to Sonoma. As an east coaster, I am always up for a visit to San Fran, with its hilly landscape and charming gingerbread houses. I recommend doing the same. Spend a few hours wandering the eclectic neighborhoods and/or head directly to my favorite place in San Franciso, Swan Oyster Depot. To date, the best raw oysters, sourdough bread, and clam chowder I've had in my life. Bring cash and patience, there is always a line.

On this recent trip, we had reservations at the charming Bluestem Brasserie for wine, cheese, and a lovely meal. 

Sonoma Food

Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge the next morning on our way to Sonoma, with Joni Mitchell in my earbuds, I took a deep, I’m no longer in NYC, exhale and settled in for several days of good food, California sun, and that enviable laid-back California vibe.

BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT SONOMA

You can expect nearly perfect weather all year round. Summer tends to be a bit hotter and definitely more crowded. Fall, when I visited, was ideal. Fall also happens to be the harvest, a great time to visit wineries! 

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

THINGS TO DO IN SONOMA:

1. Wine Tasting – With over 400 wineries to choose from you really can't go wrong. I recommend narrowing it down to 1 or 2 wineries you really want to visit to truly optimize your wine experience.

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

We spent our time at Sonoma Cutrer, a gorgeous vineyard with sweeping views of the valley. We arrived in the morning (all good mornings begin at a winery, amiright??), toured the facility, tasted wine at nearly every step of the process (in high fermentation it tastes like a glass of yeast bread!), and had a lovely lunch on their patio. 

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

A unique feature of Sonoma Cutrer is their croquet court! Chardonnay and Croquet All Day! You can reserve their croquet court for up to 8 people for 2 hours. 

I am not a fan of games and sports (I could write a dissertation on how much I am not a “sporty” girl) but I LOVED croquet! Order a cheese plate, a bottle of Sonoma Cutrer Rose or their sparkling Grand Cuvee, grab a mallet and settle in for an absolutely lovely and very civilized afternoon, pinky finger up, please!

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

Side note: I had NO idea what to wear for a civilized game of croquet, I went with big green karate pants, a floral bomber jacket, and my Ganesha mala. 

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

2. Eat – Sonoma is home to some truly outstanding restaurants that honor the rich agricultural bounty that the region has to offer. We had a private dinner at Sonoma Cutrer and a meal at John Ash & Co inside the Vintners Inn. When I return I would love to explore a few smaller spots with more local flare. Have you been to Sonoma? Do you have a favorite restaurant that I should try?

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

3. Visit a Farmers Market – If you've seen one farmers market you've seen them all, right? Nope. Not true! The produce in northern California is so gorgeous it makes me weep. Make a special visit to one of the many local markets to ooohh and ahhh over tomatoes the size of your head, grapes that look as if they should be the centerpiece of a greedy emperor's feast, and local artisan cheese and baked goods. While you are there grab some of that gorgeous produce, cheese, and bread to have the picnic of your life (see below!)

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

4. Get Out in Nature – Visit Bodega Bay – About a 55-minute drive from Sonoma (depending on which part of Sonoma you are driving from) head west to the coast and visit Bodega Bay, a beautiful nook along the Pacific coastline. Bodega Bay is lousy with biking and hiking trails, and gorgeous beaches. Bring a kite or buy a kite at one of the kite shops nearby and spend the afternoon just soaking in the views.

We packed an epic picnic to enjoy on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific ocean. Local meats and cheese, gorgeous seasonal produce, fresh-baked bread, and lots of wine. It was chilly and foggy when we were there and still breathtakingly beautiful.

If I had more time in Sonoma I would definitely venture off on a Bodega Bay hike!

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

 

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

 

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

MY FAVORITE EXPERIENCE IN SONOMA – MUST NOT MISS!

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

This next adventure, my friends, was quite honestly a dream come true. If you are a fan of oysters then you MUST visit Hog Island Oyster Company in Marshall, CA. 

Book a “shuck-your-own-picnic”, and spend the afternoon or early evening lounging in their outdoor cafe. You can bring your own wine, beer, and/or any other picnic accouterments. There is also, wine, beer, and charcuterie available for purchase. They will provide oysters, lemon, horseradish, and hot sauce, shucking tools, a grill, and the best dang 3 hours of your life. 

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

If I lived anywhere close to Hog Island Oyster I would seriously turn into an oyster!

During my visit 240 oysters were procured for 7 people, I grabbed an oyster knife and jumped into action. Want to make me happy? Give me a huge bucket of oysters, a gorgeous view, a sunny California day, and an oyster knife. Bye. I live here now.

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!Kef Chefin (Chef Kevin, but we had a lot of wine. Kevin is the chef from Sonoma Cutrer) came prepared with compote butter and sauces for the oysters. Your only job is to show up with a big appetite, some shucking skills, and a desire to do nothing but eat oysters and drink wine.

Perfect afternoon? Yes. Yes, it was.

WHERE TO STAY IN SONOMA 

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

We stayed at the charming Vintners Inn located in Santa Rosa. The Vintners Inn has the feel of a charming cottage, but with the addition of several new buildings, the property is truly state of the art.

I stayed in a gorgeous new room. New new, as in, I was the first person to sleep in the bed “new”! They still hadn't installed a phone when I checked in. The obvious first move was putting on a cushy bathrobe and snuggling into that bed!

John Ash & Co is a lovely restaurant on site that prides itself on seasonal, local, farm to table fare.

The morning we were set to depart I woke up extra early to take a final stroll through the vines. The Vintners Inn provides a gorgeous path through a vineyard right outside your door. If I was a runner it would have been the ideal spot for a morning jog. I’m a leisurely walker and walk I did. Sonoma’s final adieu was in the form of a brightly striped hot air balloon floating above the vines. I mean!!!

The best things to do in Sonoma Valley, California. From day trips to wineries, your guide to having the perfect Sonoma wine weekend!

48 hours was just the amuse-bouche. I want more. A million thanks to Sonoma Cutrer for hosting me on this epic weekend of wine and revelry. I truly cannot wait to return.

Do You Love Traveling? Check Out My Other Travel Guides:

Ubud Bali, The Ultimate Wellness Retreat

36 Hours in Madrid, Spain

Road Trip Across the USA

Can I Drink Wine on a Healthy Diet?

Can I Help You Meal Plan?

Enter your email below to download my free - one week - real food (mostly plants) meal plan. Grocery list, recipes, prep schedule, it's all there for you 🙂

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Powered by ConvertKit

You may also like:

  • Healthy Memorial Day Recipes
    20+ Healthy Memorial Day Recipes
  • Green Goddess Ricotta Dip Ingredients
    5 Minute Green Goddess Ricotta Cheese Dip
  • A super healthy, high-protein, gluten-free vegetarian meal plan. This meal plan is full of delicious, easy recipes, that are health supportive and free from animal protein. 
    High Protein Vegetarian Meal Plan

Filed Under: Blog, Travel

Previous Post: « The BEST Easy Homemade Vegetable Soup
Next Post: Vegan Pumpkin Caramel Sauce + DIY Caramel Apple Station! »

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Hi, I’m Abra: a functional nutritionist, professional eater, and serious travel junkie. Inspiring wellness in and out of the kitchen is my favorite jam.

Find out more

Search

The Best Recipes!

delivered straight to your inbox!

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Deals and Discounts!

A Nutritionists HONEST review of Butcher Box

In this Butcher Box review, I am sharing my perspective as a nutritionist and answering the questions; Is grass-fed meat really better for you? What are the benefits of sourcing meat from Butcher Box? and is Butcher Box worth it?

7 Day Healthy Meal Plans!

7 Day Ketogenic Meal Plan (Dairy Free, Mostly Plants, High Fiber!)

The Ketogenic diet is a high fat, moderate protein, low carbohydrate dietary protocol. This healthy 7- day Keto meal plan is dairy-free and high in fiber (lots of veggies) and full of delicious supportive recipes. Including a downloadable pdf with grocery list, nutritional analysis, and recipes.

Whole30 Meal Plan

Whole 30 Meal Plan with healthy, delicious, supportive recipes for the whole30 diet

High Protein Vegetarian Meal Plan

A super healthy, high-protein, gluten-free vegetarian meal plan. This meal plan is full of delicious, easy recipes, that are health supportive and free from animal protein. 

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Tumblr
  • YouTube

Privacy Policy

Affiliate Disclosure: Abra’s Kitchen (Nutritious America LLC) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Follow on Instagram

Instagram did not return a 200.

Follow Abra's Kitchen on Instagram!

Search

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2021 · Designed by Snixy Kitchen · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Yummly
  • Reddit
  • Flipboard
  • Buffer
  • Email

Hi, thanks for stopping by!!

Sign up below to get a free 

One Week healthy

meal plan + grocery list

Your privacy is respected

x