LaSalette

Inside a family-owned working ranch that dates back to 1892 and shaded by local oak trees, this five-room B&B is packed with charm. The rooms, both in the main plantation-style house and adjacent cottage, are nicely sized for a couple and tastefully appointed with a mix of antiques. (Opt for a room on the second floor for killer views of the vineyard and poppy-filled garden—particularly at sunset.) In the mornings, tuck into a spot on on the wrap-around porch for breakfast.

For years, this quaint hotel has had a reputation for being one of the Russian River Valley's best, for both service and its gorgeous grounds. The barn rooms are especially worth a splurge for the open views, huge tubs, and private deck and fireplace. The restaurants—both casual, all-day Farmstand and the fancier Farmhouse Restaurant—are great.

Located on the west side of Healdsburg, this hotel puts you within walking distance of all the downtown wineries and restaurants. (You can also borrow one of the hotel's PUBLIC bikes to explore.) Or if you want to stay indoors, local restos Charlie Palmer's Dry Creek Kitchen and Pizzando offer room service. The spa is great, as is the outdoor pool and garden.

A relatively small, Tuscan farmhouse–inspired spot with only 29 rooms, Kenwood Inn is a great option if you're hoping for a quiet, intimate vacation. The spa offers excellent treatments, there are soaking tubs and Grown Alchemist amenities in the bathrooms. And you should see the place at night, when it's lit up with twinkle lights all through the garden.

Founded over a century ago as family estate, vineyard, and working ranch, this newly remodeled property is a bucolic, low-key-luxurious landing spot for visiting oenophiles. Each of its 64 rooms—some are nestled in private farmhouse-style cottages—is appointed with custom furnishings, cloudlike linens, and in some cases, stunning outdoor showers or baths. The whole property is dotted with art. But the true beauty is in the grounds, which boast lush lawns and gardens, winding flagstone paths, verdant archways, and cozy firepits to unwind by after a day of tastings.

Originally built in 1881, this boutique hotel, newly remodeled by San Francisco-based designer and co-owner Jay Jeffers, blends contemporary elements and charms of the past with remarkable attention to detail. There are 24 completely unique rooms distributed between the main house, the carriage house, and free-standing bungalows. (Indulge in crisp linens and heated tile floors.)

SingleThread Farm is located on a stretch of five acres between the Russian River and San Lorenzo Ranch. The three-Michelin-starred restaurant and inn are run by chef-owner (and Fat Duck alum) Kyle Connaughton, who concepted a multi-course Japanese-inspired restaurant, plus an intimate five-guest-room-inn designed by AvroKo, all under one roof. Much of the menu inspiration comes from Connaughton's own farm a mere five miles away, which supplies everything from veggies, herbs, flowers, honey, and eggs to the kitchen. The approach is very Japanese, and guests can choose from one of three 11-course tasting menus (including vegetarian or pescatarian options). The exacting attention to detail threads through the guest rooms as well—they've got kind of California-meets-Japanese-ryokan vibe from the Toto toilets and binchotan charcoal toothbrushes in the bathroom to the matcha served in a beautiful Japanese mug come breakfast.

Here, every detail is considered, from the strict green practices the resort follows, to the beautifully kept gardens, to the fresh baked cookies that come with the nightly turn-down service. If you don't want to leave the grounds, you can eat at the impressive John Ash & Co. or the Front Room Bar & Lounge.

With back garden that's dripping in ivy and wisteria, Barndiva is hands-down one of our favorite dinner spots in the area. The food is sourced locally and always inventive, while the rustic barn setting is such a fun change from the norm. (Don't miss the insanely good goat cheese croquettes.) The cocktail menu is off-the-charts good.

This hideaway bar has a speakeasy vibe, and it would be a great spot to go with a small group of friends or an early-in-the-game date: intimate and lively, with friendly bartenders and a cocktail-first menu (a rarity in wine country). There's a drink with clarified mezcal, coconut milk punch, green chartreuse, and Thai basil that people especially like—get one of those, plus a little bowl of olives to snack on.

Jewish comfort food, Southern fried chicken, and Korean seasonings may seem like unlikely bedfellows, but that's the point. In an open kitchen, chef Mark Stark turns out chicken-fried oyster lettuce wraps, crispy-skin salmon wings with kimchi salt, and matzo ball soup with BBQ chicken thigh. They've got a nice selection of crowd-pleasing beers on tap, too.

The completely-outdoor Bloom Carneros is a nice break from formal dining rooms and structured wine tastings. It's a daytime spot with a relaxed atmosphere (live music, kids and dogs welcome) and a relaxed menu, which changes often depending on what produce is most perfect right now. Expect to order a few plates for the whole table to dip into—like pea pesto and burrata, scooped up with grilled focaccia—plus sandwiches and salads. It’s part of Kivelstadt Cellars, and their wines are six dollars a glass at happy hour.

The siblings who now own and run Catelli's are the third generation of restaurateurs at this much-loved Italian spot. Everything from the wine to the vegetables is locally sourced, and it's all really nicely priced.

Cyrus is the kind of Michelin-starred restaurant that takes you on a 20-course journey over the course of the evening. You start, along with the rest of your seating, in the bubbles lounge for champagne, cocktails, and canapés; the vibe is convivial and guests tend to mingle. Then you sit at the kitchen table, where you can chat with the chefs as they walk you through a handful more dishes and the story behind each one (this part is everyone’s favorite). Only then does your party move to its own private table in the dining room for the rest of dinner. Linger as long as you like. (Just don’t skip the chocolate room before you go.)

El Molino’s tacos are the best in Sonoma, easy. As are their tamales, their chile relleno, their sopes, their enchiladas, their just-out-of-the-fryer tortilla chips, their guacamole (which you order by the avocado), and everything else on their menu. You can’t order wrong here, but it might be spiritually wrong to miss the beer-battered fish tacos.

In teeny-tiny Glen Ellen, chef Ari Weiswasser’s Glen Ellen Star feels casual and familiar at first glance: roasted cauliflower, brick chicken, whole-roasted branzino, wood-fired pizza...but it’s all so masterfully done that you’ll order a round of sourdough bread to mop up every bit of sauce and juice on the plate. If you can, sit inside at the chef’s counter.

FARMSTAND is the more-casual restaurant at the Farmhouse Inn, and it’s a gem. Go for brunch or lunch and sit on the patio, where you’ll eat roasted potatoes, tomato and buffalo mozzarella, wood-fired artichokes, and orange wine in dappled sunlight.

A meal at the restaurant at Sonoma’s MacArthur Place, Layla, feels like you’re dining in a friend’s beautiful backyard. The indoor dining room is in an airy, light-filled modern barn, but you’ll want to snag a seat on the patio, where you’re surrounded by lush trees and greenery. That’s to say: For an upscale hotel restaurant, Layla is as stunning as it should be, yet it remains warm and inviting—a pillar of dining in Sonoma Valley. The Mediterranean-focused menu leans on locally sourced ingredients and bright, fresh flavors, like the crispy Spanish octopus paired with black risotto and tender lamb chops served with roasted baby artichokes and fava beans.

The laid-back, eclectic café Little Saint is 100 percent plant-based—a rarity in otherwise meat-and-cheese-heavy Sonoma. They’re here to prove climate justice, regenerative farming, and animal welfare can play hand-in-hand with deliciousness and celebration. And they make good on that promise: This is one of the best meals you’ll have in Sonoma, whether you’re vegan or not. Enjoy bountiful produce from their low-till, pollinator-friendly farm (just a couple miles down the road), coffee from local and small-batch roasters, and wine from Sonoma vineyards making moves towards sustainability. Just note it’s a seat-yourself situation, so it’s best for smaller groups if you’re planning to go at peak hours—or you can grab one of their picnic baskets to go. They have a stage area for shows, too; mostly local bands, although Boygenius played here once.

Chef Dustin Valette’s second Sonoma restaurant is quintessential Healdsburg. Valette, a born-and-raised Healdsburger, bought and renovated the historic building to save it from a teardown. Expect farm-to-table fine dining with a cross-cultural menu, knowledgeable servers and sommeliers, and a wine-tasting wall where you can order rare varietals by the glass or just a sip at a time. There’s a more-casual cocktail bar on the roof, too, if you want to drop by for pre-dinner drinks.

This Japanese gastropub is a welcome–and unique–addition to the Sonoma food scene. Serving up handmade noodles, small batch sauces, and yaktori meats, it also offers a changing menu of robata-yaki and small plate izakaya dishes. The space is laid-back and the drink menu is solid (including several local craft beers).

This is one of those still under-the-radar places you want to tell everyone about–but also want to keep to yourself. Chef Liza Hinman creates a menu of seasonally-forward dishes inspired by various global traditions. Our favorites include the curry-spiced halibut, wilted kale salad, and killer coconut corn fritters that have the perfect crunch without excessive oil. A true locals destination for excellent food, the space is also an artistic hub (every six weeks it features the work of a different local artist in the dining room).

Spoonbar has a great menu with California-style cuisine, but the biggest draw is the cocktails. The drink menu changes seasonally depending on which local spirits are available, meaning that it's a great place to get a feel for the talent in the region's many distilleries.

For chef Dustin Valette, the history in this space dates back to the 1930s when his great grandfather owned the property. He and his brother, Aaron Garzini, opened the restaurant in early 2015 and the duo has been serving inventive American cuisine with French influences to locals and visitors ever since. Order the coriander crusted duck breast and finish off the meal with something sweet like the carmella chocolate semifreddo.

Valley is casual, cozy, and effortlessly cool—exactly where we’d bring a couple friends for a low-key hangout over food and wine. The dining room and patio are open for coffee and pastries in the morning, brunch and lunch in the afternoon, and low-lit dinners at night. Even with a short-ish menu, there’s a little bit of everything here, all seasonal and delicious: We loved the melon with pickled chiles and mint, as well as the lemongrass noodles.

In mellow Glen Ellen, Abbot’s Passage is laid-back and friendly, with gardens to lounge in and shuffleboard courts where you can spend an afternoon playing and sipping rosé. The winery is kid-friendly and dog-friendly—in fact, they host dog adoption events with a local rescue once a month.

This hundred-year-old chateau is one of the nicest places to spend an afternoon in Kenwood. Their wines are French-inspired—lots of bordeaux and burgundy here—and their reserve collection is a big draw. As are their gardens and grounds: Spend an afternoon playing bocce, having picnic lunch in the redwoods, or chilling out on the patio. They welcome walk-ins, too.

Never mind that grounds are airy and lush, with cute corners to tuck into for private chats. The wine itself (mostly pinot noir and chardonnay) is complex and flavorful—a result of grapes grown at high elevations along the Sonoma coast. Best of both worlds: You get the minerality of the ocean and the earthiness of the mountains.

White wine lovers who can't stand another big California red love Hanzell, a small vineyard with an intimate, laid-back tasting experience and a very high quality wine. With a stellar Chardonnay in the cellars, they're part of a small but celebrated group of wineries focused on Northern California whites.

After founding Landmark with other wine enthusiasts in the mid-1970's, Damaris Deere Ford (great great grand-daughter of steel plow pioneer John Deere) fell in love with the Sonoma Valley's Mayacamas Mountain views and growing wine community, which inspired her to move the winery in 1989 to its present Kenwood location. It was then the Landmark team began producing its world-renowned Chardonnay. With two locations in the Sonoma region (the other is known for its Pinot Noir), Landmark specializes in small-batch wines that are hand-crafted. The truly knowledgeable and welcoming team offers its clients and visitors a fun experience learning about its wines and region. The expansive property makes it easy to kill an entire afternoon (which, believe us, we did)–and along with the tasting room, you can picnic on the lawn and play corn hole or Bocce Ball, and, of course, take a tour of the vineyards.

The latest addition to Landmark’s wine-making portfolio, the Hop Kiln Estate is a majestic space rich in history. Originally designed for drying hops for brewing, the late 1800's stone mansion–located just outside of downtown Healdsburg–is a registered California Historical Landmark. The property is absolutely stunning, with epic views of the valley and tasting rooms both indoors and out. Complementary to its sister location in Sonoma Valley, which produces world-renowned Chardonnay, this location is better known for its Pinot Noir.

Upon arriving at the MacRostie Estate House, you’ll be wowed by the sheer size of the space—complete with floor-to-ceiling windows and a grand patio that offers some of the best views in the valley. The concrete floors and exposed wood beams add to the clean, industrial vibe. And of course, there’s the wine, particularly the Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, that always impresses.

Founders Christopher Medlock James and Ames Morison have created a sustainable, ethical operation that exudes small-town feel. Their team farms the vineyards organically, avoiding the use of insecticides, herbicides, or chemical toxins, and solar power provides the energy to keep the 330-plus acre spread running (80 percent of which they keep wild to allow for the natural growth of local trees and other botanicals). The best part is that the outdoor communal area, with its farm tables situated between several kitchen gardens, is often a core for community and visitor gatherings.

Private tastings at Preston Farm and Winery take place in the farm cottage or on the patio. You try five or six of the estate’s organic wines, grown right here. This spot is affordable for the region, and unlike most wineries, they’re BYOP (bring your own picnic); you just have to reserve the table and make a wine purchase while you’re there. They make really nice olive oil, too, and fermented apple cider, which you can buy at the farmshop on site.

Scribe remains one of the most sought-after tasting reservations in the Sonoma Valley. The family-owned property is only open to members of their wine club—which is worth joining for the wines themselves, yes, but especially in order to book lunch at the romantic restored hacienda on Scribe’s estate. The exact menu depends on the season, but we had a feast of fried olives stuffed with cream cheese, fresh tomatillos, charred zucchini, crispy polenta, and roasted carrots and fennel with really good butter. All accompanied, of course, with perfectly-paired pinots, pet-nats, and a steel-barrel Chardonnay that will convert every Chardonnay-hater you know. We loved chatting with the friendly and knowledgeable sommelier, who graciously entertained all our questions.

This boutique winery crafts small-batch artisanal wines from several vineyards around the Sonoma Coast. Located downtown Sonoma in Vallejo-Castañeda Adobe House, a mid-1800's historic landmark which the owners reinvented with the help of architect Ken Fulk, the space is stunning: equally eclectic and modern with Mexican influences.

This no-frills, old-school winery is best known for Zinfandel, but they make a great rosé and some whites as well—either way, it's a nice break from Cabernet Sauvignon. The tasting room can feel a little bit industrial, but it's a familial place with a vibe that's not at all touristy.

Every inch of this roastery and café is considered, from the clean industrial interiors to the perfect cold brew. The staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgable (they take their barista-ship seriously, requiring rigorous training before hopping behind the counter). This location in Santa Rosa is one of the newest of the now six cafés it operates (the original is in Petaluma). Head here in the am to catch up on work over their house-made granola, or in the afternoon for a grilled ciabatta sandwich. (Pro tip: A bag of the 1080 Organic Dark Roast makes a perfect host gift.)

A destination for in-the-know design enthusiasts, owner and artist Dave Allen's experience with (and love for) European and Asian design runs deep–he's ventured to France, India, and China to explore old methods of manufacturing and discover indigenous objects. His warehouse/showroom is filled with eclectic, never-before-seen antiques, architectural elements, garden decorations, and other forms of décor.

A Healdsburg mainstay since 1881, this is the kind of place we'd be regulars at if we lived in the area. There's a quirky collection of oddities and antiques hanging from the ceiling, an attached farm, a solid deli, and you can still pick up bait and tackle for a fishing trip.

Hands down, Dry Creek Peach grows the best peaches in Sonoma. They’re a little out of the way, but the drive is beautiful—and convenient if you’re going to Preston Farm and Winery, which is right down the lane. You can find them at the Healdsburg Farmers Market, too.

Healdsburg’s farmers market draws some of the area’s best farms—and the most incredible produce is grown here in Sonoma. See Dry Creek Peach for organic peaches and peach jam, Front Porch Farm for flowers, and a bunch of crafts vendors for pretty pottery and handmade leather purses.

On Saturdays, you’ll find an impressive spread of fruits, vegetables, eggs, pantry goods, and plant starts here—all fully dependent on the season, of course, but the assortment is comprehensive. Albion strawberries and French breakfast radishes in the spring, Chioggia beets and Como di Toro peppers in the summer, five kinds of squash and three kinds of kale in the fall, and gorgeous greens all winter. They have a CSA if you live in the area. And they also do events like full-moon sound healings and half-day confidence retreats on the farm.

This independently owned coffee roaster and café makes the best almond milk lattes in the region. With two other locations in nearby Healdsburg, it's one of our favorites spots to grab a morning coffee.

If you’re in Glen Ellen (or passing through), April through December, make a stop at Oak Hill Farm’s Red Barn Store for flowers, floral greens, heirloom produce, honey, homemade hot sauce, and other goodies and gifts. What’s not grown here comes from other growers and makers in the area.

We love this beautiful little market and its gorgeous selection of prepared goods. It's a great stop if you want to bring home gifts to friends who aren't big drinkers, and the convenient location on the way into Healdsburg makes it an easy spot to pick up a sandwich (we like the Muffaletta or the fried chicken) on your way to a winery. There's also a location in Oakville along the St. Helena Highway.