Today I want to share my itinerary for a day trip to Sonoma with you. This historic city in Northern California’s wine country is famous for its historic plaza, fun shops and restaurants, and world-class tasting rooms. Add to that beautiful scenery in the surrounding area, and there’s every excuse to spend a day here. I’m in town now and I’m excited to show you around. I’ve included a map of my itinerary as well.
Day Trip to Sonoma
Sonoma County is one of my favorite day trips from San Francisco. I love exploring this place from the boulder-studded coast to the Russian River, Dry Creek Valley, Carneros, and beyond. Towns like Healdsburg always delight, and cities like Petaluma are fun to explore.
I’ve been here countless times, and on this visit I’m heading to Sonoma for a day with my other half and The Pup. We’re looking forward to revisiting some of our favorite places and discovering a few spots we haven’t been to yet.
Our day trip to Sonoma starts in San Francisco. It takes us everywhere from the historic plaza to local wineries. We’re hitting up some of the most famous places in and around the city, and I hope you enjoy hearing about them.
Where to Stay in Sonoma
We’re only in town for a day, but we’ve stayed overnight here many times. If you’re able to call Sonoma home-away-from-home for a night or more, there’s lots of good accommodation.
My favorite place to stay in the city is the Sonoma Creek Inn. This jewel of a hotel is tucked away on a residential street right outside downtown Sonoma. It refers to itself as a “casual alternative to pricey wine country Sonoma hotels”, and I can’t help but agree.
When I stayed I loved everything from the local decor to the laid-back atmosphere and the refreshingly reasonable rates compared to other places nearby. My room was cute and cozy, and I had everything I needed for a great stay. If you want to follow in my footsteps, you can book a room of your own here. It’s the perfect place to stay for this itinerary.
Brunch in Sonoma
On this visit our day trip to Sonoma starts as we cruise across the Golden Gate Bridge and into wine country. It’s a sunny morning, and we reach Sonoma in just under an hour.
The first stop on our itinerary is brunch. We meet my other half’s parents at the girl & the fig, a famous restaurant in downtown Sonoma. We’re seated outdoors on the sunny patio, and soon the table fills with coffees and juices.
The menu is French-inspired, and we order everything from quiche Lorraine to croque monsieurs and hearty potatoes. It all goes down a treat with the friendly service and convivial atmosphere.
Sonoma Plaza
After brunch we continue our day trip to Sonoma with a walk around the plaza. We love the historic buildings, the old mission, and the cute boutiques here. From sun-drenched cafe tables to swoon-worthy window displays, we could stay all day.
We wander down narrow alleys that lead to courtyards full of shops and cafes, then pop into places like Chateau Sonoma to let ourselves be tempted by the beautiful homewares inside.
From there we drift into Summer Vine, another shop that makes us want to redecorate our places. From glassware to dishes and gifts, it’s a great spot.
Bartholomew Park
When we’re done browsing, we wave good-bye to my other half’s parents and hop in the car for the 5-minute drive to Bartholomew Park. This public space spans 375 acres of vineyards, forest, and gardens. With miles of hiking trails, picnic areas, and horseback riding, it’s a great place to soak up the beauty and history of the land.
One of the most unique features of the park is that there’s a winery here. Bartholomew Estate Winery is a non-profit organization that donates all proceeds to the maintenance of the park. We’ve booked a tasting, and after checking in at the desk in the historic tasting room we’re shown to a table overlooking the vineyards in the oak-studded area outside.
It’s one of the most beautiful wine tasting areas either of us have seen, and we settle into our rustic wooden chairs as we take in the horseback riders in the vineyards below.
Our host is friendly and knowledgable, pouring us everything from Marsanne-Roussanne to Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines go down a treat, as do the biscuits he brings for The Pup to enjoy.
Wine Tasting
After our tasting at Bartholomew Estate Winery, we drive for 10 minutes to get to the next stop on our day trip to Sonoma: Gundlach Bundschu. This is California’s oldest family-owned (and now regenerative organic certified) winery.
After checking in with the hostess, we’re seated at a table in the big outdoor courtyard between the wine cave and the gift shop. It’s buzzing with people enjoying the sunshine around the vineyards.
After getting settled, we start on a tasting flight consisting of everything from Gewurztraminer to Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. We also order one of the signature cheese boards. It comes laden with a delicious range of dried fruit, crackers, and jam.
Day Trip to Sonoma
From Gundlach Bundschu we drive south to San Francisco, waving good-bye to wine country as we make our way to the city. We’ve had a great time eating, shopping, and sipping our way through downtown Sonoma and the surrounding area, and we leave with full stomachs and happy hearts.
Sonoma Itinerary Map
As promised, you can find an interactive Google map of all the places on my Sonoma day trip itinerary here. I hope it helps you plan your next visit to this exciting city in the Golden State.
More Sonoma Itineraries
If you’ve enjoyed my itinerary and you’re interested in other options, you can take a look at guided day tours here. If you’re in search of other day trips from San Francisco, I have you covered, too. You can see my favorites here.
If you have an extra day or two (or three!), you can take a look at my blog post with all my Sonoma itineraries for more ideas. It has everything from 2-day trips to guides to visiting Napa and Sonoma. And if you want to head to the neighboring valley or farther up the coast, my Napa itineraries and Mendocino itinerary can help.
Find this helpful? Buy me a coffee!
Some of the links in this blog post are affiliate links. At no cost to you, I earn a small commission when you click on them and make a purchase. It doesn’t affect the way you shop, and it’s a great way to support the California Wayfaring blog.
Pin it!