Best Itinerary for a Girls' Weekend in Guerneville

Today I want to bring you my itinerary for a girls' weekend in Guerneville. This part of Northern California is a great place to go wine tasting, explore local towns, and soak up the scenery on the Russian River. If you have 2 days in Sonoma County, you’ll be able to experience everything from the coast to the vineyards and beyond. I’m here now and I'm excited to share my guide with you. I’ve included a map, too.

Girls' Trip to Guerneville

From redwood forests to famous vineyards and bolder-studded coastline, Sonoma County has something for every visitor. I know this from personal experience. Having grown up in the Bay Area, I've been visiting this place my whole life. In doing so I've gotten to know it from beach to trail and beyond.

On each visit I discover more to love about Sonoma County. Whether I come on a day trip from San Francisco, a weekend getaway, or a 3-day trip to Napa and Sonoma, this part of Northern California always impresses.

This time I'm spending a weekend in Sonoma with three friends. We're excited to visit some of our favorite places in the area and see what new-to-us spots the county has to offer. Given how much we love traveling to wine country, we know it's going to be a fun getaway.

Where to Stay

We've rented a house in Guerneville for our trip. It's right near town, and it's in walking distance of a beach on the Russian River. If you want to follow in our footsteps, you can book it here.

Friday

We arrive on a Friday evening after work, and we start our weekend in Guerneville with dinner in town. We're lucky to snag the last table at Boon when we walk in just before 7pm.

Boon features an intimate dining room with an open kitchen at the back. The menu offers seasonal farm-to-table cuisine from acclaimed chef Crista Luedtke.

We tuck into a big meal of flash fried Brussels sprouts, mac-n-cheese, and king salmon with Thai green curry. It all goes down a treat in the buzzing dining room, and it's a great way to kick off our trip.

We can't help following dinner with ice cream. Nimble & Finn's is just down the road from Boon, and we're eager for some sweet treats when we're done with our meal. This place is set in a former bank building, and the colorful mural on the wall makes it as fun as our desserts are yummy.

Saturday

The next morning we head out on a big hike near Guerneville. We're following the Pomo Canyon Trail, a coastal route known for its redwood forests and stunning ocean views.

After driving to the trailhead at Pomo Canyon Campground and paying cash for a parking permit, we set off on our hike. Over the course of the next hour and 40 minutes, we ascend through dense trees, emerge to admire sweeping panoramas, and descend back to our starting point.

The Pomo Canyon Trail is a great route, and we're all happy to have burned off some calories from the previous night's dinner.

Beach

From the trailhead we drive out to the coast. We're itching for some beach time, and we get it in the form of Goat Rock Beach in Jenner. We spend time walking along the shore, spotting Harbor Seals, and admiring the views of the Russian River.

Lunch

After the beach we head to lunch in a nearby town called Duncans Mills. It's packed with cute historic facades, and it feels very Old West. We settle in at an outdoor table behind Cape Fear Cafe, tucking into simple salads and brunch fare. The service is brusque, but we enjoy the atmosphere.

Coffee

After lunch we head across the street to Gold Coast Coffee & Bakery. This place has great ambiance, good espresso drinks, and a fun terrace out back.

Beach

Caffeinated, we head back to Guerneville to walk to the beach near Guernewood Lane. It's a beautiful day, and we spend a couple hours sunbathing on the Russian River. We can't think of a better place to soak up the Sonoma County sunshine.

Shopping

After the beach we head into Guerneville to do some shopping. There are lots of art galleries and boutiques along the main street in town, and we browse the wares at a number of them.

After picking up gifts and souvenirs, we pop over to the big Safeway in town to pick up groceries for a barbecue dinner. Back at our house, we fire up the grill and spend the evening eating good food and enjoying local wine.

Guerneville

The next morning our itinerary continues with a trip into Guerneville. We pick up breakfast at a shop called Piknik Town Market. It's famous for its biscuits, which come with all kinds of toppings and fillings.

Occidental

After breakfast we drive to Occidental. This cute town is known for its boutiques and tasting rooms, and we're headed to one of my favorites. Boheme has been my go-to spot for wine tasting here for years, and we settle in at the big window table to try a range of wines.

We're welcomed by a friendly host who starts our tasting with a sample of Vin Gris. It's a great warm-weather wine, and we could sip it all day by the Russian River.

When we're done we try a Chardonnay and a range of Pinot Noirs. I'm a big fan of winemaker Kurt Beitler's Pinots, and they're as good as they've ever been.

Kurt is also a grower, and he farms all his vines by hand. He hosted me here on my first visit, and I'm happy to see that his passion and dedication continue to come through in the quality of his wines.

When we finish the tasting, we each purchase a bottle or two before heading out to shop at some of the local art galleries.

Freestone

From Occidental we drive to Freestone. This tiny town is located at the southern end of the 10-mile Bohemian Highway, and it's known for its bakery. Wild Flour Bread is famous for everything from its fluffy loaves to its sticky buns.

We join the long line outside the building, then order baked goods for lunch at the window. Once our scones and fougasse breads are delivered, we tuck into our meal in the lush garden out back.

When we've finished, we pop across the street to the adorable Bohemian Flowers & Farmstand. It has great produce and fresh bouquets, and we pick up some goodies to take home with us.

Wine Tasting

From Bohemian Flowers & Farmstand it's a short walk to Black Kite Cellars. We've booked a wine tasting here, and we settle into comfy sofas in the modern tasting room.

For the next hour, we sample a range of wines. We start with a Chardonnay and progress to a number of Pinot Noirs. They're all to our liking, as is our amiable host.

At the end of the tasting, we purchase some wine to take home, then head south towards San Francisco.

Farm Stand

There's one last stop on our girls' trip itinerary: a farm stand in Petaluma. One of my friends loves this place, and she can't wait to introduce us to it.

As soon as we arrive at Tenfold Farmstand, we can see why she loves it. Not only is it set among rustic wooden buildings (including an adorable old schoolhouse), but it also has a wide range of produce and prepared goods for sale.

We pick up as many treats as we can carry, then hop in the car for the rest of the drive to San Francisco.

Girls' Weekend in Guerneville

We've had an amazing weekend in Sonoma County, and we're already planning our next trip to the area. I hope my blog post has inspired you to visit this part of Northern California as well.

If you want more inspiration, you can take a look at my blog post with all my Sonoma itineraries. It has everything from my guide to taking a day trip to Dry Creek Valley to my itinerary for spending 2 days in Napa and Sonoma and my Sonoma itinerary for 3 days. Whatever you're looking for, it will help you plan a great Sonoma itinerary of your own.

Itinerary Map

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