Today I want to share my Sonoma day trip itinerary for Northern California’s wine country with you. This county is famous for its vineyards, but there’s a lot more to it than tasting rooms and cellar doors. From rolling hills to stunning coastline and historic town squares, it’s worth spending a day discovering the highlights. I’m visiting now and I can’t wait to show you around. I’ve included a map of my itinerary, too.
Sonoma Day Trip
Sonoma County might just be my favorite place to travel in California. Having grown up in the Bay Area, I’ve been visiting this part of the Golden State my whole life. In doing so I’ve grown to love the county from barrel to coast and beyond.
On this trip I’m spending a day in Sonoma with my other half, two of our friends, and two dogs. We’re excited to see what new-to-us excitements the county will reveal. Given how much we love traveling to this part of Northern California, we know it’s going to be a fun trip.
Our Sonoma day trip starts in San Francisco, and it largely revolves around Healdsburg. It’s one of my favorite places in the county, and I come here nearly every time I visit Sonoma. But we’re going to see a few other places along the way, and I hope you enjoy hearing about them.
Where to Stay in Sonoma County
We’re just in town for a day, but if you’re able to spend a night here, there are lots of great places to stay in Sonoma County. My favorite is the Grape Leaf Inn in Healdsburg. This charming Victorian boutique hotel near the plaza has cute guest rooms and reasonable rates for the area.
The inn also has a cozy living area, a pool, and a dining room where you can enjoy a big complimentary breakfast every morning (it’s delicious). If you’re interested, you can book a room here.
You can also see other hotels in Healdsburg here. There are lots of great options no matter your travel style, budget, and preferences. From luxury hotels to B&Bs and vacation rentals, there’s something for everyone here.
Mill Valley Lumber Yard
Our Sonoma day trip from San Francisco starts with a drive across the Golden Gate Bridge and into Marin County. It’s a beautiful morning, and we can’t help stopping at Flour Craft Bakery in Mill Valley for breakfast.
This place is set in a cute historic building in the Mill Valley Lumber Yard. A 19th-century heritage complex at the base of Mount Tamalpais, it’s full of great shops and cafes. It’s a fun place to stop for a bite en route to a day trip to wine country.
We order at the counter and sit outside at a rustic wooden table in the sunshine. Soon we’re tucking into savory waffles topped with pesto, sundried tomatoes, avocado, and eggs. It’s a delicious way to fuel up for our day.
Sebastopol
Back in the car, we continue our Sonoma day trip itinerary by driving 45 minutes north to Sebastopol. This fun town in Sonoma County is one of my favorite places to eat. From the restaurants in The Barlow to the coffee shops that line the streets, there’s a lot to love about the food scene here.
When I’m in Sebastopol in the morning, my favorite place to stop is Hardcore Espresso. This quirky roadside cafe is comprised of a small building surrounded by an area packed with little spaces and outdoor “rooms”. They’re furnished with everything from old bathtubs to phone booths and trucks.
The result is a delightfully bohemian setting with plenty of greenery throughout. It’s the perfect spot to sip delicious coffee under the California sun.
Wine Tasting in Dry Creek Valley
When we’re done with our lattes and coconut milk latteccinos (yes, it’s a thing), we continue our Sonoma day trip by driving 30 minutes north to downtown Healdsburg. This place is known for its tasting rooms, accoladed restaurants, upscale boutiques, and high-end hotels. They’re all arranged around a leafy central plaza.
Before we head into the heart of town, we drive a short distance down Westside Road to one of our favorite tasting rooms in Healdsburg: Montagne Russe. Located in the Bacchus Landing complex in Dry Creek Valley, it’s one of several wineries situated around a central courtyard. It’s the perfect place to try a range of wines.
Montagne Russe is not only a fun spot to go wine tasting in Sonoma County, but also a great place for both dog lovers and music lovers. The tasting room welcomes four-legged friends like the ones we’ve brought with us, and it also has a treasure trove of records for sale.
We settle in at one of the outdoor tables and enjoy everything from sparkling wine to rose, Chardonnay, a range of Pinot Noirs, a Syrah, and a Cabernet Sauvignon. The winemaker sources grapes from as far north as Mendocino County and as far south as Santa Barbara County, so there’s a variety of terroirs to get into here.
We also enjoy pizza. Bacchus Landing is unique in that you can order pizzas at a stand in the courtyard and they’ll deliver them to your table in the tasting rooms. We tuck into hot margherita and pepperoni pies as we sip and savor the wines.
Downtown Healdsburg
After the wine tasting we continue our Sonoma day trip by exploring downtown Healdsburg. We pop in and out of clothing boutiques, bookstores, dog shops, and antique treasure troves as we make our way around the plaza and up the side streets.
When we need a rest, we settle in at an outdoor table at a cool shop and restaurant called Little Saint to take advantage of their happy hour specials. From cocktails to green lentil hummus and smoked almonds, it’s all delicious.
When we’re ready for dinner we walk over to a casual Mexican place called Taqueria El Sombrero. We order at the counter from its extensive menu, then sit at a table in the dining room to tuck into ceviche tostadas, shrimp burritos, carne asada platters, and other filling fare.
After dinner we drive south through Petaluma and Marin County, then cross the Golden Gate Bridge to get back to San Francisco. It’s a great way to end a fun day in Sonoma.
Sonoma Day Trip Itinerary
We’ve enjoyed our day trip to Sonoma County, and we’re sad it’s come to an end. From the coffee shops to the wine tasting, scenic landscapes, and local towns, it’s shown us a range of what this part of Northern California has to offer visitors.
And as with every trip, it’s made me want to go back and discover more. From the cities to the beautiful wineries and the stunning coastline, I could spend a lifetime exploring Sonoma County. Which is why I’m already excited for my next trip.
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 county in the Golden State.
More Sonoma Itineraries
I hope you’ve enjoyed my Sonoma day trip itinerary. If you’re interested in other options, you can take a look at guided day tours here.
If you have an extra day or two, you can check out my other Sonoma itineraries for inspiration. These include my guide to spending 48 hours in Sonoma, my itinerary for 2 days in Sonoma, my guide to a weekend in Sonoma, and my Sonoma itinerary for 3 days. They’ll all show you additional parts of the county you can visit.
If you want to include Napa in your travel plans, my guides to spending 2 days in Napa and Sonoma and 3 days in Napa and Sonoma can help. You can also look at guided day tours to Napa and Sonoma if you don’t want to go independently.
And if you’re looking for other day trips from San Francisco, I have you covered there, too. Happy travels!
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