Honeymoon Paradise – that’s a good description of Sonoma County’s Wine and Weed Country! As far as honeymoon ideas go, there is so much to do besides visit wineries! This article is going to talk about some of them, and, yes, we’re also going to talk about wine, because, in Sonoma County, Grape is King, Wine is Queen and Cannabis is the next in line!
Sonoma County
Birthplace of the California wine industry, 17-mile-long Sonoma Valley sits between two mountain ranges and is home to dozens of wineries where tastings and tours are held daily. Sonoma’s town square is the Plaza, surrounded by historic adobe buildings, boutiques, and restaurants. Thanks to its hot springs, the area has drawn health-conscious visitors for more than a century. Today it includes several world-class resorts and spas and is the gate way to Sonoma County.
The City of Sonoma is full of historic buildings, fine restaurants and breweries and is home to California oldest winery, Buena Vista. In addition, Sonoma is very walk-able and bike-able with trails connecting both sides of town!
Napa Valley
Napa Valley, which consists of six towns (Calistoga, St. Helena, Rutherford, Oakville, Yountville, and the city of Napa), similarly boasts first-class wine producers, restaurants, resorts, spas, and Wine Country scenery.
Downtown Napa visitors walk from tasting room to tasting room without needing a car. It’s a grown-up version of a bar crawl with sophisticated flair. It’s also a time saver if your romantic getaway to Napa Valley is limited by time. You might not get to stroll through the vineyards but you will get to swirl more wine in the glass or boogie to some of the great local music.
Russian River
Many of the 150 wineries in and around the Russian River Valley are small, family-run operations. Some have tasting rooms as chic as the bar in an elegant restaurant, while in others, visitors stand amidst barrels and stainless steel drums, sampling wines that have been poured by the winemaker himself.
The Russian River Valley is also known for its commitment to artisanal cheeses and locally grown produce, making the region appealing to both food and wine aficionados. And, of course, the River runs to the Sea, in this case the magnificent Pacific Ocean and the rugged Sonoma Coast.
Spend a day visiting the coastal communities of Bodega Bay, Jenner and the Sea Ranch!
Other Wine Country Activities
Before you start thinking, not another winery!, arrange to spend time involved in one of California wine country activities likely to delight honeymoon couples:
- Hike along the ocean bluffs in Russian River and Napa Valley
- Go kayaking or canoeing on the Russian or Petaluma River
- Day spas – where you can soak up to your necks in mineral-rich mud
- Hot-Air Ballooning – soar over the beautiful northern landscape
- Shopping – including wine, glasses, and accessories
- Check out the Microbreweries
- Treat yourselves to a romantic dinner
- Take a Happy Travelers Tours Wine-and-Weed Tour and get up close to Cannabis Plants
Tip for Tipplers
Unless you have a designated driver, avoid tasting wine and getting behind the wheel. Options include staying in Downtown Napa to enjoy tasting rooms there, hiring a limo, even visiting vineyards in a horse-drawn carriage. Wine tour shuttles are in abundance and you can choose conveyances that range from a private car service to a jovial party bus. If you have more time to spend, swish, and spit, consider booking passage on the Napa Valley Wine Train. A variety of romantic hotel and train packages are available.
Happy Travelers Tours is for hire and available for private tours or as a car service. Give us a call at 707-386-9859 to take care of your transportation needs.
We think Sonoma County is California’s best honeymoon destination. That may seem like a grand proclamation, but we’re not just boasting. Here’s why: Sonoma County is where you can find abundant sunshine, more than 425 wineries, romantic vineyards, breathtaking Pacific Ocean beaches, award-winning restaurants, majestic redwood forests, relaxing resorts, and did we mention world-class Cannabis? Last but not least, this favorite Wine Country is just 45 minutes away from San Francisco. Who needs more?
Simply take a look at these five points, and you’ll surely agree that Sonoma Wine Country region is prime not only for Weddings but for the happy couple’s getaway, too.
The Romance of Wine and Cannabis
There’s no denying the pleasure of a fine glass of wine, and shared with a loved one, a sip adds an extra special statement to even the most simple moment. Sonoma County boasts more than 400 wineries, and 60,000 acres planted with world-class wine grapes of nearly every varietal imaginable.
In addition, Sonoma County boasts both indoor and outdoor cannabis cultivation, retail dispensaries and Tours.
Princess for a Day
Would you like to play princess for a day? Visit Sonoma’s Wine Castles, for example: Ledson, Chateau St. Jean, Ferrari-Carano, and Francis Ford Coppola wineries. Send an email to [email protected] and as about our Princess for a Day Tour! We’ll be happy to provide Royal Transportation for your day!
Lovely Places to Cuddle
Whether you’re looking for a posh, modern retreat (the recently renovated Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, for example) a quaint, historic B&B amid the vineyards (the 1880 Radford Inn beckons), or flat out luxury (Madrona Manor is a classic European mansion), lodging here is so unique and welcoming you may never choose to leave your estate grounds.
The Embrace of Mother Nature
Running hand-in-hand through grassy meadows, strolling through whispering mountaintop forests, romping on the beach, and plucking flowers from vast gardens to wear in your hair. Does that sound like a greeting card?
It’s reality in Sonoma County, which spans more than 1 million gorgeous acres, from the Mayacamas Mountains range to the Pacific Ocean coast. With near-endless parks, preserves, babbling streams, greenbelts, and vast open agricultural and grazing areas, there’s something new to explore every day.
How much open space is there, really? In fact, rural lands take up almost two-thirds of Sonoma County’s total acreage, and the Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District continues to acquire more land for protection every single year, enjoying a remarkable 28 percent growth since 2006.
Come on a Happy Travelers Tours Wine-and-Weed Tour and visit a 3 acre Cannabis Grow high up in the Mayacamas Mountains!
Wine … and Dine
Given the wondrous agricultural bounty grown in Sonoma County, the pasture-raised beef, lamb, pigs, and poultry, plus rainbow arrays of artisan cheeses, breads, and treats like handcrafted chocolates, it’s no wonder that we’re home to some of America’s best farm-to-table restaurants.
Just a few of our top-rated destinations include the 2019 Michelin star favorites SingleThread (three stars), Madrona Manor (one star), and Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant (one star).
If you’re a true foodie, you might even think about a spring wedding, to take advantage of Restaurant Week in March.
Play Time
Because Sonoma County encompasses such a broad range of landscapes, the recreation is equally expansive.
You and your honey can horseback ride at wineries or along the coastal bluffs of Bodega Bay, zip line through the redwoods, hike and bike, kayak the Russian River, and go hot-air ballooning over vineyards, lakes, and valleys.
Perhaps you’d like to take a winery tour in a horse-drawn carriage, or stroll through a vineyard or a Sunset Cannabis Tour which visits a dispensary on the way to the Sonoma Coast, a catered dinner and a breathtaking view of the sun setting into the Pacific Ocean.
Nothing says “romance” like a glass of fine wine. Sonoma County and Napa Valley, CA form the epicenter of the verdant wine-lover’s dreamland known as California wine country. This is one of the best growing regions in the world for wine grapes, resulting in dozens of vineyards and a seemingly endless array of vintages.
Add in their variety of luxurious spas, and it becomes clearer than ever that Sonoma and Napa Valley are the perfect place to unwind. From a Cedar Enzyme Bath at the Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary to a Rose Petal Body Polish at the award-winning McArthur Place Hotel & Spa, California wine country is your oyster for romantic pampering and invigorating treatments.
Prefer something a little more fast-paced? Active couples can pedal through the region’s rolling hills and quaint country roads on a bike tour. Take to the skies into a hot air balloon for stunning views of the gorgeous California landscape. Get the most of the pleasant, sunny weather with world-class golf courses. Flirt beneath ancient Redwoods in the Armstrong Reserve. Glide through warm-water bays on kayaks, laze along rivers on a canoe, or go white-knuckle and take to the rapids on a rafting expedition. Take a drive up a mountain to an outdoor cannabis grow.
Whether you’re more spa nut, wine enthusiast, adrenaline junkie, or a bit of all three, California wine country gives the best of all worlds.
- GETTING THERE: Sonoma County has its own small airport with regional flights. Most travelers will make a connection in Portland, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, or other nearby cities for a local flight to wine country.
- RENT A CAR: Attractions and activities are spread out, so rent a car to make everything you want to see and do easy to access.
- WINE & DRIVING DON’T MIX: To get the most out of California’s world-class wine country safely, book a tour that provides transportation. No one should have to be the designated driver for their own honeymoon! Remember, Happy Travelers Tours is available for hire!
- WHEN TO VISIT: While beautiful year-round, rainfall is highest during the winter months. May through October are most popular, though frugal honeymooners might snag discounts during the off-peak season.
- SHOP AROUND FOR PACKAGES: Streamline planning and get all the best California wine country has to offer by shopping for inclusive honeymoon packages. These can get you wine tours, spa days, outdoor activities, and a hotel stay for one price, potentially more affordably than if you booked them all separately.
Happy Travelers Tours provides transportation, private tours, day-trips, wine-and-cannabis tours and, all our Tour Guides are Certified Tourism Ambassadors, which makes us outstanding Guides to Sonoma County! Call 707-386-9859 or email [email protected] for more information.