Introducing Sonoma Valley
Locals call it ‘Slow-noma.’ Indeed, the kick-back vibe is infectious. If you aren’t one of those destination-driven travelers, you’ll love Sonoma. Anchoring the 17-mile-long valley, the town of Sonoma makes a good jumping-off point and has important California-historical sights and the state’s largest town square. If that’s still too fast, head to itty-bitty Glen Ellen, a town right out of a Norman Rockwell painting. At the valley’s north end, Santa Rosa is the workaday urban center known mostly for its traffic. If you’ve more than one day, explore the quieter, rustic side of Sonoma County, which extends along the Russian River Valley from Healdsburg to the sea.
Advertisement
Sonoma Hwy/Hwy 12 is lined with wineries and runs from Sonoma to Santa Rosa, then to western Sonoma County; Arnold Dr has less traffic (but fewer wineries) and runs parallel, up the valley’s western side, to Glen Ellen.
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
Tips & articles
-
California cheese trips
17 March 2011
Praise cheeses, California knows the whey.After our recent article Cheese travel: tips from a cheesemonger made everyone at Lonely Planet...
-
The perfect California trip, pt 4: Sonoma County and Sonoma-Mendocino Coast
15 July 2010
By now you’re right in the swing of your California trip - you’ve started out in San Francisco, got into...
Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
-
Rainy Napa/Sonoma
by Popad 12 November 2011
My 70-year old mother-in-law and a female friend of hers are arriving to stay with us in the Bay Area next week. We're going to spend…
-
Re: Where to stay Napa / Sonoma ?
by oliander 07 July 2011
The most charming, walkable wine country towns will be places like Sonoma, Geyserville, Glen Ellen, Calistoga, Guerneville. But the places…
-
RE: Napa/Sonoma vineyards -- closed/fewer hours on Sunday or Memorial Day?
by nutraxfornerves 10 May 2011
To be specific, you won't be visiting vineyards, you will be visiting wineries (unless, of course, you hit one of the few wineries that…








