Fabulous Winter Getaway to Wine Country Itinerary

See gardens and art in the town of Sonoma, stop by Glen Ellen for oysters and elegance, blend your own wine in Santa Rosa, and catch a performance at a world-class venue.

Morning Warm Up

Start your weekend off in Sonoma, a pretty little town that oozes laid-back chic any time of year. Choose delicious pastries and baked goods, sandwiches, and more at Basque Boulangerie Café. Or get an omelet, scramble, eggs Benedict, or other breakfast favorites at Sunflower Caffe. 

Cool Beauty

If the sun’s already peeking out, head to Cornerstone Sonoma, a Sonoma Wine Country marketplace with art-inspired gardens that make for a scenic morning amble. 

Ever-changing designs include themes like “The Garden of Contrast” and “Mediterranean Meadow.” Cornerstone is also the home of the Sunset Magazine Outdoor Kitchen and Test Gardens, offering inspiration to home cooks and gardeners. After your stroll, explore on-site home and garden shops, galleries, and wine-tasting venues. In late fall and winter, Cornerstone gets extra festive!

For a morning indoors, get colorful at the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art. The eclectic museum has been known to feature everyone from local artists to giants such as Picasso and Rodin.

Small Town, Big Eats

For lunch, take Highway 12 West for about 15 minutes and get yourself to Glen Ellen — a tiny town that packs a culinary wallop. The Saloon at The Jack London Lodge offers great wine country comfort food on a creekside patio. For something fun and exotic, experience the fresh and delicious Indian- Nepalese-fusion fare at Yeti.

Sip, Savor, Blend

Stick around the Sonoma Valley area after lunch to taste wine around Sonoma Plaza, in the charming village of Glen Ellen, and in the community of Kenwood.

Area wineries really warm up in the winter. Landmark Vineyards in Kenwood is as renowned for its cozy atmosphere as it is for its stellar Chardonnay.

In Santa Rosa, enjoy a memorable experience at DeLoach Vineyards, where you can blend wine like a winemaker and leave with a bottle you’ve created — complete with a custom label. Reservations are required.

Dinner and a Show

Sonoma County has two world-class venues where you can settle in for an evening of entertainment and culture. The Luther Burbank Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa stages performances from rock bands to classical orchestras, celebrated comedians to dance companies. At the Green Music Center in Rohnert Park, customized acoustics and warm, modern design make an evening at the symphony a night to remember.

For dinner before your show at the Luther Burbank Center, eat like you’re family at the Kin Windsor restaurant in Windsor. Or, see what’s on the seasonal menu at the acclaimed John Ash & Co. restaurant just a stone’s throw away from the Luther Burbank Center.

Santa Rosa’s charming downtown district offers lots more options for cozy, elegant dining. Try Stark’s Steak & Seafood for hearty, sophisticated food around a dining room fireplace. A few minutes away in the town’s artsy SOFA (South A Street) art district, Spinster Sisters receives rave reviews for its clever and creative food.

Wind Down

After a show at the Green Music Center, make yourself at home at the Gables Wine Country Inn. This enormous Victorian has fireplaces and claw-foot tubs in nearly every room.

From the Luther Burbank Center, it’s a two-minute drive to the luxurious Vintners Resort, a luxury resort on a 92-acre estate with a working vineyard and trail, spa, fountain courtyards, gardens, and the exceptional John Ash & Co. restaurant.

Or check into The Madrona, a historic showpiece and luxurious boutique hotel with modern rooms and private bungalows, a seasonal saltwater pool, onsite dining, and farm-fresh complimentary breakfasts.

Soar above the vineyards, ice skate with Snoopy, watch for whales, dine on Dungeness, and get cozy by the fire.

Rise & Dine

A Sonoma County breakfast is a delicious start to a beautiful day.

In Santa Rosa, Hank’s Creekside Restaurant is a no-fuss favorite for tasty eggs benedict, blueberry pancakes, and customizable scrambles. Try for a table overlooking Santa Rosa Creek, which is often rushing along nicely in the winter months.

In downtown Santa Rosa, Dierk’s Parkside Café has a huge following for its modern twists on classic comfort food. Think homemade cinnamon rolls grilled up like French toast, scrambled eggs with duck confit, and local vegetable hash with goat cheese and pesto. (You’ll find a second location, Dierk’s Midtown Café, in midtown Santa Rosa).

Such Great Heights

Even in winter, Sonoma County often enjoys a sunny, cool climate, so invigorate your morning by getting outdoors. For an iconic wine country splurge, skip breakfast and book an early-morning hot air balloon ride out of Santa Rosa. There are local hot air balloon experts waiting to give you a bird’s-eye view of the vineyards, crops, and mountains the area is famous for.

Or try an easy walk through Armstrong Redwoods. Peace and tranquility reign supreme in this hundred-acre-plus redwood reserve in Guerneville.

Happiness is a Warm Puppy

Don’t miss the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa. The man behind Snoopy and Charlie Brown called Santa Rosa home, and the museum that bears his name is the best place in the world to admire his work. The museum makes it fun to track the evolution of Schulz’s comics, learn about the art of cartooning, and get reacquainted with the Peanuts gang.

Next door to the museum, Snoopy’s Home Ice recreates the feel of a Swiss chalet in Sonoma Wine Country. Stop in for a morning skate, or warm up with a hot chocolate at the attached Warm Puppy Café, where a “Reserved” sign sits eternally at Schulz’s favorite table.

Way out West

Head west towards the coast via Highway 12 and the Bodega Highway, it’s worth taking a tiny detour along the Bohemian Highway for a stop in Occidental. This quaint town feels as if little has changed since the 19^th century.

The Union Hotel Restaurant has been anchoring Occidental’s Main Street since 1879. Lunch here means homemade minestrone and the world’s greatest breadsticks, fresh lasagna, and pesto pizzas. Enjoy your meal in the main dining room, complete with red-and-white-checkered tablecloths and Chianti-bottle candles, or pull up a stool next to the locals at the old-school bar.

The Howard Station Café, just a few steps down the road, is the perfect stop to munch sandwiches, burgers, soups, and salads in a neighborhood setting.

On the Look Out

On the Sonoma Coast, winter means whales and Dungeness crab!

From January to May, blue and grey whales cruise the Sonoma coast on their way south. You can often spot them from the Ocean Overlook at Bodega Head, one of Sonoma County’s top spots for whale watching. To maximize your chances of spotting a giant, you can also reserve a spot on a chartered whale-watching tour leaving from Bodega Bay.

You can also enjoy the Sonoma Coast’s legendary scenery via popular hiking trails, like the Kortum Trail between Shell Beach and Blind Beach. Discover this easy bluff-top walk with sensational ocean views.

The trails at Bodega Head are also easily accessible and relatively flat, making them perfect for a quick stroll. While winter weather on the Sonoma coast is often mild, it can get windy near the ocean, so make sure you wear layers. Or, feel free to stay in the car — a drive north on the Coast Highway affords panoramic views of the Pacific from your window.

Seasonal Specialty

Now, about that crab: Dungeness crab season in Sonoma County starts in November, and you’ll find the much-loved crustaceans on menus throughout the winter. In Bodega Bay, the Bay View Restaurant at the Inn at the Tides, the Rocker Oysterfellers at Lucas Wharf, and Drakes Sonoma Coast restaurant at the The Lodge at Bodega Bay all serve local Dungeness in warm, inviting dining rooms.

You can also go right to the source and pick up live, freshly caught crab at Spud Point Crab Co. You can also order crab sandwiches or crab cakes to eat on-site until 5 p.m. daily). There’s also Fisherman’s Cove, part bait-and-tackle shop and part deli, for crab rolls and oysters, plus wine and cold craft beers.

Fireside Night Cap

Coastal temperatures drop at night, giving you a perfect excuse to settle in front of the fire with a glass of something warming. Drakes Fireside Lounge (next to Drakes Sonoma Coast restaurant at The Lodge at Bodega Bay) is the perfect place to relax with a glass of Sonoma County wine by the stone fireplace, or cozy up around the outdoor fire pit and watch the stars. (The Lodge at Bodega Bay is a wonderful place to tuck in for the night with in-room fireplaces and ocean views.)

If you’re hungry for something different, skip dinner in Bodega Bay and head inland about 12 miles on Highway 116 to Guerneville. This lush little riverside town is famous for its hip, bohemian resort life in the summer, and the scenery is just as pretty during winter, but the crowds disappear. boon eat + drink showcases local bounty in small plates and seasonal main dishes. Main Street Bistro serves up live acoustic music with its delicious traditional menu.

Settle in and Stay a While

Wherever the night takes you, you’ll have plenty of cozy, comfortable lodging options nearby. In Bodega Bay, sit by a wood-burning fire at

If you’ve made your way to Jenner for dinner at the River’s End, check out the guestrooms kitted out like rustic-chic cabins with a gas fireplace and private decks with views of the river and the ocean.

In Guerneville, the guestrooms at The Stavrand Russian River Valley are flooded in warm colors and firelight, and some even feature private hot tubs.

No matter where you end your trip, chances are you’ll wake up looking at winter in a whole new way. Whether you’re coming for the holidays or after the new year, check the Sonoma County Calendar of Events for current festivals, wine events, and other happenings. Find deals on lodging, restaurants, and wine tasting.