Girls Getaway to Sonoma Valley

Food, wine, and adventure await on a girls’ getaway to the lush Sonoma Valley, tucked between mountain ranges in the heart of Sonoma Wine County.

Here is a helpful itinerary with a few days of must-see fun stuff and relaxing. Groups often find that a limo or mini-bus is a fun way to roll, and these providers are easy and flexible: Pure Luxury, Beau Wine Tours, and more Sonoma County sightseeing tours.

Day One: Historic Sonoma, Wine, Spa, and Gourmet Food

Brunch at Sunflower Caffe in downtown Sonoma, for coffee and delicious pastries, Belgian Waffles (also available gluten free), or the California Sandwich with folded eggs, avocado, bacon, and dressed arugula on a brioche bun. Eat out front in the sidewalk tables and watch the world walk by, or in the garden courtyard beneath vine-laden trellises next to a fountain. 

Brimming with shops, wine tasting rooms, and restaurants, the Sonoma Plaza also offers a rich slice of history. Explore and stop all along your way at such places as WALT Wines, set in a charming cottage and known for its stellar Pacific Coast-sourced Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. For more options, check out our Guide to Wine Tasting in Sonoma.

For a bit of indulgence, visit the Fairmont Spa at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn. This spectacular, state-of-the-art spa spans 40,000 square feet with indoor and outdoor pools. Guests come from all around the world to experience the resort’s natural thermal waters. Pamper yourself with a rejuvenating facial or soothing massage. The signature bathing ritual is included with every visit, featuring an exfoliating shower, two mineral water soaking pools, herbal steam, dry sauna, and cool down showers. 

For dinner, head to the adjacent town of Glen Ellen for dinner at Glen Ellen Star, where chef Ari Weiswasser utilizes a fire-fed wood oven for gorgeous California-Mediterranean cuisine. The menu changes with the seasons, but you may find favorites like wood-roasted heirloom carrots in Oaxacan mole, spring pea soup dolloped with ricotta, roasted lamb meatballs, and homemade ice cream for dessert.

Grab a nightcap in the Fairmont Mission’s 38º North lobby lounge, where a glass of Domaine Carneros Brut hits the spot. Then relax and rest for another fun-filled day with friends. You’ll find excellent hotel options in Sonoma Valley. 

Day Two: Nature Trails, Wineries, Horses, and Show Gardens

Get breakfast with your gang at El Molino Central, a stylish taqueria in the town of Sonoma known for the stone-ground corn they make into masa for tortillas and tamales. You can watch staffers grind organic heirloom corn kernels with an authentic stone wheel. The resulting crisp, thick tortilla chips are the base of many of the marvelous dishes here that have a fanatic following.

Now it’s off to Jack London State Historic Park and its 1,400 scenic acres for a hike or horseback ride with Triple Creek Horse Outfit. You can also explore the magnificent ruins of the author’s would-be mansion, visit gravesites, and learn more about this famous adventurer and his wife in the recently remodeled House of Happy Walls Museum.

Benziger Family Winery is waiting to refresh you and your group right next door. Enjoy the full experience by taking the Biodynamic Vineyard Tram Tour for a 45-minute journey through the grapevines, a visit to the fermentation facility and crush pad, and a stop at the barrel caves, all capped by a wine tasting. 

Lunch beckons at Ram’s Gate Winery in Carneros, where you can enjoy an extraordinary food and wine pairing. The chef curates beautiful courses that include ingredients from the winery’s own garden and pairs each with single-vineyard wine to enhance flavors. The experience includes a tour of the property, including a short walk to the lake and barrel rooms. 

Next, stretch your legs and get some fresh air, watching for birds in the wide open spaces at the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge. If retail therapy is your cup of tea, check out the unique shops at Cornerstone Sonoma. While there, visit Sunset Magazine’s Test Gardens and Outdoor Kitchen, and stroll through a series of gallery-style gardens showcasing designs from the world’s finest landscape architects and designers. 

For dinner, head to the nearby village of Kenwood, where you can kick back and enjoy farm-fresh food in relaxed and casual settings. Palooza Brewery & Gastropub provides a variety of American pub fare, including barbecue, burgers, and small plates, plus local wines and 16 micro-craft beers. 

Or, check out Salt & Stone, also in Kenwood, where you’ll find a casual-chic global California eatery and oyster bar. Discover tempting fare such as sourdough crusted Petrale sole with mascarpone gold potato risotto, or rib-eye with fingerling potatoes and local mushrooms. Oysters are a big deal here, in a variety of tempting preparations.

Before you know it, it will be time to plan another great girls getaway! For more ideas, check out our Girls Getaway to Healdsburg, 7 Great Restaurants for Your Getaway in Sonoma County, and Girls Getaway to Sonoma County 3-Day Itinerary.

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Written by Sonoma Insider Carey Sweet