Romantic Getaway Ideas

Exceptional dining awaits in Sonoma County, where farm-to-table fresh ingredients and famous wine country cuisine are ready to knock your socks off.

SingleThread Farm Restaurant & Inn, Healdsburg

Prepare to be dazzled by elaborate multi-course meals crafted as art at this Michelin-starred restaurant and luxury inn. Restaurateurs Kyle and Katina Connaughton have expertly crafted every detail of this unique dining experience where much of the delicacies are deliciously prepared using rustic clay pot cooking. Menus change daily but might mean stunning displays of black cod with root vegetables and walnut-nori pesto or wild salmon with wild ginger. SingleThread’s own farm and rooftop garden grow fresh, boutique ingredients for the famous season dishes and cocktails. Make your reservations well in advance for this unique experience.

131 North St., Healdsburg, 707-723-4646

Valette, Healdsburg

Experience contemporary Cal-global cooking in an alluring ambiance with an open kitchen and accents of reclaimed wood. Reservations are recommended to score a table laden with seasonally (and often weekly) changing dishes like crispy fish with garden bok choy, toasted soba noodles, and spicy kimchee purée or slow-cooked celeriac soup with pistachios, yellow beets, and cheese meringue. Be sure to start with hand-crafted charcuterie from the custom-made curing case, and if you’re feeling adventurous, tuck into the ‘Trust Me’ menu, where talented Dustin Valette sends out a multi-course feast of his daily picks.

344 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-473-0946

Lodging in Sonoma Wine Country is memorable, whether you’re looking for a posh retreat or a quaint B&B amid the vineyards.

Farmhouse Inn, Forestville

This iconic inn appears regularly on Condè Nast’s list of editors’ favorite resorts. The extraordinary property includes gorgeous guest rooms, a Michelin-starred restaurant highlighting farm-fresh food, and a seasonally inspired spa. The circa-1870 hideaway has been renovated and expanded to include guest rooms in an elegant new “barn.” Baths are large jetted tubs with saunas or steam showers, fresh flowers grace your room, and afternoons offer wine-tasting classes with a Master Sommelier. Enjoy the full farm-to-table breakfasts in the morning and, later, delight in homemade cookies and milk. 

7871 River Road, Forestville, 707-887-3300

Kenwood Inn and Spa, Kenwood

Discover one of Sonoma County’s best-kept secrets in this lavish, Tuscan-style castle on a hillside overlooking Sonoma Valley vineyards. Designed for relaxation, it’s the perfect romantic getaway. Enjoy the sparkling pool with two hot tubs and a lavish, gourmet breakfast buffet. The remodeled spa features a full array of face and body treatments, with some offered poolside or in guest rooms. Try the luxurious, private bathtub treatments for two, or reserve a three-hour, exclusive session for you and your sweetie.

10400 Sonoma Highway 12, Kenwood, 707-833-1293

Stroll through meadows and whispering forests, or sit on the sand and watch the waves. Sonoma County spans over one million acres of gorgeous sites from the mountains and vineyards to the Pacific Ocean coast. With near-endless protected parks and preserves — there are plenty of sites here to take your breath away.

Taylor Mountain Regional Park, Santa Rosa

Explore the trails at this 1,100-acre park in Santa Rosa. Paths wind through oak woodlands, across ridges overlooking valleys, over creeks, and by historic hot springs.

3820 Petaluma Hill Road, Santa Rosa, 707-539-8092

North Sonoma Mountain Regional Park, Santa Rosa

Trails at this 820-acre hillside park include the 4.25-mile North Sonoma Mountain Ridge Trail which begins in the ferns and redwoods on the Matanzas Creek, then climbs through forests to nearly 2,000 feet. It’s perfect for a romantic picnic. For the adventurous, the park also includes a 4-mile section of the Bay Area Ridge Trail, which connects to Jack London State Historic Park.

5297 Sonoma Mountain Road, Santa Rosa, 707-539-8092

There’s no denying the pleasure of a fine glass of wine, especially shared with a loved one. Sonoma County boasts some 425 wineries, pouring world-renowned wines and tasty, new surprises.

Marimar Estate, Sebastopol

Take a guided tour of the Don Miguel Vineyard. The tour leads to the winery house and the owner’s personal cellar, where you’ll select a bottle to enjoy with a tapas platter, served on the patio at the winery and paired with a classic flight. 

11400 Graton Road, Sebastopol, 707-823-4365

Mazzocco Sonoma, Healdsburg

Take a deep dive into Zinfandel at this Healdsburg winery, which crafts nearly two dozen variations from a dozen vineyards each year. Reserve a private table just for you and your lovebug in the garden, where, over two hours, you can enjoy a five-pour wine flight, plus, if you like, a picnic paired with a bottle of your favorite Mazzocco wine.

1400 Lytton Springs Road, Healdsburg, 707-433-3399

If you fly home, remember that Alaska Airlines lets you check up to a case of wine for free when you depart from the Sonoma County (STS) / Santa Rosa Airport. So go ahead and pick up bottles of your favorites.

Sonoma County has so many gorgeous landscapes that recreation opportunities abound. You and your honey can take an extra special winery tour, hike and bike, horseback ride, kayak on the Russian River, zipline through the redwoods, or go hot air ballooning.

The Ranch at Lake Sonoma Horseback Riding, Geyserville

Impressive horseback rides span the world-famous Dry Creek Valley Wine Region and Lake Sonoma from atop the area’s mountains. Guided rides are offered for all experience levels on various trails with beautiful views of meadows, creeks, and forests full of oak, madrone, and bay.

100 Marina Road, Lot A, Geyserville, 707-494-4449

Sonoma Zipline Adventures, Occidental

Bring your love and your sense of adventure to this zipline off the Bohemian Highway in Occidental. Your instructor straps you into the gear and Go Camera you’ll wear for this high-speed scream through the trees.

up to 25 miles per hour through a redwood forest, over a ravine 300 feet below, and along a creek. Part of the challenge is getting to each jump platform via a fun course that includes scaling a spiral staircase 30 feet up and wobbling across a 175-foot-long sky bridge.

6250 Bohemian Highway, Occidental, 888-494-7868

Visit one of Sonoma County’s spas to refresh your mind, body, and spirit. Treat your sweetheart to serious pampering at a wellness resort with pools and views, or enjoy a rejuvenating treatment at a relaxing day spa.

Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary, Freestone

Relax in an authentic meditation garden with a cup of organic herbal tea. Pamper yourselves with a 75-minute massage or Cedar Enzyme Bath — a rejuvenating heat treatment from Japan. Then literally hang out together in the Field of Hammocks.

209 Bohemian Highway, Freestone, 707-823-8231

Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, Sonoma

The iconic four-diamond Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa is famously set atop an ancient thermal mineral spring. Experience this wellness retreat with private cabanas at naturally heated pools that flow from below the earth. Premier spa services await, including massages, facials, and body treatments. Onsite restaurants include the romantic Santé Restaurant.

100 Boyes Blvd., Sonoma, 707-938-9000