Sonoma County Named One of the Best Romantic Getaways in the U.S.

U.S. News & World Report’s Best Vacations Rankings released its 2026 list of Best Romantic Getaways in the U.S., and Sonoma County earned the #5 spot!  

Best Vacations rankings are based on a 50-50 split between U.S. News & World Report reader votes and editor scores. Romance factors considered by editors include ambiance and classically romantic accommodations, restaurants, and activities.  

Here’s how these romance factors (and more) play out in Sonoma County:

Ambiance

Romantic getaways come easily in Sonoma County, thanks to the beautiful natural surroundings: Soft hills, rolling vineyards, deep forests, winding rivers, and the windswept Pacific Coast. Mornings are cool, afternoons are long, and night skies are often full of stars. Here you’ll find quiet back roads, private spots, small towns, and sweeping landscapes that inspire you to slow down, together. 

TIP:  Amid long stretches of rural, woodland and coastal scenery, there can be far-flung spots where strong cell phone and Internet service aren’t guaranteed. This makes Sonoma County an excellent place to literally unplug and reconnect with each other!  

Romantic Accommodations

Some of the many romantic hotels & resorts in Sonoma County include the secluded Farmhouse Inn in woodsy Forestville, the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa with its glamorous hot springs pools in the town of Sonoma, cozy River’s End in the coastal village of Jenner, and Vinarosa Resort & Spa, surrounding its own vineyard in North Santa Rosa.  

Vacation rentals like the oceanfront Bodegastay can take you off the beaten path, and may come with a hot tub, fireplace, and/or private chef. Bed & breakfasts like Mine + Farm, the Inn at Guerneville provide a relaxed, hyper-local experience, and don’t forget, there are plenty of beautiful wineries where you can spend the night.  

TIP:  With such a wide variety of romantic spots to stay (or even hold a wedding), Sonoma County is an ideal place for a honeymoon. You could nest up together in luxurious comfort amid vineyards, under redwoods, or even beside rivers or the ocean – no passport required. It could then be your treasured tradition to return here and book the same room/cabin/villa, year after year.  

Romantic Restaurants

Romantic restaurants can be found all over Sonoma County. For instance, Santa Rosa’s Italian treasure, Ca’Bianca, is set in a former 19^th century home that looks like a wedding cake, while in tiny Geyserville, the elegant Cyrus is known for a progressive dining menu that begins with bubbles.  

Kenwood’s Salt & Stone sets the scene for romance with a fairy-lit patio surrounding a pond. And in Healdsburg, you’ll fall in love with the rustic-chic Barndiva, the three-Michelin-starred SingleThread, and The Matheson, where you can wander from dinner to a nightcap all in one place.   

TIP:  Consider celebrating your anniversary at one of Sonoma County’s romantic restaurants, enjoying the artful magic of Wine Country cuisine paired with special vintages (maybe from the year you got married!), stunning surroundings, and warm, thoughtful hospitality that you’ll always remember.  

Romantic Activities

Both indoors and out, there are plenty of romantic activities awaiting you in Sonoma County. You can indulge in couples massages at retreats like Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary, cozy up with a picnic at stunning viewpoints like those on North Sonoma Mountain, or stroll epic coastal trails at Goat Rock Beach and Bodega Head. Going horseback riding enables you to slow down together, taking in wide-open landscapes at a lilting pace.  

TIP: With plenty of romantic activities paired with natural beauty, Sonoma County is a great place to propose! For example, on a hot air balloon ride, you could bundle up, snuggle close, and pop the question while soaring high above a patchwork quilt of vineyard views. Not only would you feel your future is both wide open and beautiful, but your epic proposal photos could double as your engagement photos.  

Don’t Forget the Wine

Romance in Sonoma County can be as simple as going wine tasting at some of our 425 wineries, allowing your eyes to meet (and linger) above the rims of your wine glasses, savoring every moment. (Not to mention every Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, etc.) So, it might not be surprising that Sonoma County has also earned the #2 spot on Best Vacations’ list of Best Wine Vacations – following Italy’s Tuscany region at #1.  

Romance and wine are just two of the many great reasons to visit Sonoma County, so come. Fall in love with area just as we have!  

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Written by Melanie Wynne