It may be a hole-in-the-wall eatery down a remote country lane. A delightful surprise tucked into a routine destination. The best little (fill in the blank) nobody else seems to know about. Or a great place to visit, right there in plain sight, yet never before noticed. These hidden things give Sonoma its texture, its substance, its je ne sais quoi. They’re what you find if you stay awhile, allow yourself to sink below the surface. And they’re yours for the seeking.
This is part of a series. To see all 87 things to do, places to go, stuff to see, drinks to enjoy, and foods to find, CLICK HERE.
Roadway to Heaven
Pity all who’ve yet to discover that the start of Coleman Valley Road in downtown Occidental is the gateway to one of the planet’s most gorgeous routes up-and-over to the ocean. By car, bicycle or motorbike, climb up and up through woods and pastures. Pause for as long as you like at the zenith, to infuse your soul with the majesty of the elevated coastal panorama, then glide down, down to Highway 1 at Coleman Beach, between Bodega Bay and Jenner. Breathtaking.
Freshest of the Fresh
Farmers market produce not fresh enough for you? Then go directly to the farm. At Green String Farm, you can see your kale and radishes harvested from the Petaluma soil. Take a free tour of the farm every Saturday at noon and learn about its sustainable farming practices, then hit the produce stand for more just-picked fruits and veggies, eggs, cheese, honey and nuts.
Green String Farm, 3571 Old Adobe Road, Petaluma, 707-778-7500, greenstringfarm.com
A Vision from Above
The hobbit-size Sea Ranch Chapel in Gualala looks like it soared down from the clouds, landing with its wings spread on a private, tree-studded meadow off Highway 1 and overlooking the Sonoma Coast. Designed by James Hubbell in 1985, the volunteer-maintained structure is graceful, Gaudian and somewhat bizarre. Just 360 square feet, the chapel seems to dance with its beautiful roof plumes, shell-curved wood siding, ceramic accents and stained glass spilling light to the mosaic tile floor. Open daily for tours and meditation.
Highway 1 at Sonoma Mile Marker 55.66, across from Bosun’s Reach Street, 707-785-2444, thesearanchchapel.org
Animal Adventure for Kids
Tucked into a quiet neighborhood on the edge of the Petaluma High School campus is a place where giant snakes slither, iguanas prowl and dinosaurs may have once roamed. Kids love the Petaluma Wildlife Museum for its hands-on reptile room and lifelike dioramas featuring lions, wolves and even a polar bear. Normally accessible only to students on field trips, the museum opens to the public on the first and third Saturday of every month, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Don’t miss the T. Rex skull in the fossil room.
201 Fair St., Petaluma, 707-778-4787, petalumawildlifemuseum.org
Cool Climate, Cool View
Isn’t it enough to make some of the best sparkling wines in America? Iron Horse Vineyards near Sebastopol is doubly blessed in that it also has one of the best tasting room views in the country. Sip in front of a lovely hillside vista of grapes overlooking the Green Valley of Russian River Valley. The sparklers deliver nuanced flavors and brisk freshness; also try the lesser-known but just-as-good Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs.
9786 Ross Station Road, Sebastopol, 707-887-1507, ironhorsevineyards.com
For the Birds, and You
Just off the western edge of Highway 1 in Bodega Bay is a perch, a charming roost on which to rest a spell and savor the scents and sensations of the ocean breeze, and the lofty view of Bodega Harbor. It’s the dining deck at The Birds Café. Order a beer and the fish tacos or artichoke fritters and let time, like the gulls, glide by.
1407 Highway 1, Bodega Bay, 707-875-2900, thebirdscafe.com
Covers You Covet
Remember books? Before Kindle? The folks at Treehorn Books love tomes so dearly they celebrate them in a mishmash clutter of new and used treasures, at bargain prices to encourage us to read more. Row after row, shelf after shelf (plus ladders to reach them), there are all kinds of inventive categories such as the Sixties, Fire & Disasters, Counter-Culture, Earthquakes & Floods, Drama, first editions (including signed) and lots of rare gems, plus the more expected History and Children’s Literature sections.
625 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-525-1782, visit on Facebook
Where the Wild Things Heal
Atop a hill on Mecham Road sits a ranch house with a million-dollar view and no full-time inhabitants. None that are human, anyway. The former ranch is home to Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue, a nonprofit whose volunteers take in all manner of injured, ill or orphaned mammals and birds, then treat and release them ASAP. Take a tour at noon or 2 p.m. on a Saturday (reservations appreciated) and you’ll be wildly happy you did.
403 Mecham Road, Petaluma, 707-992-0274, scwildliferescue.org
A Kid’s Kind of Fish Shop
No one will mistake it for Sea World, but Caesar’s Tropical Fish in Santa Rosa is nearly as much of a kid thriller as a splash by a killer whale. In darkened display rooms, little ones go eyeball to eyeball through aquarium glass with audaciously hued saltwater exotics, bug-eyed goldfish and a resident Madagascar cichlid that seems to want to nibble at noses.
1648 Piner Road, Santa Rosa, 707-546-7456, caesarstropicalfish.com
Petting Zoo to Change Lives
Children and adults should visit Forget Me Not Farm, an oasis for rescued animals nestled next to the Sonoma Humane Society in west Santa Rosa. Look for the tiny sign. Its mission is huge: To be a haven for children and animals to bond and break a cycle of abuse. Everyday visitors can experience the charms of miniature and tall horses, llamas, cows, goats, burros, sheep, pigs and chickens, and learn how everyone benefits from keeping animals happy and their spirits healthy.
5345 Highway 12, Santa Rosa, 707-577-1913, forgetmenotfarm.org
Little Shop of Horrors
California Carnivores is the largest retail carnivorous plant nursery in North America, with Venus flytraps, sundews, butterworts, bladderworts and tropical pitcher plants chowing down on yellow jackets … well, you just have to see it. The nursery is on a side street behind farm plots south of Sebastopol, yet it’s worth the hunt for the fascinating education and the beauty of these natural pest-control plants. The curators are very serious about the plants, but with a wicked sense of humor, so the shop is decorated with skulls and spiders and the occasional severed (rubber, we hope) hand.
2833 Old Gravenstein Highway, Sebastopol, 707-824-0433, californiacarnivores.com
SOFA, So Good
The South A Street district concealed on the back side of Santa Rosa’s Juilliard Park is an old-fashioned cluster of small shops, galleries, artist studios and eateries refreshingly free of anything close to a chain. No Starbucks, just Atlas Coffee Co. down an alley with a hodge-podge of found furnishings, a record player and great java. Denizens have dubbed it SOFA and it’s full of surprises, including one of the city’s top restaurants (The Spinster Sisters), one of its finest bakeries and cafes (The Criminal Baking Co. & Undercover Noshery) and the edgy Imaginists theater company.
South A Street and Sebastopol Avenue, Santa Rosa, sofasantarosa.com
Secret Side of Alexander Valley
While most visitors to the Alexander Valley stick to Highway 128 as they visit wineries and vineyards, the quieter northeast corner of the valley is home to producers with deep winegrowing roots, tucked beneath Alexander Mountain.
The bucolic, manicured grounds of Robert Young Estate Winery are open to the public daily. Visitors can enjoy the picnic area and cave tours, on request, and taste the winery’s famous Clone 17 (also called the Robert Young clone) Chardonnays and its Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasting is $10, refundable with purchase.
4960 Red Winery Road, Geyserville, 707-431-4811, ryew.com
Just around the corner from Red Winery Road on Geysers Road, Garden Creek Winery is open by appointment only, Monday through Friday. The small estate run by Justin Miller and Karen Warnelius-Miller grows Chardonnay and Bordeaux grape varieties for its red blend, Garden Creek Tesserae. The two-hour tour includes a candlelit tasting in the barrel room, a cheese and charcuterie pairing, and a walk through the vineyard. $30 a person.
2335 Geysers Road, Geyserville, 707-433-8345, gardencreekvineyards.com
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