Top 10 Tourist Attractions in Sonoma California Wine Country
1. Be a trailblazer at Fort Ross State Park
This historic settlement dates back to 1812, when it was a major trading post that helped ship vital food supplies to Alaskan pioneer communities. Be sure to visit the Rotchey House and Chapel, one of the few surviving original structures. They have also rebuilt the pillboxes and stockades, to give visitors a chance to get a “feel” for life in early America.
2. Visit Lake Sonoma, Healdsburg
Lake Sonoma has something for everyone – families, couples, or even just people looking for a few hours of serene solitude. You can hike, swim, ride a boat or horseback, hunt, and even camp.
There are nearly 17,700 acres to explore, filled with trails and groves of oak, strawberry, alder, redwood, and laurel trees. These surround the lake and surrounding foothills, and are teeming with incredible wildlife: deer, rabbits, birds, and one of America’s endangered species, the peregrine falcon. In early spring and summer, the forest floor is covered with wildflowers of all colors.
Bring a picnic basket and a camera – this is one place not to be missed.
3. Experience a panoramic aerial tour “over California”
Experience California from a completely different perspective – from the air! These amazing aerial tours will take you through the famous Sonoma and Napa wine country, through vineyards and valleys, over mountain peaks and the rippling waters of the Pacific coast. You’ll even get to see places only accessible by plane (and imagine what kind of pictures you’ll be able to take!).
All pilots are FAA certified and provide informed and engaging commentary on the region’s history, geography, and ecosystems. Truly an “Experience of a Lifetime” that you will remember forever.
Visitors can also request personalized tours and photo flights. Visit [http://www.sonomacountyairport.com/scenic-air-tours.php] for more information or call North Coast Air at: 707-542-8687 (TOUR).
4. Navigate the famous highway of the United States. 1
They don’t call this American Road for nothing. California’s state route, Highway 1, takes visitors along one of the longest stretches of coastline in the world. Enjoy mile after mile of ocean views, refreshing breezes, and clear, blue skies. Then, stretch your legs on any of the many golden beaches. Soak in the water, work on that tan, or kick back in the shade with a cold drink and a good nook.
5. “Ooh and Aah” at The Old Faithful Geyser
Think of geysers as naturally recurring steam baths. These stone cones shoot a fountain of boiling water up to 75 feet in the air. However, most outbreaks are irregular and unpredictable: only three in the world have consistent and predictable eruptions.
One of them is located in Calistoga. This Old Faithful erupts every 20 to 30 minutes, though rain can cause it to “pop” more frequently, but with less intensity. Visitors say it’s an “amazing experience” that draws gasps and exclamations every time. Pack a picnic lunch and grab a table near the geyser.
6. Become a farmer for a day on the Sonoma County Farm Trails
For a day, you can experience being a farmer for a day: go berry picking, feed the sheep and llamas, and bite into apples that had been ripped from the branches minutes before. He can get free trail maps that will take you through different farms, breweries, cheese factories, and wineries. He can also buy fruits and vegetables directly from the farmer.
You can also sign up for the Gravenstein Apple Fair which takes place every year from August 11 to 12. For more information, visit http://www.farmtrails.org
7. Enjoy the Ferrari Carano Winery
In just 2 decades, the Ferrari-Carano winery had become one of America’s leading producers of world-class wines. You can schedule a wine tasting tour Monday through Saturday and take advantage of any of several fun yet informative programs. Taste different vintages, paired with cheese, chocolate and nuts.
Test your “olfactory memory”. Find out how to pair wine with different dishes. Or request a personalized tour (by appointment only).
Schedule wine tours by emailing Mandy Cuthbert at [email protected]. You can also take your trip to “new heights” with an incredible aerial tour of the region’s vineyards. Visit http://www.SonomaCountyAirport.com to book your memorable scenic air tour.
8. Visit the ancient redwood trees in the Petrified Forest, Calistoga
Geologists say that the Petrified Forest in Calistoga has one of the best fossil forests in the world. These ancient redwoods were buried under shades of volcanic ash, freezing life as it was 3,000 years ago. So when you walk through the forest, you literally step back in time, seeing insects and animals (some of them now extinct), ancient leaves turned to stone, trapped in the middle of the skin.
The park is dotted with signs explaining key fossils and geology. At the end of the 20-minute tour, visitors can relax in the picnic area.
9. Go on a wild safari at “Safari West Animals”
This unique 400-acre wildlife preserve is home to more than 400 animals and birds, some of which are endangered. There are zebras, giraffes, lemurs, various cats and much, much more. Ideal for families and all nature lovers, it’s as close as people can get to an “African preserve” while on American soil.
Tours last three hours each and are led by an experienced naturalist. Visitors are also free to explore the indoor enclosure at their leisure, where they can make friends with friendly animals like giraffes and money, and enjoy the music of birds in the outdoor aviary.
The cost of admission is $58 per person. For more information, visit http://www.safariwest.com
10. Come say hello to Snoopy at the Charles M Schulz Museum
The world owes a lot to Charles M. Schultz, the creator of the beloved Peanuts comic strip. His lovable characters were not only funny, but often incredibly philosophical, from the existential angst of Charlie Brown to the carefree spirit of Snoopy.
Charles Schultz’s closest friends and family established the Schultz Museum in 2002, in the heart of his hometown, Sonoma County. The collections include more than 6,000 drawings, samples of thematic work from 1950 to 2000, and priceless preliminary sketches for Peanuts.
Nonstop flights straight into the heart of the Wine Country are now available at none other than the Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport. The airport was recently renamed to pay homage to the local artist.
Find out everything you need to know about visiting California wine country at:
http://www.SonomaCountyAirport.com
While you’re there, be sure to register to win a FREE trip to wine country:
one lucky winner is chosen every 30 days.