A PERFECT DAY IN SONOMA
Morning: Coffee, Quiet Streets & the Plaza
Start early, before the plaza fully wakes up. Grab a coffee from The Sonoma Cheesefactory or Ohm Coffee. Take a walk around the square while the light is soft and the oak trees filter the sun.
Sonoma is best explored on foot in the morning. Wander through the historic sites — the Mission San Francisco Solano, the Barracks, and the paths around General Vallejo’s home. These are all within a few blocks of each other and give you a glimpse into California’s earliest days.
Mid Morning: Fresh air and excerisice
Get moving at Bartholomew park! One of our favorite activities is a hike at Bartholomew park. Just 2 miles from the Plaza it’s a fantastic 2.5 mile hike with good views, a small redwood grove and pond. It got some good elevation so please plan about an hour and 15 minutes.
The hike starts and ends at the Bartholomew park winery and ending the hike with a glass of wine or a tasting at the winery is a great and to a great hike.
Our favorite place for lunch is Valley bar and bottle. They serve simple and clean food that is largely organic. If you want a traditional lunch head to Sunflower cafe. In early afternoon, the plaza begin to buzz. Browse the small boutiques and local shops around the plaza and swing by one of the tasting rooms. For a relaxed, design-forward experience, settle into Pangloss, Pinot lovers head to Walt on 1st Street, a favorite for its expressive, coastal-influenced wines. If bubbles are calling your name, Sigh is the place. And if you prefer a quieter, smaller-producer feel, Darling Wines, Auteur, Kamen, and Caddis offer intimate tastings full of character.
One of the loveliest Sonoma traditions? You can enjoy wine in the plaza. If you dont want to do the full tasting experience, grab a bottle and a few bites of cheese at the cheese factory, spread out a blanket, and let the afternoon drift by. It’s simple, local, and perfect.
Afternoon: A Winery Escape
After your plaza tasting venture just a few minutes from town. Our favorites are always close to home:
Scribe for its architecture and views,
Hanzell for its quiet elegance,
Gundlach Bundschu for its music and events,
and Buena Vista, the oldest commercial winery in California.
If you want something with a little more adventure, take the short, scenic drive up Highway 12 toward Glen Ellen and Kenwood. Vineyards stretch to the hills, and wineries like Kunde (don’t miss the hilltop tasting), Benziger, Imagery, and B.R. Cohn offer beautiful, varied experiences.
Evening: Dinner & a Soft Sonoma Night
There’s no shortage of memorable places to dine. Wit & Wisdom, and Layla are our choices.For a more relaxed evening, El Dorado Kitchen, Oso, and Tasca Tasca and If you didnt have lunch at Valley bar and Bottle, are always reliable and delicious.
If you did make the trip up towards Glen Ellen, Glen Ellen Star is one of the valley’s gems — warm, seasonal, and worth the short drive.
And if you have something to celebrate, or just want the best food in town, head to Enclose for an exceptional dining experience.
Finish the night with a slow stroll around the plaza, where the string lights glow beneath the trees, and grab a drink at the Beacon.
A Day to Savor
A perfect day in Sonoma isn’t rushed. It’s a blend of small pleasures — good coffee, historic streets, thoughtful wines, a meal shared outdoors, and a sunset that always seems to last a little longer than expected.
Sonoma has a way of encouraging you to slow down, savor, and settle in. And we’re so glad our homes can be part of that moment for you.
There’s no single “right” way to experience Sonoma — the magic of this valley is that it moves at whatever pace you need. Slow, spirited, outdoorsy, indulgent, or wonderfully simple. But if we were to design a perfect day here, one that captures the rhythm of Sonoma we’ve come to love, it would look something like this.
