Visit Sonoma Valley

From SonomaValley.com: Along with being named the happiest place in California (and one of the happiest nationally) Sonoma County was voted #1 Wine Destination in the USA. And there’s no better place to anchor your visit than Sonoma Plaza, which is ranked as the #1 attraction to visit in Sonoma.

Whether you’re here for an overnight or extended stay, Sonoma Plaza offers the picture-perfect start (and end) to your adventures. It’s a pedestrian paradise, so ditch the car keys and discover Real Wine Country on foot or bicycle. The Plaza’s old adobe storefronts, meandering alleyways, sunlit courtyards and historic
landmarks hum with an eclectic mix of restaurants, hotels, tasting rooms, cafes, artisan boutiques, galleries—even a vintage movie house. As for the nature lover, wildflower hikes and stunning hilltop vistas abound within just a short distance. Anchoring it all is the tranquil Plaza itself, whose vast green stretches of lawn and immense tree canopy create a lush setting for picnics, cultural activities and weekly farmers markets.

Given the abundance of Plaza-centric events throughout the year, there’s usually something utterly enchanting happening, whether it’s an old-fashioned Fourth of July parade or a glitzy international film festival.

For visitors hankering to expand their horizons, Sonoma Plaza’s central location make it an ideal base from which to explore Sonoma Valley, neighboring wine regions, the Sonoma Coast, and Bay Area at large.

Wine Country doesn’t get more real than Sonoma Valley, whose rich soils mark the birthplace of California’s wine industry. It’s also the closest wine region to San Francisco, just 45 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Cradled between the Mayacamas and the Sonoma Mountain ranges, Sonoma Valley encompasses a rolling patchwork of vineyards, quaint farms and 13,000 acres of scenic parkland. In the center of town, the eight-acre Sonoma Plaza is a National Historic Landmark, strewn with sprawling shade trees and bordered by carefully preserved adobe buildings. Up the road in Glen Ellen, author and bohemian adventurer Jack London lived and wrote at his pristine Beauty Ranch, now an 800-acre state historic park.

Location & Directions

From the north: Rt. 12 south. Follow the bend in Rt. 12 to the left (east) along what is now Napa Street. Go approximately 2 miles through Sonoma to 7th Street East. Turn right to go south to our entrance on the right (west) side.

From the south: Rt. 12 north to Napa Road. Turn right (a stoplight). Turn left on 7th Street East. Turn left at our entrance.

From the west: Rt. 121/Arnold Drive to Leveroni Road. Turn east on Leveroni. Drive approx. 3 miles to 7th Street East. Turn left. Turn left again at our entrance.

From the east: Napa Road west. Pass through the intersection of 8th Street East. Turn right on 7th Street East. Turn left at our entrance.