Freestone to Jenner via The Bohemian Highway, CA Highway 116 and a Soupcon of Highway 1
Wine Road: 190 Wineries and 56 Lodgings clustered within a 30 mile radius- and very fun and easy to navigate! Starting at Wine Road River Office HQ, I drove to Freestone Vineyards- just under 30 miles. (Please see this Blog for more details.) Next stop, just around the corner, is the famous Wild Flour Bread. Just up the street, is Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary- wow-…. Truly a sanctuary- and in such a secluded setting! Continuing up the Bohemian Highway through Redwood groves, vineyards, chalky hill outcroppings, and cool stuff, here is what I see: Here we arrive at Occidental- and the Inn at Occidental: Bistro des Copains: Cool Across-The-Highway-Sign for Camp Meeker- love it! Next up are the awesome canopy tours and zip-lines at Sonoma Canopy Tours: Heading...
Read MoreFreestone Vineyards
Freestone Vineyards, in the charming, ultra-tiny town of Freestone, CA, is perched right on the edge of the Russian River AVA and the Sonoma Coast designation; the cool climate is evident in the newly burgeoning greenery and flowers here. Over in Healdsburg it has been so warm that most plants have exploded past the new growth phase- but not here- the cool, foggy, coastal influence makes all flora slow down- and especially, magnificently, the grapes- which must take their time to ripen many months from now into intense, highly flavored berries. Freestone Vineyards provides biodynamic quality from the ground up, specializing only in cool-climate, terroir-driven chardonnay and pinot noir- as they say: “As in farm to table, this is dirt to door.” ...
Read MoreSapphire Hill Vineyards & Winery
NEW is the word that comes to mind when visiting Sapphire Hill Vineyards & Winery. Cozily installed in their newly remodeled TR in the Old Roma Station, the bar area as well as the “behind the scenes” wine-making/barrel areas are coming alive with new vibes and directions. New owners/vintners are continuing to source grapes from their Russian River, Dry Creek and Alexander Valley AVA’s Estate and selected vineyards as always, with a great selection of wines (including favorite zinfandels, chardonnays and pinot noirs) with wine-maker Tami Collins adding to the new team. The interaction of food and wine and warm hospitality- and fun- is apparent in the kicky, relaxed atmosphere. Attention to detail in design and color are apparent, right...
Read MoreHealdsburg Walking Tour Part Deux
Recently, I walked a route in Healdsburg along the western side of Healdsburg Avenue and immortalized it in my Blog. This is Part Deux- and I easily walked it- (and remember that Vacation Distances, like Vacation Dollars, are completely fun and easy to blow through!) to show how we have so many lodgings, wineries, TR’s and all that Healdsburg has to offer right outside your lodging door- no car necessary- hoof or bike it! Purchased wines can be delivered to your local lodging by our wineries. Here we go! I started out on Grove Street- and thought that, perhaps, the Best Western Dry Creek Inn and Wine Country TraveLodge were a wee bit further north than walkable, but that is purely up to you- definitely do-able for some….have seen it often- can ID...
Read MoreHotel Healdsburg
Hotel Healdsburg, fondly known to locals as “HH1″ after the birth of her exceptionally green sister property, h2hotel, fondly known as simply, “h2″, is a modern, luxury, boutique hotel on the Healdsburg Plaza, also home to The Spa and Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen. (See my Blog for even more related information.) “Experience a Body Revived a Spirit Renewed.” Great Lobby Bar-intriguing, modern fireplace, lounge-ful furniture, romantic tables- Friday & Saturday night cool jazz- ALWAYS entertaining. Private meeting rooms for groups, gardens, hidden little spots to relax a deux- romantic. Modern at its very best…. HH1 has Tegan Wilson, a card (key?) carrying Clefs D’Or Concierge; she and...
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