By Betsy Malloy
California Travel Expert, about.com
The Russian River runs southward from northern California, turning west through Sonoma County toward the sea. The small towns on and near the river are some of the cutest in this part of California - and each has a distinct personality. Guerneville, the largest of the bunch has a three-block-long main street, a historic bridge and offers the widest variety of places to stay.
You can plan your day trip or weekend getaway using the resources below.
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Why Should You Go? Will You Like the Russian River?
- The area is popular with wine and food lovers - and in contrast to wine-obsessed Napa, there are almost as many farm stands as tasting rooms along the wine region's backroads.
- Nature lovers enjoy the outdoors along the Russian River, especially the redwood forest - and the Pacific Ocean isn't far away.
- Bicyclists flock to the area for pleasant, mostly flat rides - but most of the roads have little or no shoulder and mixing with automobile traffic can be tough.
- About.com's gay travel writer says: "Apart from Palm Springs, there's really no vacation community on the West Coast with a stronger gay and lesbian following than the Russian River."
Best Time to Go to the Russian River
Summer
has its appeal, when it's hot enough to get out and enjoy a day of
water play, but the weather is best in spring and fall - and it's less
crowded then, too.
Don't Miss
If you've only got a day,
you can't go wrong with a walk in Armstrong Redwoods State Park (just
north of Guerneville). It's less crowded than Muir Woods but just as
beautiful, located in a similar forest of 300-foot-tall coastal
redwoods. You'll find hiking trails for visitors of all abilities. You
can also take a guided horseback trail ride if you like.
5 More Great Things to Do at the Russian River
- [post_ads]Go for a Rambling Drive: Our favorite route follows CA Hwy 116 through the redwood forest, along the Russian River toward the ocean, then north along CA Hwy 1 through Bodega Bay and back inland. Lots of small side roads offer infinite variation, but try to take in Graton, where the main street looks like it came out of a movie set, home to a nice art gallery, antique shops and two terrific restaurants, Underwood's and the Willow Wood Market. Even smaller Freestone boasts one of the best bread bakeries anywhere, Osmosis Spa and little else - and is a popular destination despite its size. Take care to share the road respectfully with bicyclists, some of whom (it's sad to say) may not reciprocate.
- Water Play on the Russian River: Kayaking, canoeing and swimming are popular in summer. Bring your canoe or kayak, rent one or take a guided tour from Burke's Canoe Trips or King's Sport.
- Go Wine Tasting: For the most part, Russian River wineries are less pretentious than their counterparts further inland. The wine appellation covers a lot of territory, and it's easy to just keep rambling up toward Healdsburg if you connect with Westside Road on the north side of the river, but instead of wearing yourself out, get away to Healdsburg on another trip. Pick up a map of the Russian River Wine Road at local businesses or on their website. We especially like sparkling wine maker Korbel for their great tour, historic property and beautiful gardens.
- Bicycling: Sonoma County Bike Trails to plan your route, or stop in a local bike shop for advice.
- Charles Schulz Museum: It's in Santa Rosa, on the way and an easy stop coming or going. A visit with good ol' Charlie Brown and his creator is a must for fans of the Peanuts comic strip but better-suited to reading adults than small children.
Annual Events You Should Know About
- Russian River Rodeo: June in Duncan Mills
- Sonoma County Pride: June in Guerneville
- Civil War Days: July in Duncan Mills
- Russian River Jazz & Blues Festival: September
Best Bites
New
places to eat are springing up, gradually improving the general level
of cuisine in the area. Some of our favorites include the Applewood Inn
near Guerneville, Underwood's and Willow Wood Market in Graton. Boon in
downtown Guerneville offers some yummy food at very reasonable prices
and serves a tasty Sunday brunch.
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Where to Stay
Guerneville
is the most central place to stay if you want to enjoy the Russian
River area. We stayed at the West Sonoma Inn & Spa - read reviews and compare prices at Tripadvisor.
For help getting the best possible deal, read about how to find a good place to stay, cheap or just go straight to Tripadvisor's hotel review and price comparisons for Guerneville.
Where Is the Russian River?
The
Russian River runs west through Sonoma County to the Pacific Ocean. The
part of it covered on this page is centered around the town of
Guerneville.
