Total hidden gem, glad to hear it's open once again and during Summer months. Used to come here…read morefor hubby's company picnics; the kids had a blast. Now that the kids are grown, it's nostalgic for hubby and I to drive up to Glen Ellen. The most beautiful scenic drive up to Sonoma County. They have an Instagram page as well, keep checking for updates. 'Til we meet again ~ cheers and see you on Yelp (SYOY)!

Went on a Tuesday morning to this beautiful little hidden gem not far from Santa Rosa. Nice staff…read more 2 warm spring pools and a small pool for babies. Also a creek/river, but I didnt partake this trip. A cute café on site as well, but we brought our own food. Entry free was reasonable and plenty of parking. Things I wasnt in love with ...no food or drinks (except water) near pool. Chairs, picnic tables, and open green spaces outside of pool area are free to eat or picnic there. Also, after 12 pm, children can use any of pools and it changes the vibes of course. Lifeguards did a good job of keeping everyone calm.

Very popular, easy 2 mile loop around a reservoir in nature, located right in the heart of Santa…read moreRosa. Easy access, well maintained trails and paved pathways for all levels of athleticism. Bathrooms are clean and located at two points on the loop. Fun for the whole family and pets. Always forget how serene it is. It's considered a state park so entry fee may apply.

Pretty nice and relaxing stroll/jog with a water feature if one doesn't want anything too strenuous…read morewith incline. It is basically several trails that go around a reservoir (Spring Lake). The circumference of the lake is about a 2 mile flat loop. Upon entering the park felt very bizarre. You leave a nice neighborhood with nice homes then in a blink of an eye, you are surrounded by bare trees covered in moss surrounded by tons of small flat boulders. It was so bare and quiet that it felt like this portion of the earth had died. Very bizarre. You'll eventually find the parking lots which all connect together in some form. There's an $8 fee here. You can't see the lake from much of the parking lot, maybe in a few spots like where a boat ramp might be. I had to use a map in my hiking app to find which direction the lake was at. Once at the lake there are pretty much 2 trails that go around the same lake. 1 is at lake level and is a dirt trail. So it has a more hiking feel as the trail is rough with lots of heavy brush on the sides. Even tho lake level you'll only get a glimpse of the lake in only a few spots. That's because the brush is so thick and over grown that it'll block views to the water since you are at lake level. The second trail is a paved trail that is above lake level, so from most spots you are looking down on the lake. This is the trail to take if you want to take pics or just admire the water views. Also the trail to take if you want to bike or jog as it is a wider and smoother trail than the dirt one at lake level. I saw a separate swimming lagoon on one of the corners. It wasn't in operation in October when I went but looks like it could be a popular spot during the warm summer Santa Rosa months. This area of the lake is also the most landscaped as I saw lawn areas with picnic benches and nicer trees alongside the lake, even some very pretty small redwoods. I enjoyed my views most on this side of the lake. You can also add length to your route by connecting this loop with other trails. There's even a loop that connects this loop that goes to another smaller lake, which would make your route now closer to 4 miles. Nice spot may even have to bring a group here someday for a picnic day if ever back in the area.

One of the most beautiful buildings and grounds I've been on whist wine tasting. The gothic…read morearchitecture just makes you feel like you're entering a vampire's mansion with the beautiful Sonoma hills in the backdrop. Even on a gray and rainy day, this place still looked special. I went on a weekday so I was able to do a casual wine tasting, standing in a bar area, without rezzies. On a weekend or with a group, I'm pretty sure you have to make rezzies. There are different tasting packages, some are sit-downs with someone bringing your pours and probably to a nice view. The casual one I did was $45 and a couple of bartenders are there to man both ends of the bar. I think a $45 fee that can't be waived or applied to a wine purchase is a bit much but I will do one occasionally. But to their credit they do pour a good number of tastes, and you just have to acknowledge the real estate that your butt is in. I paid for *cool* points. The pourers were nice and knowledgeable and poured a few more than what the list had. The wines here are very full and quite bold, nothing light and whimsical. I tasted one rose but requested the rest be reds. It was a fun ride as we tasted several Rhone grapes, a pinot, a merlot and a Port made with zin grapes. And they even gave me a square of dark chocolate to pair with the bolder reds, which I already do at home, so this just hit home with me. I didn't get to roam too much inside the mansion but there is a big gift shop where you get your wines, souvenirs and even picnic goods if you wanna nibble amongst wine country. Very unique and beautiful stop on my fave Hwy 12. Resounding return in the works.

I had an AMAZING day here! Bill took care of my group. He was very knowledgeable and had great…read morestories. We got a tour of the winery as well. It's beautiful inside and out. It's very clean and looks very well taken care of. The wines were great! I loved the Zinfandel one. We purchased cheese board and it was so good! I love how you get to choose what meats and cheeses you want to add. It's like a build your own they make it. Can't wait to come back!

THE BEST HOTEL EVER!…read more Incredible hospitality, the establishment is gorgeous, the continental breakfast was delicious. Came with no plans and the concierge put together an entire agenda. I had an unreal time here. Will be back!!!

L O V…read moreE D our stay! Wow, the staff were wonderful and friendly. Upon our arrival we were greeted with a delicious glass of sparkling glass of cava and they had fresh cookies (which you can enjoy anytime during the stay). We did not partake in the free wine hour, but is a wonderful amenity they offer. Our room exceeded our expectations...had a fireplace we used constantly. King bed was comfortable. Little noisy from upstairs guests, but nothing we couldn't overlook with the everything else we loved. The warming pool was relaxing and perfect. We did enjoy a couples massage while on property and it was perfect. Do yourself a favor and treat yourself to this lovely Inn & Spa!

This hike is not for the faint of heart, lol. We went up to the summit and back down towards…read morePythian road. Great loop, today was a little over 7 miles. This park was badly burned when we went years ago and with the most recent closure, it is finally open (2024) but it is still a bit like a tree graveyard. Unfortunately. Challenging hike, beautiful views, I love that it can connect to Gunsight rock, which is an awesome spot to picnic and have a break. On a clear day you can see all of the bay! You can park off Pythian as mentioned or get to it by Sugar Loaf. Parking off Pythian is part of the regional parks but if you access by Sugarloaf you'll need to park via their pass or a state pass for parking.

I finally made this hike up Hood Mountain to Gunsight Rock. The climbing gets quite steep towards…read morethe end, but the spectacular views make it worth it. The scenery was beautiful the entire hike. After the rains we've had recently, it was nice to see a few waterfalls along the way. Make sure to bring water & snacks as it's almost 9 miles of hiking with over 2000 feet of climbing.

I had the best time celebrating my 40th birthday here. I fell in love with the photos online, and…read morethe experience was everything I had hoped for and more. We stayed in the Ryokan Zen Creekside Suite and were both smitten the moment we walked in. The room was spacious, and beautifully decorated. They even provided robes and sandals to wear around the room, which was a lovely touch. The soaking tub was exactly as I had imagined, huge, luxurious, and perfect for two. We also loved all the extra amenities, from happy hour with wine and cheese to fresh-baked cookies and a port bar in the evening. The breakfast spread the next morning was equally wonderful. This stay felt like such a special way to celebrate a milestone birthday. I highly recommend spending a night here for any special occasion. It was incredibly romantic and truly memorable.

A peaceful and truly relaxing getaway. We stayed in the main house, Room 3, and the entire…read moreexperience was absolutely lovely. The atmosphere was calm and serene, paired with exceptional customer service. I'm usually pretty particular about mattresses and pillows, but these exceeded my expectations--they were genuinely comfortable. Everything throughout the property was clean, well-maintained, and thoughtfully arranged. The little touches really stood out: rotating complimentary iced teas each day, fresh cookies, and even 24-hour complimentary sake. The daily wine hour with snacks was a highlight--it created a warm, social environment where you could connect with other guests. Breakfast was delicious, and there are multiple cozy outdoor spaces to relax, complete with fire pits. Every detail felt intentional and carefully considered. I can't recommend this place enough--it's worth every penny. We'll absolutely be coming back.

An amazing network of trails of all levels can be found at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, as well as…read moreinformational trails that are great for kids. You can pick up a list of trails and rough map at the entrance. We meandered creekside, and looped Hillside Trail to meadow trail, all with amazing scenery. Very clean and well-maintained park, with plenty of rangers. Loads of great picnic areas as well. Can't wait to return and try more hikes.

This state park was relatively easy to get to despite the long drive and heavy traffic from…read morePeninsula. However the road leading up to the park was relatively straightforward. We are getting into camping this year and this was our trial run with all the new gears we bought. We rented camper site #1 which is labeled as "premium". Maybe it was a bit bigger than the regular sites but other than that it didn't feel particularly premium. Since #1 and 48 are the first and last sites in the campground loop and closest to the visitor center, they had the best WiFi reception. The downside is we were the farthest to the bathrooms and showers which were located on the opposite site of the loop. This made trekking over at night a bit inconvenient. The bathrooms were somewhat clean and the showers are coin-operated at the cost of 25c per minute. Shampoo and body wash were provided which is nice. All in all this was a nice introductory experience for us. If we were to come back to camp at this park we will opt for site #3 which is nicely tucked into the shaded corner and is fairly close to the bathrooms.

The North Sonoma Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve is an amazing park with incredible…read moreviews! There's a parking fee or it's free if you have a Regional Park Pass. They have a bathroom near the parking lot that they keep clean. There are several different trails that you can take and some that connect to Jack London Park. We hiked the Bennett Valley Overlook Trail, which is a 3.7 mile out and back trail. Dogs are not allowed on this particular trail so you will have to leave your four legged friends home if you decide to hike this trail. The overlook has stunning views. There are two picnic tables if you want to pack a lunch/picnic and enjoy the views for longer. Most of the trail is not shaded so something to consider and bringing a hat may come in handy for this reason and wearing sunscreen on sunny days. Also wear hiking shoes and bring water to stay hydrated along the way. We enjoyed our hike and the views and look forward to hiking some of the other hiking trails soon!

Went here recently with friends for a day hike. We went to discover scenic vistas. We enjoyed a…read morenice picnic on picnic tables overlooking scenic vistas and also enjoyed some chess as I am an avid chess player. Giant redwood trees and the setting sun. There is also the umbrella tree which is a unique tree to climb and enjoy shade underneath it on a sunny day. Recommended hiking here. There are many options and the views can't be beat!

All you need to know is that I don't want anyone to know about this cozy little place. Karen is…read morelovely and we always feel welcomed here.

This former restaurant, closed for many years, has re-emerged as an adorable Martini bar…read more There are several comfy conversation areas as you walk in, plus a large room further into the bar, that anyone would find charming. The Martini menu is clever. It's fun to try the kitschy named drinks like "I'll Have What She's Having". Even the names will make you smile and the drinks are yummy. There are also other cocktails offered, not only Martinis Karen the owner and bartender keeps smiling and making friendly conversation as she takes excellent care of her patrons. Additionally the Inn part of the name represents the 7 charming rentable cottages behind the Martini Bar. I find it refreshing that there's a new place opened in the area that is a classy destination to meet with friends and enjoy a unique and fun drink.

Such a wonderful experience! The guides were so attentive and funny, which really helped keep any…read morenerves at ease. The views were beautiful, and everything felt well-paced from start to finish. The whole experience lasted about 2.5 hours and included 7 zip lines, which was such a fun adventure. The location can be a bit tricky to find, so I'd recommend giving yourself extra time and arriving at least 30 minutes before your scheduled tour, as they suggest.

OMG!! This was such an amazing experience. We came here for my bachelorette and had the most…read moremagical time. I can't 100% remember our tour guide names but I believe it was Aiden and Yivek (and I probably spelt those wrong). They were so funny and so knowledgeable. I loved learning about the trees and different birds while we were up on the line. The views were absolutely gorgeous and I was so grateful we got fantastic weather.