What a lovely place and unique idea--and it's free! Cornerstone Sonoma is located about 30 minutes from Vallejo and offers a pretty and serene tour of the art collections and gardens. It's a great place to just walk around, enjoy the scenery, and take photos of all the cool art installations. There's also a few boutique wineries and shops that you can stop by after your walk around the Gardens. I enjoyed the wine tasting and a charcuterie plate which, in conjunction with the perfectly sunny yet breezy weather, was just heavenly. Love this place. read more

See all

The gardens are the draw, but there is also a nice nursery, a very nice high-end antique store, a gallery, an asian furnishings store and a cafe. You can spend a nice morning or afternoon browsing around. It cost more to see the gardens from March to November, for obvious reasons. When we visited they were setting up for an event, possibly a wedding, in one of the gardens, under a large round tent. It looked like an awesome location. One of the cafe walls was pretty odd, covered with fake flowers, but the food looked very good. You can take it outside to eat as there are plenty of tables. read more

Cornerstone Sonoma - A tree covered in blue balls - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Sonoma, California

This is a review for my wedding at Cornerstone. Cornerstone is a very magical venue. You have the garden, the art, the pond, the grounds, everything but the vendor shop areas to yourself to make your wedding day amazing and complete. You can dress it up, or down, and just about any wedding theme you could think of would fit this whimsical venue. A few tips.. - If you pick this place it's do-it-yourself. Nothing is included except for the spaces. Know this going in. - Because it's a DIY venue, it will be much more pricey to have a wedding here - Hire a coordinator that knows design (like Sugar Rush Events) and the venue unless you are very good at design - But still, hire a coordinator that knows the venue. Seriously, go with Sugar Rush. I interviewed 10 vendors. She's the best. - Only hire vendors that know the venue, no matter what they say - Do not wear spiky heel shoes at this venue, and tell your guests not to either (or get solemates) The Pros - This will be an incredibly beautiful venue for your wedding!!! - Kelsey is very knowledgeable and answers most questions rapidly The Cons - People might sneak into your wedding to explore the gardens. It happened at our wedding. I heard it happens a lot. - If you don't have a good coordinator there's a chance you'll lose something here. It's a big venue - I had to remind the staff a few times about paperwork I already had on file - Nothing is included except the physical spaces (you have to rent EVERYTHING) - Everything costs more in Sonoma So, if you can afford it, go with Cornerstone. It will be the best wedding in the world. read more

See all

Had to stop in and eat before I went wine tasting and tried the Ultimate grilled cheese (YESSSSS). I got pieces of bacon and a glorious amount of cheese all in one bite. I have to give it to who ever created this. it was so bomb. My fiance had the cheese burger and truffle fries and it was pretty good too. I love Cornerstone cause of the photo ops and the gardens not to mention the wine tasting was great. They give you more than others and the price is great too. The BIG BLUE chair was awesome to sit in and scary to attempt after a few glasses but i did it :). I love this place and will be back soon. read more

Cornerstone Sonoma - Burger time - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Sonoma, California

See all

I had the pleasure of enjoying a wine tasting with three friends at this lovely winery, surrounded by beautiful gardens, where we were treated to gracious hospitality and exceptional service from Elaine, who was both charming and well-informed. This was my first visit and I look forward to returning. Thank you! PS: Be sure to taste the champagne! read more

Wonderful way to spend time with someone, just walking around and looking at the gardens. I've been here several times and I have no complaints. Parking was good. read more

This review is specifically for the gardens which are absolutely amazing. If you're in the Sonoma area, you should make a point to stop here to check them out. They give the liberty to different artists to design a part of the garden, so there's lots of different unique art installations throughout the gardens. It's very offbeat and different and memorable. I've been here twice and it was quite different the second time, but it still had the same feel and atmosphere. They do a lot of weddings here, which I think would be very nice. There are also shops here, but that's not really the highlight of this place, it's absolutely, without a doubt, all about the amazing gardens and outdoor art exhibits. A lot of the art exhibits are interactive and engaging as well. read more

You come here to tour the garden "rooms" . Several acres of architectural gardens. Modern themes & designs. This ain't Hidcote manor in the UK. No charge for entrance. Certainly more pretty in the summer than winter. It looks a little barren in February. read more

Such an beautiful, creative space! I love Cornerstone and highly recommend to all. The grounds are gorgeous and it's easy to get swept away in the thoughtful and unique art installations. I have attended many events at Cornerstone as a wedding vendor and the events here are stunning, very inspiring and elegant. read more

I've been here a few times now, and every time, I find something new to like about it. There's a beautiful fountain (when it's on at least), and a front patio of the winery that's reminiscent of mid-west ranch homes. There's actually a rocking chair I can never get my a%# off of when I'm here. It's a two seater that's like heaven [if heaven had a seat like that]. ;) There are also a bunch of birds in cages (odd, I know), that you can walk by and say "hi" to. There's some good wines - but I come here for the scenery. The last time I was here, there was live music and great venues in the grassy areas (fresh oysters, hot dogs, ice cream, shaved ice...). I got to try the grilled oysters and these were dang good. Along with a tangy red sauce, it was drenched with garlic butter! This made a good snack. I'm coming back for that rocking chair! It better be free, too! read more

Cornerstone Sonoma - Grilled Oysters on at a special weekend event! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Sonoma, California

See all

BEAUTIFUL!!!! It's not super huge but the unique art pieces around the garden are the perfect backdrops to your professional Instagram pictures or for special occassions. I love the clouds the raindrops the best. It's a relaxing, peaceful, and beautiful place to roam...eat...drink...and be merry. I'd definitely recommend checking this place out at least once. It's closer than Napa or go on the way to Napa. I'll meet you in the Corner anytime! (sounds scary) read more

See all

My friend and I were lured in by the interesting outdoor art we saw while driving by. We had already gone to Cline Cellars and the Jacuzzi winery, so we figured we'd stop our wine tasting spree and see what this place was about. Good sized parking lot. Upon entering you see a lot of shops and a wine tasting area. My review is based solely off the shops and outdoor art. The shops are a bit overpriced, but they have something for everyone - kids, collectors, and even hipsters. There is one store that sells interesting finds. You can find a lot of random items collected through the years in their backyard. If you're familiar with the History Channel show "American Pickers," it's kind of like that. You walk in, not knowing what you're going to find but you're awed at what you do end up seeing. Shops aside, the outdoor freestanding art can keep you occupied for hours on end. It's really amazing to find a place like this because it's' so unexpected. I mean, really? Do you expect to see a red door to nowhere or a tree covered in blue bulbs? This is great if you have kids (or are a kid inside). There are some fun pieces here. In the back, there is a body of water and you can enjoy some time sitting on the field, taking in the atmosphere. Without a doubt, if you want a break from all the wine tasting that Sonoma has to offer, check this place out. read more

See all

One of the most enjoyable experiences in Sonoma is Cornerstone and sitting outside at the main restaurant there. I have been there several times and had some of the best meals in Sonoma. Great sandwiches- the Cuban among many and salads - the asparagus and duck!. The wine and beer list is fantastic and served at tasting room temperature. Even the desserts are excellent - ice cream and cookies. Service is excellent; friendly and attentive. Love it! Beautiful setting in a town I have come to call Paradise. read more

Nice little gathering of shops and a couple of wine tasting rooms. The area is beautiful and has lovely gardens to walk around. There are gift shops and flower shops with local items for sale. Its a nice little stop on your way up to the wineries or on your way home from the wineries. Enjoy! read more

Such a gem in Sonoma! They have a little lunch spot, gardens with artwork everywhere, and a few wine tasting rooms which are seriously delicious. Also, you have to meet the two adorable dogs that are "mascots" for the art galleries. :) read more

Lovely gardens, nice cafe, three tasting rooms and shops. Nice place for a break on the way to Cline and Jacuzzi Wineries. read more

See all

A lovely place to spend a few hours in Sonoma. Numerous wine tasting rooms, lovely high end gift stores, an interesting Sunset Magazine garden and a very good restaurant. Highly recommended on a pretty day. read more

Can't decide if you want a vineyard, art museum, or a barn style wedding? Guess what? You can get the best of all three at Cornerstone Sonoma. Throughout the grounds, you'll find art pieces and a variety of interesting landscaping. As a guest of a wedding held here, I was completely wowed by the degree of visual interests everywhere you looked. I'm someone who peaces out usually around the time the DJ plays a dance-floor-opener-song-- wedding fatigue is real folks-- but this place had me stayin' til the very end. The couple was married by a picturesque lily pond in a backdrop of the vineyard, followed by cocktail hour, where people could wander the grounds. The reception was in the tent, then dancing and cake cutting in the barn. The night progressed outside the barn where the couple arranged a taco truck and photobooth. Others lingered about socializing around the firepit or continued to play cornhole nearby. The event was always generously topped off with some form of wines, signature cocktails, then coffee and water later in the night. By far the most fun I've had a wedding and by far the best wedding I've attended. There's no question that if you're looking to break out of a cookie cutter banquet event, this is the place to do it. read more

Cornerstone Sonoma - the empty tent at night - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Sonoma, California

See all

I had lunch at the restaurant there -- the fish sandwich would be better & heart-healthier if they baked the fish instead of frying it. The music should be turned off outside -- people want quiet and to enjoy the peacefulness of the place & hear the sounds of nature. It has very beautiful gardens & nice shops. read more

Always a great place to stop detour to while you sober up in wine country. Although now they also have a tasting room so I'm not sure how true that statement is. They have this little cafe that has the best lemon bars ever, and I'm not just saying that because I have usually been drinking when I go there. So here is the skinny on this place - different artists are assigned their own land plot to do with what they may (art) which provides for a great backdrop to some cool looking photos. The great part of this place is that it is FREE ! I miss the huge tree covered in blue balls. Looks like something that would come out of a Dr. Seuss book. Oh also be sure to stop by the visitors center while you there for some tips on where to go wine tasting next, the people that work there always offer some great suggestions and are super friendly. Look for the Giant Blue Chair off the main street and you will find your way. read more

I can't believe this was my first to Cornerstone Sonoma. I've always driven past it on my way through wine country (it's right across the street from Gloria Ferrer). To be honest, I never quite understood what it was. Is it a Gourmet Food/Wine mart? A Garden center? A Wedding/Event venue? The answer is: Cornerstone is all of the above (and more!). We came here over the weekend for the Sunset Magazine Celebration. To be honest, the "Sunset Celebration" was nothing to write home about (very disorganized, over-priced, no food sampling, and boring booths). In fact, the only saving grace to this event was the venue. Yes - the venue was better than the event! Cornerstone is a spectacular property. There's literally something to see and explore around every corner. Lush gardens, breathtaking vineyard views, interesting home & garden shops (selling a variety of plants, knick-knacks, home furnishings, etc.), and a plethora of tasting rooms. This is like Martha Stewart's paradise! I would really love to come back here when all the festival tents, people, and nonsense are gone. If you're driving up to wine country, make a point to visit Cornerstone Sonoma. There's something here for everyone! read more

Cornerstone is a display of various concepts of landscape settings done by professionals. Each is a work of art. My favorite was the vegetable garden with domed re-bar tomato cages. There are about 6 displays - and some new ones in progress of being made. Viewing the plots are free. There are a number of trendy shops and places to eat and drink at Cornerstone. This is a good destination for everyone - but especially people from outside California who want to see what sort of landscaping we do in California - and California cuisine. read more

I've been here before and walked around the shops before, but this past week, my company did a day outing to here and got to explore more, and in more depth. I loved walking around the sunset gardens. My favorite part was the wishing ribbon thing. A really nice piece of interactive art in the garden. There were some other parts of the garden that made me stop and just appreciate the beauty. I don't know price, or how it was to work with them, but the final product was amazing. Our event was held in the Barn at Tyge Williams Cellars. They have nice bathrooms (much nicer than the public ones by the shops), and opes up to a great lawn for games and vineyards for nice views. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked their catered breakfast, lunch and snacks through out the day. The lunch was especially surprising because the chicken that they served was moist, and not overcooked as I'm accustomed to in catered lunches. We also had Prohibition Spirits and Tyge Williams Cellars serve us some tastings. They were very nice and fun to talk to about their spirits and wines. read more

This was a surprise stop and ended up being one of my favorites of our entire vacation! We got there right when it opened and the gardens are just stunning! Lots of funky artwork, sculptures, and stunning gardens and landscape art. We walked around taking tons of pictures. So peaceful and so pretty! I believe they have weddings here and what a place to have one!!! Just gorgeous. We shopped around in some of the galleries and stores and felt like we were in an artists commune! They also have some tasting rooms and a cafe but we didn't stop in those. Looked super cool though! Make sure you check this place out if you're in the area! read more

Fun touristy place. I think locals go when family arrives. I have to admit it's always changing so when infinite always fun. Delicious restaurant and lots of fun tootling around looking at the. Art and landscaping and displays. Don't forget to visit Uma. Have fun. read more

What a darling little place this is. My mom and I came here for lunch and some shopping, and it made me wish for a place like this at home. I loved the ease of parking, charging stations for electric vehicles and the homey, relaxed feel of the place. Large restrooms accommodate the whole development, so it's nice that individual businesses don't have to maintain their own public restrooms. We visited several of the shops and had lunch too. I wished we had more time, but alas, we were on a tight wine-tasting and friend-seeing schedule, so we were off to the next. But I will make this a regular stop when in town from now on! read more

Enjoyed walking thru this gallery style gardens exhibit, around 20 or so, designed by landscape architects & designers. It was a overcast drizzly day so we had the gardens to ourselves. I did find that a lot of them were unkempt. Seeing this I assumed during the winter months the gardens upkeep is not top priority . I look forward to going back in late spring or early summer and seeing them in all their pristine glory. (especially the field of pinwheel flowers, which was sadly empty today) read more

Cornerstone Sonoma - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Sonoma, California

Great wine had an excellent tasting experience in their tasting room in downtown Napa. Definitely will be back

This was my husbands and my third time visiting the gardens of Sonoma's Cornerstone Marketplace. The amazing thing about this place is that they change the rooms so that if you come here once a year your likely to see new garden rooms.This garden has 20 different rooms which are each designed by different landscape architects and designers from around the world. This is a great place to come and get inspiration for your next landscape project and to take some unique pictures at. Before you plan to visit the garden check on their website if the garden will be opened to the public because they host private events here. They offer so many things here. You can shop, go wine tasting, dine, or stroll the gardens. We have done wine tasting and have eaten at the restraunt but we keep coming back for the garden. read more

See all

Sunset Festival takes place here, super nice place for inspiration on home decor and gardening ideas. Food trucks stop by once and a while, and there's a great spot to get ice cream inside. read more

See all

This area was super cute and had lots of stuff to do. There were a handful of boutique shops with lots of fun things to buy. There's a cafe there, too. I was there with 5 girlfriends and we all really liked what we got for lunch. There are 3 wineries that have small shops with wine tasting available. I was pleasantly surprised by what we discovered when we pulled into the parking area! read more

See all

Cornerstone Sonoma went over a slow decline over the years, to the point that some gardens were in disrepair. The Red Lantern was inaccessible due to its walkway disintegrating. The Sunset gardens are a cleaned-up improvement. In fact, having Sunset move in led to much needed cleanup of all the gardens. As for the "radical gardens",the sad thing is that they fell apart due to general lack of maintenance. Sheer negligence led to the end of the gardens. Sunset has a number of pleasant test gardens, along with their outdoor test kitchen. They've made additional parking, because it's become more of an event venue. Pro-tip: Come early, around 10 am, when they've just opened, so you can get a space. read more

While looking at their web site, I was impressed, a large walking garden, all types of shops, a variety of wine tasting, and a cool looking restaurant, even a music venue, when I got there the parking lot was almost full, the music venue had no stage with two pop up tents, all ground level, not good for the bands, or the people who wanted to see the musicians, I hope they improve on that. The bar and the food was terrible, there was a 30-60 min wait in line for an overpriced drink, with one person pouring the drinks, the food took an hour to get and the fish sandwich I paid $16 tasted very fishy and undercooked, the fries were cold by the time I got to my table, in my opinion they are totally ill equipped to serve a crowd, the workers were slow and overworked for the small amount of people that were there. and the workers looked confused as to how to deal with serving, I watched a cook shake his head in disgust as they continued to pile the finished plates that weren't being picked up, there was only one person taking orders, and a long line of people waiting to order. They didn't have much in the way of shops, half of them were closed and empty. I think I'll wait a few months to go back there, maybe by then they will get their act together, but for now, good management doesn't seem to exist read more

This was the first place my now husband and I looked at when we were checking out venues in wine country and we LOVED it. It fit our personalities to a tee with it's fun gardens, different venues, and friendly people. This place is chic without being Napa valley stuffy. Here are the details: Kristen the Events Director is fabulous and by that I mean - friendly, competent, organized, responsive, patient, and a great source of information. She wasn't able to be there the day of our wedding, but her trusty colleague Veronica is a darn good replacement. i.e.: Someone coming from the Infineon Raceway was a tad intoxicated and hit a power line. The power went out 30 mins before my ceremony. Veronica got the generator up and running and had me walking down the aisle on time! It was as if nothing had happened! Cornerstone: We got married on the vineyard lawns overlooking a lily pond and vineyards. We had cocktails in front of the barn, then dinner under the tent, dancing and cake in the barn. My guests kept moving so there were surprises in store each time. So much fun for everyone and all in one location. No one has to get in their car and drive somewhere. Great photo ops abound! You do need to rent things, but aside from the Preferred Caterer, you do not need to use anything they require. Additionally, you can pay extra to bring in your own caterer. More details later... Rentals actually didn't cost as much as we thought and we went swanky! Vineyard House - On top of all the great things, they have a house you can rent on the property that sleeps 6. 3 bedrooms, 3 baths. Super convenient to get ready the day of and spend your wedding night. Loved it. Our Vendors if you're interested - We wanted folks who had worked at Cornerstone before mainly because it's a tricky site with so many spots. I'll write other yelp reviews for these folks, but here you go Sage Catering, Ken Buck Photography, Wine Country Photo Booths, Shannon Leahy Events, Classic Party Rentals, and SOMA Flowers. Definitely do a walk through with your vendors and provide good layouts for everyone. We seriously had the best time. Our friends and family had so much fun and loved the place and the setting. We would strongly recommend this place to anyone. read more

I used to always drive by here on the way into Sonoma, thought it looked like a tourist trap, but on a recommendation decided to stop in. Wow, I gotta say I'm impressed. I'm not really sure if you can truly classify this place, but first and foremost it's a garden center, where they've commissioned landscape artists of some renown to design their concept of a garden. That's loosely defined -- we're talking gigantic blue chairs, a maze, a tree covered with blue plastic balls, a lily pond -- guest are welcome to stroll and linger. On top of that, you can taste wine -- Roshambo (a personal favorite) has its own space, and you can also taste local favorites like Larson and Artesa. Whether you eat there or gather vittles for your own picnic, Sage Fine Foods is a gourmet treat (their ham sandwich was a humble revelation). But wait, you can also shop! Artefact is sort of garden store, with large garden ornaments, rusty knick-knacks and some other oddities. There are a few more home stores, but my favorite was Zipper, which is a quirky and fun accessory store (picked up an inflatable cow for my kid, shot glasses in the shape of a moose and a rhino, and some eco-friendly bathroom containers!). You could really spend your entire afternoon here, if you're not careful, especially if you don't pace out those wine tastings! read more

My fiance and I decided to drive out to Sonoma specifically to visit Cornerstone. Having heard (and seen - online) nothing but good things about the various gardens and architectural elements on display, it was a top choice for our engagement photo session and we wanted to scope it out in person to find all the best photo opps. Man, am I glad we did! What a sad sight the "gardens" are! I will admit, I was expecting a lot based on the glowing reviews, but even after dismissing the hype entirely, we were still completely disappointed in the grounds. The gardens are not kept up at all and are overgrown, with dirt, leaves and stones tossed all over. The daisy fan field was faded and most fans were broken. The water was dark and dingy. The "wish" installation had no wish tape left, making it useless. The blue tree was decidedly smaller than advertised...I swear they cut a main branch off (or two). Basically, my guy and I couldn't help but laugh (and nearly cry) for wasting our Saturday driving out to - then walking around - Cornerstone Gardens. I did note that they have at least three different wineries on site offering tasting sessions - maybe that's where we went wrong. Note to self: to really enjoy Cornerstone, get really drunk first. One extra star for the very friendly staff we encountered while there. And since I'm currently wedding planning, I couldn't resist asking about holding a wedding here. (The cost is very high, considering the state of the grounds.) As usual, don't take my word for it - see it for yourself...but I wouldn't want you to waste your time if you're not already in the area! I can see why admission is free, and I would rather they charge! Then maybe they'd have funds for the upkeep of the gardens they are so famous for. read more

We went to try the restaurant, but it was unfortunately closed. We tried the little bakery and the man helping us was so sweet! I got a delicious salad, we tried a croissant sandwich, and also chocolate croissants. Everything was so delicious, the place was beautiful, and the customer service was lovely! read more

Heellloooooo, fantastic photo opps! What a great little find this place was. Filled with quirky little nooks and creative crannies, there is so much to look at in these gardens. Want windmills? Check? Want a field of grains breezing to and fro in the wind? Check? Want a miniature little dollhouse looking thing that you and your friend can cram into for a priceless photo opp? Chiccigidy Check! Yep, this place had it all and if you were simply zooming by and saw the kinda corporate looking CORNERSTONE sign out front, you'd probably whiz by and not give it a second thought, but I say stop in and have a look. They do weddings here as well, and between the yummy little restaurant here, the knick knack wonderland also known as Zipper, the Roshambo Tasting Room and the groovy big blue chair out front, you will not run out of cool things to look at. Enjoy! read more

I would love to write 2 different review for this place, one as a visitor, and one as a bride looking at a prospective wedding venue. Let me begin as a visitor: this was my 3rd visit to Cornerstone and every time I come I feel like a little kid. Almost everything there is touchable or interactive in some way. Also, umm this place is free. Free! As in $0 and you can wander the gardens for as long as you like. Tons of fun and a very pleasant way to spend a few hours. They have small stores and wine tasting onsite. This is one of the first places you come to in Sonoma so it also makes an ideal restroom or coffee stop. 4.5 stars. As a bride-to-be, my experience was not even close. After exchanging emails wilth Veronica, we agreed on a time for a visit several weeks in advance. The DAY before she calls and says, "well I didn't get a confirmation so I gave the spot away." Had I not confirmed, she should have called me at least a week before, but I checked my email and there it was: great, see you at 10:30 on 5/26. Since that was the only time we had available that day, I asked if we could share the appointment with the other couple she had given our spot to and she reluctantly agreed. The other couple didn't even show. The pluses of this as a wedding venue are the pond, the barn, and it provides built in entertainment for guests. Unfortunately, it loses a little bit of that uniqueness when you find out they are booked every Saturday for the entire summer. She rushed through the tour so quickly I felt like she just couldn't wait to get us out of her hair. Sorry for wanting to drop 10k on my wedding here, geez! read more

When Cornerstone Gardens first opened, it was truly spectacular. Magical, exciting, inspiring - I couldn't stop talking about it and I still have photos of it on my studio bulletin board. However, to my extreme disappointment, it's been declining rapidly in the last couple of years and they seem to be making little effort at maintenance. Two of my favorite pieces have been removed (the blue tree and the Johnny Cash screen door installation - both of which were truly brilliant); and two other favorites have declined beyond recognition (the surface of the Lullaby Garden is torn and shredded and the Earth Walk installation is moldy and muddy and just disgusting. Both had originally been truly sublime). I can't even express how disappointed I am by the decline of the gardens. The first year they opened, I assumed they'd have different gardens for the different seasons because the weather in Sonoma is pretty reliable - sunny and hot in the summer; cold and wet in the winter. But no - they've had pretty much the same installations since they opened and every year they get more soggy, faded, full of weeds, and frankly, pathetic. I was there on Sunday for a wedding and the garden they chose for the ceremony was still spectacular and the barn looked beautiful all decorated with paper lanterns. But the rest of the place was pretty dismal. I guess I'm so upset about it because I know how beautiful it once was and I wish they would just tear everything out that's been destroyed and start over with new artists and new installations and hopefully reclaim some of that original magic. Before they do that, the $9 admission charge is absurd and offensive. read more