Stumbled upon this incredible FREE historic park in the heart of Sonoma. I was on vacation with the…read moreladies in my family here and we were walking around down by the Square of Sonoma and walked upon this spot. First of all, I love that this is a free attraction. So incredibly amazing. At first, I thought it was just the open area with some old buildings and a few signs that explained a little bit about the history. But as we continued walking down the street, we realized it was a lot more to see! There's a hotel you can look in and see how it was setup back in the day (1800s/early 1900s) which was so cool. They also had artifacts enclosed that you could look at as well. They even had a room where you could watch a movie playing that told more about the history of Sonoma. It was seriously such a cool experience and I honestly don't want to give too much away. A good experience even for kids to run around and see. Definitely think it's worth stopping to enjoy and love that it's free to the public!

Great historical park in the Sonoma square behind the visitor center. Free admission and…read moreknowledgeable docents. Worth a stop

We stopped by Buena Vista Winery for a glass of wine on a Saturday afternoon and enjoyed sitting…read moreoutside in the beautiful courtyard. The property is lovely, and the historic Champagne Cellars are definitely worth exploring. What really stood out, though, was the exceptional customer service. I accidentally left my jacket behind--a simple jacket, but one with tremendous sentimental value. KC More-Johnson from Guest Services responded within the hour, worked with the tasting room team to locate it, and even arranged to have it shipped back to me so I wouldn't have to drive back to Sonoma. KC went above and beyond to help. Her kindness, prompt communication, and genuine care meant so much to me. We'll definitely be back!

We had an amazing time here earlier this month! The service was excellent (attentive without being…read moreoverbearing), and there was a ton of variety in what we tasted (with a group of eight that was much needed!). Do ask about the story of the naming of the wines! I would certainly recommend for most occasions-- the grounds and property is beautiful and you can easily spend an entire afternoon here.

This is a beautiful stop in Sonoma County. It features easy walks that allow you to learn about…read moreJack London and explore his homes, including the House of Happy Walls Museum and the ruins of his Wolf House. The trails are well-maintained and shaded by trees, with some minor uphill and downhill sections, making it a great outdoor activity for all ages. There is a vehicle entry fee to get into the park, but it is covered if you have a California State Parks pass. Highly recommend checking it out if you are in the area or need a break from wine tasting.

Jack London is such a beautiful state park! We came for the first time this spring and were…read moreabsolutely amazed by all of the beauty this state park has to offer! We started in the museum which was very informative and educational. We then started a hike towards the old redwood tree. The trails are very clean and spacious. There is a good variety in terms of incline. We were excited to see the lake (which was unfortunately dry) but hope to come back sometime when there is water. Parking is very easy and I love that there is a lot of variety in both the trails and things to do. I definitely recommend checking it out!

The Maysonnave House belongs to the Sonoma League for Historic Preservation. It was built in 1910…read more While the house itself has been beautifully preserved, it's mainly an events venue&office space. Don't expect to see anything about life back in 1910 Sonoma. When you drop in, it feels awkwardly like walking into someone's private home. People use it for events- and that makes sense. It's an events space rather than a historic one. The people are friendly. It's historic, but not impressive. Its nearby cottage, also built in 1910, has been up for debate, and was nearly demolished back in December- http://www.sonomanews.com/opinion/5362964-181/editorial-maysonnave-cottage-raises-question Will the Sonoma League for Historic Preservation preserve and restore its companion?

Absolutely wonderful. We attended an event here for the Sonoma International Film Festival,…read moresponsored by Yelp, and it was fabulous! The employees (not sure if they work for Maysonnave, or if they were hired for the event) were so helpful and attentive! Would love to come again.

General Vallejo's House is located in Sonoma, CA, in the Sonoma State Historic Park…read more The grounds (including trails) and visitor center was free to walk about. Parking was free as well, they had a nice size parking lot. To view the inside of the house, it's $3. The visitor center was the carriage house nicknamed the Swiss Chalet. It was built in 1852. The timber came from Europe. It's now the museum with history information boards about the General Vallejo and his family. So you may ask, who is General Vallejo? What's the hubbub? Mariano Guadalupe Vallejwas born in Monterey, California, in 1807 as a subject of Spain. He served in the California military which was under Spain. He served as commander of various presidios and establishing them and the controversial workforce. His last command was the Sonoma presidio. The house is furnished and staged as it was in the mid to late 1800s. It was built in 1852, Vallejo lived there until his passing in 1890. The architecture is Victorian Carpenter Gothic. It was prefabricated back East and shipped around Cape Horn (pre railroad). The rooms are viewable through the barred doors. The fireplaces are made of imported marble. The kitchen was another building behind the house. The family cook lived onsite in a room adjoining the kitchen. Behind the kitchen is a body of water, a water reservoir. Back in the day, it was a natural spring. The General sold water to the town and folks by transporting the water in redwood pipes. It proved a steady income. He even tried his hand at winemaking. But suffered severe losses in the 1870s blight and didn't get his winemaking business off the ground. He never fully recovered to his previous economic heyday, living out the rest of his years modestly than before.

Great introduction by the park ranger! Enjoyed how they sell plant bulbs and fruit from the…read moregrounds ! I bought a delicious grapefruit! Plenty of signage regarding rattlesnakes.

Super welcoming and a lively atmosphere. Beautiful setting and facilities…read more The outdoor bar guy was extremely welcoming and sold us two glasses of wine. A dry gewurztraminer and a rose. Both very decent. The glass of wine pours were a good 6 ounces not like some other wineries selling skimpola pours wbtg. We were told if we walk up the hilltop there are some shaded picnic table with nice views. They didn't lie. Very nice indeed. Definitely worth a stop if in the area. Thank you!

To John, the gentleman at the front who seated us, and the first girl to pour us (who was also…read moreserving a big tour table before us) you guys made this experience a special one! Came for a tasting n left with 2 bottles - the history started as a love story n continues here in oak barrels n grape skins. We came as walk-ins n would def recommend a reservation but John ws worth the wait! We learned so much n also, the ice cream sammie is cRAZY - its a cookie inside that ws like whAT n with the pinot ws like oKAY delicious! Our faves is def the first one (don't wana butcher the name but the Gwurtzaminer) rly the whole flight ws excellent but we ws blessed to try the Naranja n had to get a bottle to go! This ws our first winery out here in Sonoma n we are so glad it ws here - thank u for taking the time to answer our questions n teach us bout the wine making process! I'll be asking my husband to make Oak Barrels now Dog Friendly for our toOtie n so kind to celebrate us as newlyweds! Def 5 starz from us!

*Halloween themed review. Boooo!*…read more Stumbled onto this beautiful cemetery as it is right next to the Sonoma Overlook Trail. After hiking that trail down by the staging area where the cars are parked, I noticed an open gate leading to the cemetery which is in the same hills. I don't find cemeteries scary or creepy but rather reverent and humbling. Ive visited many cemeteries whether a family involvement or just to pass through and observe. And I have found that all are different, some are more interesting than others. I like ones with more landscape features such as hills, more plant life/trees, well laid out/organized. I don't care for one's next to modern commercial buildings or when there are more dirt or concrete than plant life. That is just a personal aesthetic preference. This Mountain Cemetery fits its name, as well as my eye and senses. It is beautiful just to stroll around if you are not scared of the nature and essence of death. Every culture handles it in its own ways and i can respect them all. It's how we honor and remember those who pass and gave is what's more important to me. The older headstones most with birthdates from the 1800s seemed to be higher up in the hills. The more recent ones seem to be lower. But I loved all the oak and cedar trees, lots of shade. There was even a thick patch of prickly pear cactus. There's also a veterans cemetery right below this public one. That one is very manicured and succinct. There are trails that weave through all this. To hike these hills, you will not only get a great dose of fresh air and exercise, but you may also get a moment to thank those that have lived and contributed; and more importantly to me, to appreciate those who are still currently here. A very humanizing experience.

One of the best "hiking" and historical cemeteries I have been to! Noticed the more older plots are…read morelocated higher up and meanders along the hillside. Beautiful walk, views and discoveries of families, years and stone styles. It is an active cemetery, so be respectful of the environment. There is a parking lot and it is connected to a bunch of trails. In fact there is a street sign in the middle of the cemetery guiding you to the main forest trail. By the parking lot, there is also a Veterans memorial and an open-field park. Peaceful and beautiful.

I'm so glad I was able to come here and experience this park. I loved Sonoma more than Napa because…read moreit had some much heart and felt so lush with life. There's a great big open park with lots of parking around and food to explore.

This plaza has everything in it and surrounding it! By that, I mean it has a playground that has…read morebaby swings and kid friendly, of course, and delicious eateries around! Sonoma city plays a lot of live music here and the plaza is well maintained. Ambiance is warm and a pleasure to simply be here. It's a great pitstop if one is wanting to eat and get a taste of the wine country life, leisurely stroll and explore a historical city in wine country all the while spending time with family and friends! How to put it - it's easy going in this plaza and taking in the culture of Sonoma!

Lots of details about this interesting corner of the Bay Area provided by our guide Dan G. He was a…read morewealth of information, pretty funny and as a local was able to share a lot of perspective on the islands changes. Great day trip and I wish we had more time to poke around.

Wonderful tour led by Jim. History + nature! A great morning spent on the island…read more For people who are looking to visit the Naval Museum on the island, it is no longer open, but this tour is operative and you get to see the naval chapel and walk around the area. I was originally looking for information about the museum and arrived at this page: https://www.mihpf.org/tours. I hope this will help you find their tour options and dates! All digitalized, no fuss. And it turns out I was the only who signed up for today's tour, and they did not cancel on me because of that. I really really appreciated it. One last thing, the money you spend on the tour goes into helping this foundation : ) Yay!