Healdsburg, CA: Savoring Sonoma
Sonoma isn’t an attraction, it’s an experience. A visit to the county is a spiritual quest to have your senses heightened. Sonoma simply embodies everything that is wonderful about traveling. It’s like putting on a comfy pair of slippers and your favorite robe. The county simply embodies whimsical energy is the backbone of this vital and energetic rural region, whereas the spirit of America is felt nearby in the impressive redwoods, 800-acre Jack London State Park, and the historic town in Healdsburg, which is a magnificent magnet for artists, galleries, and one-of-a-kind boutiques and craft shops.
Only an hour drive north of San Francisco, a mere 35 miles via Highway 121 or State 101 to Sonoma County and another hour in Healdsburg, is an eternity removed. Visitors will find, as I did, a rich assemblage of working farms which encourages one to drop by for a basket of cherries, a jug of apple cider, or a wedge of Sonoma cheese, all perfect for a picnic along the Russian River or in the tree-shaded Healdsburg town plaza. There are 1.450 miles of meandering country roads here, linking family-run farms, and small towns to spectacular beaches, and a rugged, unspoiled coastline.
