flygirl

Next year I will have a lavender overload if I go through with this plan. I have the opp to take a quick (3 night) jaunt to Sonoma (near Santa Clara) for some lavender photo opps. This will be a primer for the lavender I hope to see in France in mid-July (plus I can check out some wineries while I am there too).

Any tips on the local area? I'll basically have 2 days as the third morning will be the drive back to SFO. Would I be better off staying in San Francisco the night before I fly home or is it same-same? It's a Sunday morning flight so I don't expect traffic jams (naive?)

Thanks!

flygirl

oops, I mean Santa Rosa!

sf7307

What time is your flight on Sunday? Sunday mornings the freeways are usually pretty empty.

razzledazzle

I live in Sonoma County, what would you like to know ? It's a good sized county - where will you be ?
A place near Santa Rosa ?

sf7307 is right about Sunday AM traffic on Hwy 101 -should be smooth
sailing...

R5

flygirl

Thanks for the replies.

This is a photo workshop that is most of the day on a Saturday that is at a winery that also has a lavender garden. I'd plan to arrive to SFO Thursday night, spend Friday tooling around, and arrive in Santa Rosa Friday afternoon/evening.

The flight leaves Sunday at 10 AM so I'm thinking I need to drop the car off NLT 8 AM, shuttle to the terminal, check in, and be ready to head home... if I stayed in San Francisco Saturday night I'd basically be leaving after the workshop (late afternoon) to head back into town, spend the evening there, and perhaps less hassle the next morning.

MichelleY

I am curious. Which winery? Our garden club got shut out of our spring tour to Copia, so we are looking for another Napa/Sonoma site for gardens to explore.

thanks,

MY

razzledazzle

I am thinking it's Matanzas Creek-
just over in eastern Santa Rosa in Bennett Valley...
flygirl, you'd save an hour Sunday morning if you stayed in SF.
Although, you'd still need time
to get out to SFO...
Is there anything else you wanted to know about what to do before/ after your workshop ?

R5

flygirl

Michelle, not sure which winery but sounds like razzledazzle has an idea of which one.

razzledazzle - Friday is really the only free day for me, any nice driving tours as I went my way to Santa Rosa? I'll have the camera so nice photo opps (especially sunset) would be great. Wineries to check out, etc. I'll have one day in your area - what would be your perfect day, I suppose...

thanks!

razzledazzle

flygirl-
Well, a drive up Hwy 1 from the Stinson Beach exit of Hwy 101 in Mill Valley might be in order

LOTS to see and photograph.

After crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, exit Hwy 101 in Mill Valley to Rte 1 to Muir Beach
to Stinson, ( If my memory serves me from my days living in Mill Valley, I believe this is the 4th exit after you have crossed the GGB) then on to Olema and the Pt. Reyes National Seashore-
out to the Lighthouse and back could take and hour.

From Olema/Pt.Reyes Station Hwy 1 will skitter along Tomales Bay and then head a bit inland up into Valley Ford where you will intersect the Bodega Hwy. - turn left and head over to Bodega Bay - Then continue to the intersection of Hwy 116 and head inland along the Russian River
and many stands of redwoods -
Armstrong Reserve in Guerneville is fabulous and less crowded than Muir Woods.

From Guerneville you could head up to dinner in Healdsburg or intersect Hwy 101 and head back into Santa Rosa proper for dinner.

If you find yourself at the Bodega Hwy and you've had enough of fog-
you might enjoy coming inland
per Stu Dudley's' already well written scenario which follows...

If you are touring in the summer, there is a very good chance that you will be inundated by fog & not much of the coastline will be visible. If you have had enough fog, continue east on the Bodega Highway to Sebastopol. This is actually a nice drive (at the beginning). At Sebastopol, head north on #116 toward the Russian River. Just before Forestville, stop at Kozlowski Farms (on your left) if you want to pick up a sandwich. They have a large selection of jams, jellies, vinegar & other gourmet delights. Continue on #116 until it hits the Russian River at Guerneville (somewhat of an interesting town). Turn right & proceed east along the Russian River on River Road.

At Wohler Road, turn left, at approx a 1/4 mile, at the "Y",
hang a left and travel to cross the Wohler Bridge on to Westside Road and pop in to a winery or two and eventually into downtown Healdsburg.

The trip up from Mill Valley via Hwy 1 to Jenner to Healdsburg is about 3.5 hours
so add your stops for a better idea of your total trip time.

I'm happy to elaborate or downsize some of the features of this route. Also,happy to advise on dining in Santa Rosa near your hotel if you like.

So much to see !


R5