Hi,

My husband and I are planning a N.California trip. We plan to spend 2-3 days in the Sonoma area and then another 2 or so days heading further north to explore the coast and redwoods, then back to San Fran.

For Sonoma, we've found a lot of places in/around Cloverdale that seem to suit our needs for price points and types of accommodation. However, we're a little concerned that Cloverdale is on the northernmost edge of Sonoma. We do not know a ton about the area, and probably aren't too picky about what wineries we actually visit (just want to drink some great wine, which we hear is pretty abundant in these parts!)... but, we also don't want to spend most of our days traveling. We don't mind a bit of a drive, but within reason. Is Cloverdale an OK base? We'll want to do wine tasting, eat at some fabulous restaurants, perhaps do some hiking and/or biking. Thoughts?

Thanks!

Cloverdale is pretty far north for exploring most of Sonoma County. It's not where most tourists think of staying. However, it's quite close to the Upper Dry Creek wineries and also the Alexander Valley. It's also a good spot if you want to make day trips to Philo or Clear Lake and sample some of the wines there. The big downside would be having to drive a ways to find good restaurants.

Did you find a place in Cloverdale that you like? Or is it for budget reasons?

No, I do not think Cloverdale counts as being in the wine country per se, even if it is in Sonoma. It is at the base of the coastal range you will be crossing to reach the ocean, so a bit hilly for biking. If you base yourselves there, there will be a lot of driving if you are interested in seeing the town of Sonoma. Look into flat Calistoga as a possible base for wineries, good restaurants and places to stay. Don't miss Hendy Woods State Park as you head along hwy 129 to the coast; it is just off the road a few miles beyond Boonville and you will probably be the only people admiring the first growth redwoods in the groves there. Have a great time!

I agree that Cloverdale is off the beaten path. Here's a local guide that works for me. I use this as a jumping off place to plan a stay.
http://sonoma.com/lodging/

Here's a map from this website to give you a bit more perspective. http://sonoma.com/visitorsinfo/Sonom...Winery_Map.pdf

I'll use Cyrus restaurant as a high end restaurant http://www.cyrusrestaurant.com/pdf/menu_dinner.pdf

Heading north, take a look at the Benbow Inn. It's just south of some great redwoods, and about 20+- miles north of the Highway 1 turnoff to Ft. Bragg and Mendocino. Highway 1 South is a great drive back to civilization, and will take longer than it looks.

The best places to base yourself for Sonoma wineries are Santa Rosa and Healdsburg.

Great, thanks everyone for your advice! Rastaguy- that map is very helpful - thank you!!! Based off that, it really looks like Cloverdale is quite a ways from everything. We'll definitely reconsider.

Otis - I was looking at the Old Crocker Inn which is in Cloverdale. It was partially for budget reasons - it's reasonably priced. We're looking for a place for under $200/night.

Do your due diligence in the sonoma.com link. Pricing in Healdsburg is not cheap. Upscale is the name of this former sleepy town. Even the Best Western is overpriced.

For a winery, you might want to check out Francis Ford Coppola's winery that he bought a few years back, in Geyserville. He moved his movie gallery from the Napa Valley to here to get it further away from where he lives.
Ironically, the winery he bought was owned by Fosters, the Australian beer maker, and one of the largest wine holdings in the world.

There are also listings here:

http://www.wineroad.com/

The maps are a bit more detailed.

This is a website put together by a group of wineries and lodgings in the area.

The best point of Cloverdale is close to the Dry Creek Valley and to SR 128 into the Anderson Valley and then the coast.
Healdsburg is better for more winereis, but I love the Anderson Valley for its slower pace and great Pinot Noir's

i agree with many that healdsburg or santa rosa are more central... sorry cloverdale, but you're just too far north as a base!

if you have a limited budget, there are two things you could try. first, we have had friends visit the area using priceline. unless you must have 2 beds, it is often a great option. they have gotten into the 4-star(ish)hotels for well under $100. also-- there are frequently deals on groupon or living social. sign up for this area and you may get lucky.

from santa rosa or healdsburg, you have kenwood in one direction, russian river in another, etc. etc.
kawh

We've stayed in Cloverdale, and would stay there again.
-It's less crowded, less expensive
-Close to the Alexander valley, perhaps the most beautiful drive in the Sonoma area.
- There are plenty of wineries close by, and they are less pricey than the ones further south.

Cloverdale is very quiet, not much going on, however Healdsburg is less than 1/2 hour away.

Had you considered Geyserville? Its really small, but would be in the general area you want and plenty close to great wineries.
My favorite location is Santa Rosa, but it doesn't work for people who are really looking for that "wine country" feeling- its the urban center of the county. But that means more hotels and wider variety of rates and lodging options...saving those $$$ for buying wine and paying tastng fees. If it puts you far enough along in your overall journey, its a good choice.

Thanks for everyone's advice! We ended up staying in Guerneville. It wasn't quite as centrally located as Santa Rosa or Healdsburg, but it wasn't all that out of the way either. And, was close by Armstrong Woods park which gave us the opportunity for a great excursion before wine tasting one morning. (If anyone interested -we stayed at the Santa Nella House - a small bed and breakfast. It was wonderful. The owners are warm and inviting, and the breakfast is awesome!)Now that I am somewhat more familiar with the area - I don't think Cloverdale would have been that bad of a place to stay, given that we did a decent amount of driving every day. The drive seems, for us at least, to be part of the the appeal of the Sonoma. I just couldn't take my eyes off the gorgeous rolling hills!! (Good think my husband was driving!)

Thanks for reporting back!

DDG- so glad you had a good time in our county. we love it here--- and feel it has so much more variety than napa county. (which is lovely, too.)