Hi all - while I research the Fodors boards and read trip reports religiously before major trips, we had a last minute schedule change and I need some quick advice. We are visiting friends in the Bay Area this week and have the opportunity to have a day/evening to ourselves in the Sonoma/Napa area (we picked Sonoma as a homebase based on several recommendations) before meeting them the next day for a Russian River Valley tour.

We booked a room at the Sonoma Inn and that's about all we have. A friend recommended Bella Vineyards as one stop but I would love any other suggestions. We (a couple in our late 20's) will be arriving in Sonoma around 9:00a, will have a car, and would love to stop at a few vineyards as well as have a delicious lunch and dinner.

I know this is a tall order and as soon as I'm done posting, I'm going to start searching the forums. In the meantime, thank you in advance for your help!!

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If enter Sonoma in the search box, you'll see dozens of posts about this.Some fairly recent.

A couple of other nearby vineyards are Buena Vista, one of the oldest in the state and Ravenswood, for their Zinfandels in particlar.
There is a nice Irish pub in Sonoma, in an alley just off the square for lunch. Or, find a nice deli and get some sandwiches and head for a winery with a picnic area, buy a bottle or so of their wine and they'll probably lend you some glasses.
Also there are several nice wineries along Highway 12 toward Santa Rosa (Kenwood, St. Francis, Ledson, Kunde).
If you like sparkling wine, Gloria Ferra (sp?) is also nearby.

DW's favorite spot in Sonoma is the "Sign of the Bear" kitchen ware store on the square.

I recommend The General's Daughter for dinner as well. You can walk there from the square.

Thanks!

I would HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend the Girl and the Fig for a dinner spot. We are also in our late twenties and it is a great romantic spot that has great dishes and won't completely blow the bank. If you're staying in Sonoma, I would recommend starting your tastings North, closer to Healdsburg and making your way South back towards Sonoma. Iron Horse is a great place to taste both sparkling and still wines, which is nice. I LOVE the new Twonmey testing room in Sonoma County- less expensive than Napa to taste the same wines! And the tasting room itself is beautiful. I also would recommend Martinelli and Seghesio as well as Hawkes if you make your way that far North. Oakville grocery is a great little lunch spot in Healdsburg and there are also a number of tasting room in Healdsburg square that you could hit- Rosenblum is a good one! Have a great trip. You will love Sonoma Valley!

Thanks Desiree and Boom! We will definitely use you suggestions.

Stay away from The Generals Daughter, unless you like mediocre, overpriced "food". We were determined to dine there even though all of the locals we met tried to discourage us. Should have listened to the locals.

The next night we listened to the locals and ate at The Harvest Moon Cafe. I highly recommend it. They have a great outdoor dining area out back and the food and wine was wonderful.

The food at Murphy's Irish Pub was so-so but its a nice place for a beer if you need a break from wine.

For lunch I recommend going to Whole Foods, picking up some meats, cheeses and fruit and having a picnic at one of the wineries. That's what we did and it was one of the best meals of the trip.

Martin Ray Winery (Santa Rosa). Unlimited tastings are FREE! Good wine.

"The General's Daughter" closed last August. It's been taken over by the Girl and Fig folks and is now called the "Estate".

http://www.thegeneralsdaughter.com/

If you like pub food, I've always eaten well at "Murphy's". However, it's a small, crowded and noisy place.

A better option might be "LaSalette" which is located in the next alley. This is one of the best restaurants in Sonoma and you can eat outside. They are open for lunch and dinner.

http://www.lasalette-restaurant.com/

Some good wineries to visit besides Buena Vista and Ravenswood are Gundlach Bundschu and Bartholomew Park. Also, Benzinger is worth the short drive up to Glen Ellen. And in Glen Ellen don't miss the Jack London State Park.

Yes, Jack London State Park! Beautiful and fascinating! Many artifacts of Jack London including the skeleton of his "Wolf House" which mysteriously burned down before they could move in.

Also, Murphy's Irish Pub often has live music, including Solid Air (Allegra Broughton and Sam Page) - great vocals and fine folk music if that's something you enjoy.