My husband and I will be taking our 3rd trip to Northern CA next May.

Our main intention is to see more of Sonoma, as we are considering relocating there.

While there, we decided we wanted to also see Mendocino, Nevada City, and Sutter Creek. We will be flying into Sacramento.

Wondering now if it makes more sense to spend another night in Mendocino/area and save Nevada City and Sutter Creek for another time. Looks like Philo and Boonville are cute to visit, but I don't have a good sense of the area.

Here's our current planned itinerary - please comment:

5/19 - Fly out of Boston, arrive Sacramento, drive to Sonoma - stay at Inn at Sonoma
5/20 - Sonoma
5/21 - Sonoma
5/22 - Drive to Mendocino - stay at Headlands Inn
5/23 - Mendocino - Headlands Inn
5/24 - Drive to Yountville - stay at Maison Fleurie
5/25 - Drive to Nevada City - stay at Emma Nevada House
5/26 - Drive to Sutter Creek - stay at Foxes Inn
5/27 - Fly home from Sacramento

If I was thinking of relocating to Sonoma, I's spend more time aroudn there....

We have seen much of the area north of Sonoma - Healdsburg, Windsor, Santa Rosa, Bodega, Sebastapol, Jenner, etc.

Is there much to see around Mendocino? Are Philo/Booneville/Ukiah worth seeing?

Should we spend 3 nights in Mendocino and 2 in Yountville and scatch Nevada City/Sutter Creek?

I would hold Nevada City, etc for another time. Lots of Gold Rush history in the area and the drive from Nevada City to Sutter Creek on Highway 49 is slow going. Mediocino is beautiful and should be great in May.

Hello wanderer, I too would skip Nevada City and driving up Hwy 49 this trip. Save that for another trip. The area is wonderful and deserves some time to really enjoy it. And I agree, Hwy 49 is slow driving. Best wishes to you and have a fun trip.

The route with Philo and Boonville (Route 128) has some of the nicest wineries for tastings, paricularly white wines and Pinot Noir. The wineries in Hopland, just a bit north of of 128 but south of Ukiah, has three more wineries worth a taste.

Mrs. Peabody and I toured in this area in July. My excessively long trip report can be found by clicking my name.

Philo and Boontown are very very small towns, you wouldn't spend any time there unless you did some wine tasting at one of the local wineries. I don't think they really have a town, more like a wide spot in the highway.

Maison Fleurie is nice - try Thomas Kellers other restaurant Bouchon. At least you can get in without reservations 6 months in advance.

Don't forget the California traffic in and around the SF Bay/Sacramento area. Highway 80 can be a nightmare at commute time.

After much thought, we have changed our itinerary.

We will spend 3 nights in Sonoma, 3 nights in Mendocino, 2 nights in Yountville, then 1 night with friends in Sacramento before heading back to Boston.

This will give us a more leisurely pace to see the area, and will not be so much driving.

We decided to save the Gold Country for another time, when we could combine it with Tahoe and Yosemite. Seemed silly to go all that way and not include those also.

There's just never enough time.... My husband and I remarked the other day that although we love traveling to Europe, we could spend a lifetime just seeing CA!! It's such a varied, beautiful and LARGE state!

Wanderer, your trip sounds perfect!! You will be in beautiful areas without being rushed or stessed. And your next trip will be wonderful also. My best wishes to you.

If this applies to anyone, I'm glad I took the time:

Hwy 152 at Hecker Pass is being widened and is closed until the end of Sept 2005, 129 is being suggested instead.

Good idea to change your plans. I have a trip report here from my last trip (and the one before) which includes lots of Mendo and wineries in Anderson Valley.Not much to see or do in Booneville, Ukiah, etc except wineries, however there is a really good authentic Mexican restaurant, Libby's, in Philo that's worth a lunch visit. Click on the link to my name and search for my reports.The wineries are a good stretch from Mendocino, I suggest hitting a few on the way and a few on the way back. Also, be SURE to drive north of Ft. Bragg and visit Pacific Star winery- the most incredible views and stunning setting, plus you might meet "Dad" who has a wonderful house red named for hm. One delicious bargain, too! http://www.pacificstarwinery.com/
You are smart flying into Sac. We've tried Oakland and SF and they were both horrible. Sacramento is a bit further, but way faster in terms of traffic, airport time, etc. There's plenty to do in Mendocino- hiking in the parks, shopping in town, horseback riding,seeing redwoods, etc etc. We've been 3 times and love it. There are some great restaurants there.Also, Fetzer has a great tasting room in town with many of their brands that you can't find in stores, such as Mariah. Relocate to Sonoma? LUCKY. We would, but we'd have to live in a box! Don't forget to visit Cynthia at Meeker Winery in the town of Geyserville (it's in an old bank building) The best and most enjoyable tasting in the state!

Wanderer:

If you are contemplating relocating to Sonoma (County I assume) have you checked the $$$$$ for housing? It may come as a HUGE shock that your three bedroom two bath 1500 ft' house on a 6500ft' lot that you sold for $200,000+/- is going for over $600,000 in some areas here. Check out real estate reader.com (I think) for data.

I think Sonoma County is well worth the costs, but I got my house for a lot less 12 years ago.

BTW. Someone was right, not much to do in Booneville, Phili, Navarro or the other little areas up there except enjoy the scenery, taste the wines and check out the local lore. Cafe Beaujoules (SP??) in Booneville is good as is the Anderson Valley Brewery. Nice drive to the coast from there. Mendocino is a great place to walk around. Fort Bragg to the north is good too. Ride the Skunk if you have time.

Enjoy.

M

Yes, thank you, we have checked the real estate.

I "wish" a 3 BR/2BA home went for so little where I live! We have an 1,100 sq ft. "half-house" (foreign to you in CA) with no yard, just a "courtyard" out back, that is appraised for over 400K. No "decent" (that is inhabitable)house here sells for under 550K, and that is usually a "fixer". The retirement communities we checked are not out of line with where we live at the moment...

And we are thinking Sonoma itself, not just Sonoma County.