I'm 29 and my fiance' is 25. We are getting married the first part of June and considering going to California for the honeymoon. We live in Virginia and neither of us have ever been to California. I did some online searches for houses to rent for the honeymoon with a private pool/romantic setting, and I had a few hits come back from the Sonoma County region. However, neither of us consume alcohol, but I'm amazed at the beauty of the region and would love to spend the week exploring. The houses are located either in Windsor, Sebastopol, or Healdsburg - those are the areas we're considering. The vacation rentals seem to be very relaxing and romantic as they're all located on vineyards with pretty decent surroundings.

Here's the questions:
How far are we from the coast to be able to enjoy that at some point during the week? Is it a waste for us to go to wine country since we don't drink wine? Will we be shocked by the expense of everything else out there - dining, activities, etc.? Airfare and accommodations of these vacation rentals fit within our budget, but not sure what to expect with everything else. We enjoy being outdoors and hiking, too. Just trying to go somewhere that we normally wouldn't go on a regular vacation.

ttt

I think you'd enjoy Mendocino. It's very quaint, romantic, has great hiking areas and restaurants and side trips such as horseback riding on beach, walking the Headlands, whale watching, etc. There are nearby wineries in Anderson Valley, but there are Redwoods to enjoy picnics and spectacular views. Healdsburg is indeed in a lovely area and it is a bit high. There are nice shops and restaurants there. Have you considered a B&B? Maybe you'd enjoy spending a few days in each area so you won't get bored.

I thought about going from place to place. Is there any of the three (Windsor, Sebastopol, or Healdsburg) that would be a top choice over the other two. The houses there are very similar, so I may just stay for a few days at one of them and skip the other two. From what I've looked at on-line, I really like the looks of the area of Mendocino. One of the guys in my wedding lived in California and put the bug in my ear to go there for the honeymoon. I was actually thinking about going somewhere like Puerto Vallarta or Sayulita, Mexico, but I think I'm leaning more towards something domestic. Any other tips?

Why no bypass wine country all together and hit San Francisco? San Francisco is incredibly romantic, there is a lot to do, and the most amazing food you'll find anywhere. I live here, so I'm a little biased.

Anyway, yes, I do think it would be a complete waste of your time to go to wine country if you don't drink wine. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE wine country, but when I go, all I do is wine taste. If you have your heart set on the Sonoma region (which is beautiful), why not rent a car for a day trip? Maybe check out Healdsburg and Sonoma, have a picnic lunch, and head back.

You would get bored in wine country for a week. San Francisco would be a much better bet.

Um...their wedding was earlier this month so I would guess that this honeymoon as already happened.