My husband and I are going to be spending August 11 - 13 in Sonoma area. We'd like to stay right in town so we can walk to restaurants, shops, etc., and we'll be doing a biking tour one day. We're debating between Sonoma (the actual city) or Healdsburg. Any and all suggestions are welcome!

Oops! I meant "Sonoma OR Healdsburg". Thanks!

They're both really nice, but given the choice, I'd choose Healdsburg -- it's sort of Sonoma+. Very pretty, great area for wine country drives, good restaurants and shops, just generally charming. (Sonoma's town square area also has good restaurants and shops, and some historical sites...it just doesn't quite pack the same "punch" as Healdsburg).

Hi Lindsay.
The big difference between the two is the ambience of the two places; Healdsburg is definitely more upscale and "resort" in flavor while Sonoma is more laid back and "community". You could have plenty of options for shopping and lodging in either case, but your cost will probably be a bit higher in Healdsburg. There are probably MORE rooms right in town in Healdsburg.
If I were to be considering a bike tour location, Sonoma is my hands-down choice because the terrain is flatter and the roads less winding. There is actually a very nice trail just above town called the Overlook which offers great views of the valley.

We recently stayed in Healdsburg, and we loved it. I can tell you that there are several really great restaurants right in the center of town (Scopa, Mateo's, Dry Creek Kitchen), we liked our hotel (The Healdsburg Hotel), and in general I think it provides everything you'd want. An added bonus for us was that we particularly liked all the wineries near H'burg; after driving all around, we devoted an extra day at the end of our week to Dry Creek Road and Westside Road.

That said, Sonoma looked equally nice, but we only spent a very short time walking around the plaza, and later in the week making a brief coffee pit stop. So I can't really compare them very well, unfortunately! I know we'd base ourselves in H'burg again in a heartbeat.

Hope others can chime in for Sonoma and help you decide!

While I like the smaller town feel of Sonoma and it's plaza, if you're looking for wine visit, Healdsburg has more options in a closer proximity.
Not sure Sonoma is any flatter than the Healdsburg area, but the roads, esp Westside Road are more winding. But Westside and Dry Creek Road seem realtively flat to me.
In Sonoma my top restaurant choice is Girl and Fig, while I think Dry Creek Kitchen is tops.

My personal choice is Sonoma. I was just there last month, and the town maintains its charm. Nice strolling town around the city square. Best restaurant is Cafe Le Haye.

Healdsburg used to be a sleepy town when I lived there. It's now, I guess you'd call it yuppified. Some old charm left, but mostly erased by celebrity chefs.

Get the new WineSpectator issue, which is all about Sonoma County. There are maps and features of both areas, as well as an extensive listing of wineries and day trips.

For an inexspensive dinner, try the original Mary's Pizza Shack in Boyes Hot Springs, a couple of miles north of Sonoma.