Saturday Night Stayover – Sonoma, CA

Thank you for returning to Executive Nomad. Wondering why don't we feature reviews of the sites we recommend? Find Out.. If you haven't already, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed

We’re debuting a new Executive Nomad feature: Saturday Night Stayover. SNS will give you ideas for spending an extra day or two before or after your business engagement. We’ll try to keep recommendations within a hour or so of downtown by car (and provide info on public transit as well) and focus on attractions that give you a flavor of the local area.

First up is one of our favorites: Sonoma, CA. We find Sonoma more relaxed (and relaxing) than its neighbor Napa. Head across the Golden Gate Bridge and continue north on Highway 101 until you see the signs for Route 12, Sonoma. The signs are clear from there. You’ll be in downtown Sonoma in about an hour after you cross the bridge (depending, of course, on that famous California traffic).

We stayed at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa. Our junior suite was exceptionally comfortable and featured a wood-burning fireplace (with handy wood bundles provided), a spa tub, and a small balcony. Our Guest Services Manager was responsive and helpful when we set up the trip and service throughout the weekend was top notch. The spa services were professionally given (the tandem massage is unforgettable). They also have a golf course. The Sonoma Mission Inn lived up to its reputation and exceeded our expectations.

Bonus: if you are a Fairmont President’s Club member (or join when you check in), you get free Internet access in your room.

The principal attractions of Sonoma are food and wine. Very close to downtown Sonoma you’ll find the historic Bartholomew Park, Gundlach-Bundschu, and Buena Vista wineries. At each winery you’ll find an engaging, unintimidating staff and truly exceptional wines that you won’t encounter every day (there are several releases available only at the winery). Ravenswood is also nearby and offers releases not in wide distribution.

There are several dozen other wineries within an easy hour’s drive. You will find a mix of varietals throughout the area but there are some areas of concentration — head west toward Forestville for Pinot Noir (2007 was a gangbuster vintage) or north for Zinfandel.

You’ll find plenty of shopping (mostly locally owned independent shops), historic attractions, and dining around the plaza in Sonoma as well. The restaurants we recommend are The Girl and the Fig (“country food with a French passion” using local ingredients), Meritage (amazing house-made pasta), and Café Le Haye. Recommendations are recommended for each and you are welcome to bring a bottle of wine you’ve purchased on your winery adventures. If you want something more casual, check out Maya or La Casa for Mexican fare (the latter quite casual and kid-friendly and also an easy place to stretch your pesos) or The Red Grape — a family-owned pizzeria with innovative wood-grilled pizzas and a good selection of wines by the glass.

Sonoma is a wonderful place to spend a day or a weekend exploring northern California’s natural beauty and bounty.