Planning a Visit to Sonoma County, California

Start your adventure in honor of Jack London, the great American writer and adventurer. Jack London State Historical Park at Glen Ellen was London's residence from 1905 until his death in 1916. Hike the 800-acre park rich with London's legacy.

Explore Sonoma Coast State Beach, a 17-mile stretch of serenity marked by arches, coves, rock bluffs and headlands from Bodega Head to Vista Trail. Access points are along coast Highway 1.

Picnic and explore at Goat Rock Beach, near the mouth of the Russian River, and share the beach with entertaining harbor seals.
Step into a boat from various launch sites along the Russian River.There are plenty of spots to drop a line or just drift lazily along. To get on the water, check in with Burke's Russian River Canoe Trips.

From almonds to worms, Farm Trails tours at www.farmtrails.org guides you to Sonoma County farms. Pick berries right now, pumpkins and gourds this fall, Christmas trees in December and feast your eyes on newborn animals and flowers each spring.

Visit Hallberg Butterfly Gardens

Keep a lookout for Painted Ladies and Pipevine Swallowtails at Sebastopol's not-for-profit Hallberg Butterfly Gardens, a butterfly and wildlife sanctuary. Tie it into a visit to the Gravenstein Apple region in Graton and Sebastopol where apples are king. Area farms provide the source for homemade pies, fritters and everything apples.

For the freshest produce there's a choice of 15 Farmer's Markets any day of the week. From Petaluma to Gualala, morning to night, Sonoma County growers come to sell and trade in the company of vendors and entertainers.

Down Country Lanes in Forestville offers whimsical garden collectibles where various floral designs have been featured in LL Bean and Smith & Hawken catalogs. It smells like love at the Lavender Bee Farm in Petaluma with fresh and dried lavender products.

Pay homage to the father of all gentleman farmers, horticulturalist Luther Burbank. Purchase experimental plants cultivated at Luther Burbank Experimental Farm in Sebastopol and tour his Santa Rosa Home and Gardens.

Fishing Outfitters

Need some wiggle room? You'll find it at Uncle Wigglies Worm Ranch & Plant Nursery in Graton. There's also 15 fishing outfitters that offer tours and supplies. The possibilities are limitless for dropping a line and catching the big one, from Salt Point State Park north of Jenner to Spring Lake in Santa Rosa.

Safari West Wildlife Preserve & Tent Camp was made for exploring. An African-style adventure in the wilds of Sonoma County, visitors will see cheetahs, giraffes and other exotic animals - you can camp overnight in luxurious tent cabins, pick from a 2-3 hour Safari adventure or a Group Safari Trek with a civilized touch.

And when you've enjoyed exploring on the ground, you can always get your boots airborne for an adrenaline adventure of a lifetime and an aerial view of Sonoma County with Skydive Cloverdale at the Cloverdale Municipal Airport. Packages include safety orientation, ground instruction, a scenic flight and a 130-mph rush through the sky in tandem with an instructor.

A Full Spa Treatment

At the end of the day, step out of the boots, peel off the socks and treat the outdoor explorer in yourself to a full spa treatment.

A sampling of the many establishments throughout the county include the Osmosis Enzyme Bath & Massage in Freestone, Flamingo Resort and Spa in Santa Rosa, Mermaid's Spa and Seaweed Bath in Sebastopol and Alles European Day Spa in Windsor.

For more information, call the Sonoma County Tourism Program at (707) 565-5383 or visit www.SonomaCounty.com.

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