From sleeping next to a Redwood forest at AutoCamp Russian River, to a private wine tour in West Wine Tour’s refurbished VW Van, to a luxury picnic for two by CaliPicnics, we have curated an Ultimate Sonoma County Getaway that brings together the very best of wine country hospitality.
To offer some insider inspiration to anyone looking to plan an escape to Sonoma County, we’re passing the mic to our favorite wine country event planner, the uber talented Danielle Gibson of Danielle Gibson events. Danielle is offering her insider secrets on how to experience her favorite Sonoma County town, Guerneville.
A little bit about Danielle…
I’ve lived in the Bay Area for 23 years and made Napa my home 11 years ago. I own Danielle Gibson Events, an event company that designs and produces corporate events, social celebrations and weddings in the Napa Valley, San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. (I also work with a number of wineries as a prop stylist, my pivot since Covid!) I’m continually scouting new locations, hotels, restaurants, wineries and activities to keep myself and my clients well-informed on the best California wine country has to offer. Between my two careers and general love of travel, I’m passionate about sharing my knowledge of the regions on blogs, Instagram and Pinterest.
Guerneville is like no other town in Sonoma wine country. It’s a laid back, funky river town of only 5,000 residents.
Favorite Things To Do in Guerneville
Where to Eat
Breakfast or Lunch
Big Bottom Market – Their biscuits are on the list of Oprah’s favorite things. Enjoy breakfast, lunch and shopping in the market.
Lunch and Dinner
Boon Eat + Drink– Right on Main Street, grab a seat outside on the street to watch the sidewalk traffic. Flavorful and seasonal. The restaurant owner/chef Crista has a long history of restaurateur and chef experiences.
Dinner
The Farmhouse Inn Restaurant – If you want to go above and beyond, try to get in for dinner at the One Michelin star awarded Farmhouse Inn Restaurant, you won’t be disappointed.
Dessert
Chile Pies – Made by our business friend Alicia, the homemade pie flavors change weekly. Try something out of the ordinary like their signature green chile apple pie.
Don’t forget to add a pint of ice cream with your pie, (including vegan options) from their sister ice cream parlor also located in the “Old Bank of Guerneville” called Nimble & Finn’s.
Where to Drink
El Barrio also owned by Crista is just a few steps down from her restaurant Boon Eat + Drink. The perfect little place for a mezcal margarita and Mexican cuisine. The eclectic staff will make you feel right at home.
Where to Shop
Downtown Guerneville – for a step back in time, downtown Guerneville’s Main Street is the perfect mix of nostalgia and friendly charm. The Guerneville 5 & 10 will take you down memory lane and is the perfect stop to stock up before heading out for a day at the Russian River.
What to Do
(when taking a break from wine and food)
After you’ve indulged on the endless wine country fare, there’s no better way to unwind than at the river. Johnson’s Beach is a locals’ favorite with its expansive pebble beach surrounded by towering Redwoods.
The Ultimate Sonoma County Getaway Partners
AutoCamp offers overnight lodging and accommodations in modern Airstream suites and luxurious tents at locations in Cape Cod, Yosemite National Park, the Russian River Valley, and coming in Fall of 2021 to Joshua Tree National Park. AutoCamp brings high-end, boutique-style amenities, mid-century modern design, and welcoming hospitality to some of the world’s most beautiful natural spaces.
West Wine Tours offers small group tours of scenic wine country in refurbished, classic VW buses built for comfortable travel and Instagram-worthy photo ops. Complimentary farm to table lunch and water included in the ride.
CaliPicnics brings to life the most delightful picnic dreams with The Luxury Picnic Table Delivery. From sand beaches to floral fields, from gentle hill-slopes to backyards, CaliPicnics lux-styled picnic will reveal the beauty of California to visitors and locals alike.
The vision behind every Olema wine is to capture one vibrant place inside a delicious bottle, all while working to show the world that outstanding wines can come at an everyday-drinking price.
Use code HELLOROSE for $10 flat-rate shipping on 12+ bottles
After a long, not so social winter, the change in weather, revival of outdoor dining, blossoming of flowers, and most importantly, beginning of Rosé season has never been so welcomed! Even better, Olema wines is making it easy to ensure your glass is always full with the release of the 2020 Olema Côtes de Provence Rosé.
Hailing from France’s legendary Provence region, our Rosé is a beautiful stand-out at a truly great value–HELLO $15 a bottle! You can stock up on this rose-colored beauty through our wines page–don’t forget to join our One Cent Shipping Club for next to free shipping on all Olema wines year round!
Made in the Côtes de Provence in the village of Vidauban in a true Provence Rosé style (FUN FACT – Provence is the actual birthplace of Rosé style wine), this wine is smooth and elegant, a lovely pale copper-salmon color in the glass, and pairs well with melon and prosciutto, salad nicoise, and grilled shrimp skewers. Soaring aromas of fresh strawberry, cranberry, watermelon rind and honeysuckle lead into flavors of white peach, Meyer lemon, Kafir lime and hints of jasmine on the palate.
Perfect as a poolside sipper or to pair with an alfresco summer meal, our Rosé will be your go-to wine during these sweet warm months.
If you’ve ever been wine tasting, you know the cardinal rule—no perfume. It’s a known fact that the scent will overwhelm the aromas of the wine, right? With the help of our friends at Napa Soap Company, we’re putting this rule to rest with our Mother’s Day wine and soap pairing gifts —proving that with a little scents and sensibility, wine and fragrance blend beautifully together.
These gift pairings provide an opportunity to explore the truth behind what happens when wine and natural fragrances co-mingle. Whether you’re a dedicated wine lover, or a first time taster, these pairings offer a unique and non-intimidating way to discover the complex notes in a glass of wine – how smelling a note of citrus fragrance will help to reveal the notes of orange and lemon in a wine’s bouquet.
A local favorite, Napa Soap Company was founded by Sheila Rockwood. Having grown up in the Napa Valley, Sheila wanted to create a product that utilized ingredients made in the area. She also wanted to create a product that would truly work – one that others could enjoy and use, and consciously create a small business that she could manage in addition to raising her three young sons – all under the age of five.
Combining her interest in the environment, aromatherapy and a prolific supply of lavender, Sheila discovered that soap offered a natural outlet for her talents. After researching the therapeutic benefits of a by-product of the local wine industry, cold-pressed grapeseed oil, Sheila decided to use this wonderful ingredient throughout her line. After nearly two years developing the right combination of essential oils and natural ingredients, Napa Soap Company was born. Napa Soap is hand made in very limited quantities-less than 50 bars at a time. Each bar is beautifully wrapped in custom-made sustainable paper produced from mulberry branches accented with flowers.
To create a special Mother’s Day gift, we’re exploring how the similarities between wine evolving in the glass and hints of fragrance in these bars reveal that wine and fragrance not only share a common language, but also similar olfactory experiences. With your taste buds tuned and your nose in gear, enjoy these Olema and Amici Cellars wines each carefully selected to pair with Napa Soap’s naturally enhanced bars that highlight a different aromatic note in the particular wine.
We’re offering free shipping on all gift orders (sales tax not included). Order by April 25th for guaranteed delivery by Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 9th. Click here to view the full collection and order.
Olema Sparkling Brut features flavors of apple, pear, honeysuckle, lemon and pastry dough through the nose and palate with a bright, clean finish. This smooth, creamy wine pairs beautifully with a zesty blended bar of moisturizing butter and oils with the refreshing scent of grapefruit and champagne.
This true to its varietal wine features ripe cherry, raspberry and rose petal notes accompanied by garnet and bountiful spice characters through the nose. The fruit aromas carry into the velvety mouthfeel with hints of cinnamon and vanilla perfectly paired with a bar that is a sweet-tart blend of Red Wine, cranberry seed oil, grapeseed oil, hazelnut oil and olive oil, and notes of red currant and cranberry.
This classic Chardonnay has an aromatic complexity and fine balance of richness and delicate acidity. Enticing stone fruit, lemon zest and roasted grain aromas lead to a delicious stone fruit-driven palate and a long, mineral finish. Paired beautifully with a bar with a light crisp citrus scent and a blend of white wine, grapeseed oil, mango oil, kukui oil, and meadowfoam oil, creating complementary notes of orange and lemon.
The estate’s flagship wine, this Napa Valley cabernet is dense, rich and beautifully textured with powerful aromas of cocoa, raspberry and blackberry pie that are accented by hints of sage and crème de cassis. On the palate, flavors of black cherry, blackberry and dark chocolate carry the full-bodied palate through a long, mouthwatering finish laced with cedar box and black peppercorns. If Napa Valley was a bar of soap, this is it, a berry scented intoxicating blend of Napa Valley grapeseed oil, olive, coconut, palm and sweet almond oils, chocolatey cocoa butter and a healthy dose of Napa Valley red wine. Bright berry notes with a hint of earthiness.
Gift price: $65
We’re offering free shipping on all gift orders (sales tax not included). Order by April 25th for guaranteed delivery by Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 9th. Click here to view the full collection and order.
