Sonoma wine country for families

Let’s not kid ourselves, think Sonoma, and you probably think wine. Preferably in a glass and in your hand!

And it’s no wonder, this California county has more than 400 wineries. Really good award-winners too, like Buena Vista, Jordan and Simi. Couple that with Northern California sunshine, and you have a recipe for a really good holiday.

But wait – what about the kids? Can you holiday in one of the world’s top wine regions with children?

Youbetcha!

Sonoma for families

Just 45 minutes north of San Francisco, Sonoma County has lots to offer both adults and children. There are Redwood forests to explore, meandering rivers to paddle, 50 miles of rugged Pacific coastline to hike, and charming back roads to cycle. Oh, and did I mention the wine? 😀

Sonoma is known for being down-to-earth and having a lot of personality. One local told me: “My heart is in Sonoma, but my wallet is in Napa.”

We recently visited courtesy of Sonoma County Tourism to find out exactly how to keep kids happy while mum and dad enjoy themselves too.

 

Where to stay? The Flamingo Hotel and Resort

What a find! The Flamingo Hotel and Resort is centrally located in Santa Rosa and was a popular romantic getaway in the 1950s. With strong ties to Hollywood and Las Vegas  – the neon pink Flamingo sign is an exact replica of the famous Las Vegas Flamingo – you could often find movie stars like Jane Mansfield sunning themselves by the Olympic-sized swimming pool.

Now the pool is full of families that use the resort as a base to explore Sonoma wine country. It’s a great set up. The Terrace Bar and Grill is poolside – so you can have a leisurely dinner (and yes, continue wine tasting if you must). When the kids finish eating they can sneak off and swim and still be in view.

Many of the rooms at the Flamingo are recently renovated. They are modern, streamlined, very clean and have coffee-making facilities, large TVs (I personally hate this, but I know others like it) and a fridge. There’s a continental breakfast buffet with cereals, yogurt, bagels and loads and loads of fresh fruit. We had honeydew melon and fresh Bing cherries that tasted like summer.

But the best part about the hotel is the price. Newly remodeled Superior rooms range from $119 weekdays to $199 weekend nights in summer. A bargain!

 

 

 

 

Safari West: Go on an African Safari in the “Sonoma Serengeti”

Wow the kids by taking them on an African safari in the heart of wine country! I’ve wanted to visit Safari West for a while, several of my California friends rave about this authentic African wildlife preserve. Safari West is home to 800 animals and you get to see them up close on a guided open-top tour through the 400-acres of rolling foothills which is now known as the “Sonoma Serengeti”.

The 3-hour tour starts with a walk through the lower grounds, where you see some very cute De Brazza’s monkeys, Serval cats (they can jump 10 feet) and a Cheetahs (did you know they are highly endangered, as they are very slow and hunted a lot). The highlight is a walk through the aviary, and having cranes, flamingos and Sadle-billed storks surround you. All the animals in the first part of the tour are in cages, and it is very much like a zoo.

When it gets really interesting is on the truck tour. About 10 of us got in a Vietnam era open-topped truck with our Canadian tour guide Michal for a drive through the “Sonoma Serengeti”. We entered several gated enclosures that are the habitats of African wildlife. Our first stop was to see the giraffes, and an Articulated Giraffe came up to our truck and peered at us, as if to say “hello welcome to our home”. I didn’t snap a pic but just enjoyed the moment, it’s not every day you are staring into the eyes of a 3,000-pound creature.

We went on to see Zebras (and we loved Michal’s Canadian pronunciation, which is very like the British), Antelope, Watusi cattle,  Wildabeasts, and Rhinoceros.

At the end of the tour we went through the African tent camp, where you can stay in a luxury tent and sleep under the gaze of giraffes! There’s a California-style BBQ meal each evening too. A nice touch when finished is the opportunity to make your own snow cone!

What makes this tour so special is getting up close to the animals. You certainly can’t do that in a zoo!

 

 

 

My 9- year-old’s perspective on Safari West

Safari West has lots of animals. There are eight hundred individual animals and one hundred species. It’s much better than a zoo because most of the animals aren’t locked up in cages. There were birds, giraffes, antelope, cheetahs, monkeys, rhinos, zebras, warthogs, gazelles and ostriches. Many are endangered and near extinct. It was special being so close to the animals.

 

 

 

 

Kayak down the Russian River with Getaway Adventures

What could be better than getting a little exercise while exploring the great outdoors? We took an 8.8 mile kayak trip down the Russian River, surrounded by wildlife and towering redwood trees.

I’ve canoed down the Russian River several times before – you can rent canoes and make your own way down the river in about 5 hours. But that was as a young adult and it usually involved coolers of cold beer. Kayaking is faster (a kayak cuts the water and sits lower – thus able to deal with head winds). If you’re not an expert, a guided tour is a good choice for families where abilities may vary greatly.

We signed up for a 3-hour kayak tour with Getaway Adventures, a Sonoma firm that offers custom outdoor activities for all levels. Our family was joined by a couple celebrating their 49th wedding anniversary, plus we had two guides. Randy, the owner, quickly assessed our skills (I think he was a bit optimistic) and we were given instruction and assigned kayaks.

Sadly we had a couple “kayak divorces” —  after my middle daughter and I somehow got stuck on the bank in a bay bush covered in grapes and spiders. Luckily Randy brought several different styles of kayaks, and we switched kayaks around a bit and ended up with a combination that worked for the whole group. The guides were very good about motivating us to finish the entire route. 8.8 miles was tiring and the girls were wiped out (a good thing on a holiday). But my glass of wine that evening was well earned.

 

 

My 12- year-old’s perspective on kayaking

I really enjoyed kayaking with Getaway Adventures. We kayaked for 9 miles, which took us 3 and 1/2 hours (including stopping for snacks). I have been kayaking before around lakes and small rivers, but this experience was very different, due to the fact that there were currents, turns and a lot of wildlife. It was good that once you started you had to finish, so everyone can complete the 9 miles. Wildlife I saw included huge fish, tiny fish, herons, egrets and turtles. The guides were very friendly and motivated us if we were tired, and our yellow kayaks were very comfortable.

 

 

Go wine tasting (while the kids swim and try smoothies)

Everyone who knows me knows I love the Francis Ford Coppola Winery. Why? Because there’s a huge swimming pool with luxury padded lounge chairs and cabana boys that will bring you whatever you want, including Francis’ excellent wine!

You can officially taste wine too. Or visit the museum. Or play Bocce ball. Or just have lunch while lounging by the pool.

The kids have fun too. They can swim, taste smoothies, grab a book from the teepee and put up with the adults.

Did I tell you I love this place?

 

My 10- year-old’s perspective on the Francis Ford Coppola swimming pool

The Francis Ford Coppola swimming pool was really fun because it was really big and had fountains.  I had a margarita pizza and a mango smoothie. They were both really good. Then I tried another smoothie and this time it was strawberry. This kept me busy while my parents tried all the wine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visit the Snoopy museum & go ice skating

Peanuts fans will love the Charles M. Schultz Museum and Research Center where you can admire and giggle at original displays of Schultz’s art work (the museum has more than 7,000 original strips). It’s a small museum that covers Schultz’s life and inspirations. There’s a Snoopy Labyrinth, sculpture by Japanese artist Yoshiteru Otani, and an original nursery wall painted by Schultz in the 1950s. After visiting the museum, go ice skating at the Snoopy Ice Rink and have lunch at the Warm Puppy cafe.

The museum is located just a few minutes from the Flamingo, and it’s adjacent to the Snoopy Ice Rink and Children’s Museum of Sonoma County – so you could spend and afternoon visiting all three!

 

 

My 12- year-old’s perspective on the Snoopy Museum

The Snoopy museum was a lot of fun! There were lots of funny comic strips of Charlie Brown and Snoopy to read and laugh at. There were also lots of displays of Charles Schultz comics that were to do with political commentary. One of my favourites things at the museum was the zenotrobe station for children, where you could draw your own comic and when you put it in the zenotrobe it would animate.

 

 

 

 

Inspire creativity at the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County

The Children’s Museum’s mission is to inspire children’s creativity and stimulate their curiosity to discover the world through playful exploration of the arts and sciences. It’s a dream place to visit for the under 10s. The grounds are gorgeous and the hands-on exhibits, like the fishing pond, are fun to do and teach children about the environment as well.

 

 

 

 

 

IF YOU GO:

Sonoma County Tourism 3637 Westwind Blvd. Santa Rosa, CA 95403 +1 707-522-5800 sonomacounty.com A great resource for planning your trip to Sonoma County.

Flamingo Hotel and Resort 2777 Fourth Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95405 +1 (707) 545 8530 FlamingoResort.com Recently renovated 1950s summer resort, the Flamingo is a good choice for families set to explore Sonoma County. The resort is based around a very large swimming pool, and has large rooms. But the best part about the hotel is the price. Newly remodeled Superior rooms range from $119 weekdays to $199 weekend nights in summer.

Terrace Grill Restaurant (at the Flamingo Hotel and Resort) 2777 Fourth St. +1 707-523-4745 Offers poolside dining with wine country cuisine. There’s a nice children’s menu. We ate there both nights as it was so convenient and had good food. After eating, the girls could swim while we relaxed with a glass of wine. Make sure you try the artichoke and pepper Dungeness crab dip and the calamari frito misto Crispy Fried, Jalapeno & Cilantro Aioli.

Safari West Wildlife Preserve and African Tent Camp Mailing Address: 3115 Porter Creek Road
Guest Entrance: On Franz Valley Road
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
 +1(707) 579-2551 safariwest.com Take an African safari in Sonoma!

Francis Ford Coppola Winery 300 Via Archimedes, Geyserville, CA 95441 +1 707 857 1471 franciscoppolawinery.com I just love this place. Adults can taste Francis’ award-winning wine while the kids swim and taste smoothies. You can rent European style “cabines” to shower and change, and then pick a lounge chair and let the cabana boys take care of you all day. You can also check out the museum, shop, play bocce balls. My girls found the book teepee and found a few favourites to read in between swims. Did I tell you how much I love this place?

Getaway Adventures 2228 Northpoint Pkwy, Santa Rosa, CA 95407 +1 (800) 499-2453 getawayadventures.com Go on a wine country adventure – like Bike & Kayak, Farm Fresh Bike, or a Peddle ‘n Paddle tour. Locals use their knowledge to guide the tours – a big plus for travelling families.

Children’s Museum of Sonoma County 1835 W. Steele Lane Santa Rosa, CA 95403 cmosc.org Inspire your kids at this newly opened museum for kids. Exploratorium-style exhibits help to unleash their creativity – and keeps them busy too.

Charles M. Schulz Museum 2301 Hardies Ln, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 +1 (707) 579-4452 schulzmuseum.org. Peanuts fans will love the Charles M. Schultz Museum and Research Center where you can admire and giggle at original displays of Schultz’s art work (the museum has more than 7,000 original strips).

Snoopy’s Icerink and Puppy Café 1667 West Steele Lane, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 +1 707-546-7147  snoopyshomeice.com A Minnesota native, Charles Schultz loved ice skating and built this rink for locals. The cafe features favourites like BLTs and hot dogs served in a dog dish!

Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch 738 Main St St Helena +1 (707) 963-9181 www.longmeadowranch.com Great food and responsible farming.

Nicholson Ranch Winery 4200 Napa Rd Sonoma, CA 95476 +1(707) 938-8822 www.nicholsonranch.com Winemaker owned and run! Sip one of their signature Pinots or Chardonnays while sitting in a comfortable deck chair looking over a lake and golden hills. Worth the trip.

Other suggestions:

Sonoma Canopy Tours 6250 Bohemian Highway Occidental, California 95465, +1-888-494-7868 sonomacanopytours.com A zipline lets the magic of gravity do all the work. Fitted with a specially-designed harness, you’ll reach speeds of up to 25 miles per hour on our fastest zips. On other elements of the course, you can savor breathtaking views of the majestic Redwood forest at a leisurely pace. Kids must be 10 and 70 lbs. 3 hour tour.

Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve 17000 Armstrong Woods Road Guerneville, CA 95446 +1 707-869-2015 www.parks.ca.gov Hike and take in the natural beauty of majestic redwoods.  These remarkable trees live to be 500-1,000 years old, grow to a diameter of 12-16 feet, and stand from 200-250 feet tall. Small parking fee.

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