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Sonoma is filled with picturesque landscape, over 400 wineries and so much more. Whether you are planning a solo adventure or a family trip, here are 13 things to do in Sonoma beyond visiting the wineries.

Things To Do In Sonoma Beyond Wineries

Sonoma, California is full of beautiful scenery and of course loads of famous wineries, but what else is there to do there? Could Sonoma be a family vacation destination? The answer is a resounding yes! There are tons of activities and sights to see that the whole family is sure to enjoy and even better, many of these adventures and sights are free! Yes, you read that correctly, family adventures that won’t cost you an arm and a leg for each person and the memories that you will make together are guaranteed to be priceless!

Here are 13 adventures you can find that the whole family will enjoy in Sonoma:

Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve

The ancient Coast Redwoods growing in Armstrong Natural Reserve are some of the tallest living things on earth. These trees live to be between 500 and 1000 years and stand up to 250 feet tall. The coast redwoods are labeled as a temperate rain forest and it rains as much as 55 inches per year. There is a visitor’s center, amphitheater, and plenty of places to stop and have a picnic. This is a sight that everyone should see at least once, it’s not just anywhere you can see trees that are thousands of years old. Parking is free, but limited. Your furry friends are welcome, but they must be on a leash. If you could like to pack some food, there are picnic areas for you to enjoy. There is a lot of information available online, from suggested hikes, easy walks and what to wear, so be sure to check that out before heading out.

You do have to pay to visit this incredible reserve by car, the cost is $10.00 per vehicle, $9.00 per vehicle for seniors. If you choose to walk or bike, it’s free. The hours of the Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve are 8:00 AM to one hour after official sunset. The Visitor Center is open 11:00-3:00 Daily.

Fort Ross State Park

Fort Ross has been a state park since 1906, but from 1812 to 1841 Russian fur trappers inhabited the area. There are many historical sites to see at Fort Ross including a windmill, a chapel, blockhouses, stockade, and barracks. The only original structure left is the Rotchev House which is an excellent example of Russian architecture of the time. There are also beautiful nature trails, whale watching, and a beach full of seals that you can explore. Visiting Fort Ross is free, but they do ask for a donation. There are many free walking tours as well, but if you would like a Group Guided Tour, you can do a walking one for a mere $5 (free for kids 12 and under). The Guided Tours are seasonal and offered at specific times, so be sure to check the website before you head out. But, even if you miss a guided tour, there is much to explore on your own. Fort Ross State Historic Park is open everyday. The Visitor Center and the Fort Compound hours are 10am to 4:30pm while the park grounds are open from sunrise to sunset. Call House Museum tours and Windmill Demonstrations are on the first weekend of each month from 1pm to 4pm.

Old Faithful Geyser of California

Have you always wanted to see a geyser of steam and hot water shoot it’s way 75 feet up into the air? If so, make sure that you check out the Old Faithful Geyser of California located in Calistoga. This is one of only three predictable geysers in the world, and if it is not erupting predictably that likely means an earthquake is due to strike in the coming weeks within 500 miles of the geyser. This geyser is one of the most photographed sites in the whole state of California with its rainbow reflecting sprays. In addition to the geyser, there are also gardens, an animal farm, a geology museum, and a gift shop to explore. There are also picnic areas and places to play Bocce.

Old Faithful Geyser of California is open every day, hours vary a bit depending on the season. Kids 4 and under are free, adults are $15 but there are discounts for Calistoga residents and seniors.

Lake Sonoma

Lake Sonoma is surrounded by Sonoma wine country and was created in 1983 when the U.S. Army Corps of engineers created the Warm Springs dam. This created a 2,700-acre surface area lake to prevent flooding in the area. In addition to the lake, there are nearly 18,000 acres of nature to explore. This is a beautiful place to hike, hunt, fish, picnic, ride horses or camp. There are of course recreational water activities as well and you can rent boats, jet skis and other watercraft at the park. If you are looking to camp while touring the Sonoma Valley wineries this may be just the place for you and your family to stay. You can man make reservations for your favorite activities.

Lake Sonoma Marina is open all year and prices vary on what activities you would like to participate in.

Bodega Bay

Bodega Bay is a popular spot on the Sonoma coastline for residents and visitors alike. You can hike, fish, golf, horseback ride, and even fly a kite there. The Bay is a popular place to bird watch and to watch seals and whales from the shore or on a boat tour. Bodega Bay is a picturesque fishing port with lots of shops, restaurants, and galleries for you to explore. If you are a movie buff particularly and Alfred Hitchcock fan you may want to head to the Potter Schoolhouse and the St. Teresa of Avila Church in the nearby tiny village of Bodega. Both were prominently featured in the film The Birds.

Point Reyes National Seashore

Point Reyes National Seashore is about an hour’s drive from Sonoma but the scenery, activities, and history here make it well worth the drive. Point Reyes is part of the California National Park system and encompasses several different places. From Alamere Falls where a waterfall flows directly into the ocean to Chimney Rock which is bursting with wildflowers, birds, and elephant seals there is a lot to see and do here. Point Reyes National Seashore is home to more than 60 species of mammals and 490 species of birds.

The Point Reyes National park is open daily from sunrise to midnight throughout the year, but is closed on Christmas Day and closes at 2 PM on Thanksgiving day. It is free enter and enjoy Point Reyes National Seashore.

Petrified Forest

The Petrified Forest Calistoga is also about an hour’s drive from Sonoma but well worth the trip to see trees that are over 3 million years old. The trees were knocked down by the force of a powerful explosion from the now-extinct Mt. St. Helena volcano. After being knocked down they were covered in thick volcanic ash that over millions of years petrified and preserved them. They remained covered and hidden from the world until 1870 when a Swedish farmer stumbled across them while raking out his fields. You can take a guided tour or just explore the trails on your own.

The hours of admission vary slight for the Petrified Forest depending on the season, so be sure to check out the website before you go. Admission is $12 for adults with discounts available for seniors and kids. Children under 6 are free.

Safari West

Safari West is a 400-acre wildlife preserve with over 100 species and 700 animals. The guided tours are about 3 hours long and include an approximately 45-minute walk and a 2 ½ hour open-air drive. Some of the animals that you can see on this tour include cheetahs, flamingos, zebras, wildebeest, cape buffalo, rhinos, and lemurs. There is also an open-air aviary that is home to many exotic birds. You can even spend the night at Safari West in tents they had imported from Africa.

Reservations are required for this incredible experience, and the fees vary on what you would like to do while you are there. While this may be a bit of a splurge, it definitely looks like an unique experience and one you will remember for a lifetime.

Charles M. Schulz Museum

Charles M. Schulz was the creator of the world-famous and much-loved Peanuts characters including Snoopy and his feathered friend Woodstock. In 2002 his family opened the Charles M. Schulz Museum in the heart of Sonoma, his hometown so that visitors could see his collection of drawings in person. This is the largest collection of Schulz’s work in the world, and there is also an awesome gift shop so you can pick up some of your Peanuts gear.

The Charles M. Schulz Museum is open on weekdays 11:00 am–5:00 pm and on weekends 10:00 am–5:00 pm. There are days they are closed for the holidays and they are closed on Tuesdays during the Fall, Winter and Spring. So be sure to check the website before planning your trip. The admission is free for members, otherwise it’s $12 for adults and there are discounts for seniors, children and students. Children 3 and under are free.

Take a Scenic Air Tour

Have a tour of Sonoma with a different type of perspective from high up in the air. Your flight will take you over the Russian River Valley where you will see vineyards and views of the California countryside. You will soar over the Sonoma Coast State Park and Penny Island, as you fly over the Pacific ocean make sure that you look for whales, seals, and dolphins.

Reservations must be made for these experiences, and pricing will depend on what options you select. This may also be considered a splurge for some, but the experience will be one you never forget.

Discover New Art

The Sonoma County Art Trails is the oldest juried open studio tour in the country, and it takes place on the 2nd and 3rd weekends in October each year. Not to worry if those dates do not coincide with your trip though. Art is welcome in Sonoma county and there are painted park benches, sculptures, and more throughout the community.

Drive America’s Most Beautiful Road

State Route 1, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway, is a major north-south highway in California that travels most of the Pacific coastline in the state. It is the longest state route in California at 659 miles, but what makes it a tourist destination is the scenery you will view while traveling it. Highway 1 runs for 56 miles through Sonoma County and there are lots of beautiful sites to see and explore. Some of these include Bodega Bay, Jenner, Fort Ross State Park, Stewarts Point Store, and Gualala Point Regional Park.

Explore a Sonoma Farm

Ever wondered where the delicious fruits, vegetables, and wines are coming from in Sonoma county? Check out the Sonoma Farmtrails website here and you can take a trip through Sonoma to visit the farms and wineries of your choice. Many of these places will allow you to take a tour and see how it all works and of course, make a purchase or two.

As you can see from this list of activities and sites to see in Sonoma, there is a lot more to do than just visit wineries. You are guaranteed to find something to do in Sonoma that will entertain, amuse, and maybe even educate everyone in your group.

Have you been to Sonoma County California?  What are some of your favorite things to do when visiting Sonoma?

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Authentic Irish food is fresh, delicious food that every foodie will enjoy. When traveling in Ireland, be sure to try these Traditional Irish Side Dishes.

Traditional Irish Side Dishes

Ireland is quickly becoming a foodie detention. Known for real food made by real people, the food is Ireland is definitely something to make note when traveling. To learn more about the foodie scene in Ireland, I recommend scheduling a trip to Ireland during the Taste The Island Festivals. Taste The Island is during the Fall months and has numerous festivals and events that everyone will enjoy. You can also check out Good Food Ireland, they offer authentic food experiences throughout Ireland.

However, when you first get to Dublin, you may seek comfort in knowing about side orders to accompany traditional dishes in Ireland.

While the main meat and fish dishes are becoming well known to visitors to Ireland, the traditional side dishes are often overlooked. Three side portions that feature in traditional Irish cuisine are colcannon, champ, and Irish soda bread.

Here’s a guide to a few traditional Irish side dishes:

Colcannon

Chefs in Dublin and in other parts of Ireland will have their own recipe variations for the traditional Irish side dish, colcannon. Eveleen Coyle, based in Dublin, includes two colcannon recipes in her Irish Potato Cookbook. The first recipe ingredients are potatoes, cabbage, milk, butter and seasoning, and the second recipe uses potatoes, onion, parsley, milk, butter, soda, and seasoning.

Irish Champ

Champ in Traditional Irish Recipes by George L Thomson is made with boiled potatoes, scallions (also known as spring onions), butter, and seasoning and “adding just enough milk to make it creamy smooth. In olden days, chopped fresh young nettle tops would be used in place of the scallions.

Irish Soda Bread

Regina Sexton, in her A Little History of Irish Food, writes that “Soda bread must be the most renowned and savored of all traditional Irish bread. Its popularity may in part be attributed to the fact that when [bicarbonate of] soda is combined with sour milk or buttermilk, it produces a very light and palatable leavened wheat bread.”

Eating Out in Dublin, Ireland

Every culinary traveler arriving in Dublin will want to enter the infamous Christchurch and Temple Bar restaurants and bars and order traditional Irish food.

Here’s an introduction to three establishments who serve traditional Irish food in Dublin:

The Brazen Head (located at 20 Bridge Street Lower, Dublin 8, Ireland) boasts an award-winning restaurant. Established in 1198, ‘The Brazen Head’ is accepted as Ireland’s oldest public house and brings provenance to the Irish recipes offered to diners in the restaurant and as a bar meal.

Oliver St John Gogarty (located at 58/59 Fleet Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2, Ireland) serve colcannon with a 6 oz. Farmhouse Irish Large Sausage, serve Corned Beef and Cabbage or bacon and cabbage as main courses with parsley sauce and homemade brown bread with seafood dishes.

Gallagher’s Boxty House (located at 20-21 Temple Bar, Dublin 2, Ireland) offers 14 side dishes for Irish Soda Bread, ideal as a side order for coddle. Most side orders include Murphy’s Mushy Peas, Champ, Colcannon, carrots, and parsnips roasted in honey and thyme, sautéed cabbage and homemade herb dumplings.

Irish stew, coddle, steak in Irish stout and potatoes, rabbit pie, avoca, line-caught salmon from Ireland, corned beef and cabbage, Irish bacon, and traditional Irish large sausage will feature on the dinner menu in many establishments in Ireland. Colcannon, champ, and Irish soda bread are must-try side dishes to try on your culinary journey to Ireland.

Whats is one of your favorite traditional Irish side dishes? Have you been to Ireland?

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Learn about traditional flavors and foods of Mexico. Discover something about Mexican foods new and try it when cooking at home.

Popular Flavors & Foods of Mexico

The food, the culture, the land that is Mexico reflect the contrast that is Mexico. In bustling Mexico City, international business is transacted; in the Oaxacan countryside nearby, Hauve women patiently grind dried corn for tortillas.

In the northern-most regions of the country, vaqueros drive cattle across vast mountain ranges. Beef, dairy products, and flour tortillas are favored in this area where cattle and wheat fields abound. Highly gifted bakers produce hearty loaves, light rolls, and sweetbreads of every description.

In the high fertile plateaus of the Sierra Madre mountains, which extend down to the Pacific Ocean, oxen plow fields of corn, garlic, and onions. Where the mountains meet the ocean, seafood such as shrimp, scallops, and oysters are abundant.

Here are some of the flavors and popular foods of Mexico:

Bread

Unleavened cornbread is an integral part of Mexican cuisine in countless forms and shapes: Tacos, enchiladas, tostadas, quesadillas to be layered between meats and vegetables, and in many other applications are found throughout the country.

Beans

Normal breakfast fare might include well fried (this is the proper term, not refried) beans. Frijoles, dried beans, are available in a wide variety. Their favorite method of preparation is either regional or personal.

This method of preparation is simple, humble, and results in, what some say, are the best tasting beans: Don’t soak them. Simply cook the dried beans gently in water with onion and garlic. Add salt and a bit of butter after they have cooked. Beans are best eaten a day or two after they are cooked, so simply refrigerate. When ready to serve, warm in a skillet, finish as you prefer, and enjoy with your favorite garnish.

Sauces

Every cuisine has a mark of distinction. In Mexico, the sauces make this mark.

Cooking with fresh, local ingredients is a passion throughout the country and is no better reflected than in the many sauces, all representative of the eclectic mix of regional flavors.

Oaxaca, the town of the seven moles, very well demonstrates a principle of Mexican cookery not to be missed. The mole sauce is usually prepared by the “expert” in the family who is eager to make the sauce respectfully and carefully in the traditional style, slow-cooked and infused with cinnamon, chilies, allspice berries, cloves, sesame seeds, and many other ingredients.

The more ubiquitous and simpler sauces are the salsas, uncooked combinations of chilies and vegetables as originally introduced in the United States. Guacamole with avocado is universally popular.

Desserts

Further west still, coconut, mangoes, and pineapple flourish among palm trees on the lush, tropical Pacific coast. Coconut is the main ingredient of sweets on this Pacific Coast, and even though introduced by the Spanish, coconut flan is highly popular today. Chocolate drinks and desserts are popular throughout the country. Fruit is normally offered with every meal.

Mexican cuisine is all I have mentioned: ancient and modern, simple and complex, primitive and sophisticated. I hope this whets your appetite to try some Mexican recipes and, perhaps, find a new and delicious experience.

If you are traveling to Mexico or planning a trip to Mexico, be sure to check out the best beaches in Cancun and the best day trips from Tulum.

What is one of your favorite Mexican foods?

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