TOP FOUR PARKS TO VISIT IN SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
By Jo Clark
ON BIG BLEND RADIO: Travel writer Jo Clark talks about her top four park destinations in Sonoma County, California. Watch here in the YouTube player or download the episode on PodBean.
Sonoma County, California, is filled with stunning natural beauty; you thought it only grew grapes. It does plenty of that, too, and there are other adventures to enjoy in the area. However, it has a national seashore, 11 state parks, and 60 regional parks and beaches. The county is about 45 minutes north of San Francisco and has a variety of terrain. Seventy-six miles of Sonoma County touches the Pacific Ocean, including the mouth of the Russian River and Bodega Bay, which is at the top of the Point Reyes National Seashore.
Point Reyes National Seashore
Named as one of California’s top ten prettiest national parks, Point Reyes National Seashore has 80 miles of shoreline, most in Marin County. The park includes four beaches accessible by car and seven beaches reached by hiking.
Point Reyes is the windiest place along the Pacific Coast. It is also the North American continent’s second foggiest place (and I can attest to that.) The fog frequently reduces visibility to only a few hundred feet. The day we visited the Lighthouse, we were halfway down the 313 steps (yes, really–and they’re numbered) before we caught a glimpse of the 1870 Lighthouse. Point Reyes juts ten miles into the Pacific.
The walk from the parking lot to the visitor center is nearly half a mile (uphill), so pace yourself. We walked over five miles on our visit. Bring a bottle; they don’t sell bottled water, but there is a bottle-refill station. The Visitor Center is filled with California coast and national park history.
Point Reyes boasts over 150 miles of trails and 1,500 plant and animal species. We saw birds of prey, coyotes, elephant seals, and deer.
Insider Tips:
Top off your gas tank before starting. The nearest gas station is 20 miles away. Allow extra time. The road to the Lighthouse is crooked and has low-speed limits.
The Lighthouse Visitor Center and the stairs to the Lighthouse are closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the stairs close when winds are above 40 mph.
Jack London State Historic Park
Jack London State Historic Park on Sonoma Mountain honors a famed American writer. The home he called Beauty Ranch is now a state park open to visitors who wander the grounds where London wrote many of his books, short stories, and articles. A prolific author, London wrote over 50 fiction and nonfiction books about his adventures and exotic travel. He is notable for two reads in many elementary schoolrooms – Call of the Wild and White Fang.
Between 1905 and 1913, Jack and Charmian London expanded Beauty Ranch to more than 1,500 acres, adding vineyards, orchards, a pond, and their dream home. Wolf House was built of native stone and was nearing completion when workers failed to dispose of varnish-soaked rags properly; the house went up in flames. All that remains are massive walls of rock.
In 1960, the property became a California State Park and a State Historical Landmark. In 1962, it was declared a National Historic Landmark. Docents lead free weekend tours, or you can arrange a private group tour. The park has more than 29 miles of trails, allowing visitors to explore on foot, ride their bike or horse, or take a golf cart or horseback tour.
Historic Buildings at the Park:
The House of Happy Walls Museum was Charmian’s home for years after her husband’s death. Today, the museum holds memorabilia from the couple’s trips and has displays to tell London’s story. Londons’ Cottage was home to the Londons, and Jack and his stepsister Eliza both passed away in the sunroom of the Cottage. Pig Palace had individual housing and runs for each pig on the ranch. The Palace, winery, silos, and barns remain to provide visitors with a glimpse into day-to-day ranch life.
The average guest stays three hours, but they must miss a lot. The guides have so much to share about the life of Jack London. Bring a lunch and linger—the time flies by. There are picnic spots on the grounds, but no restaurant.
Sonoma Botanical Garden
Sonoma Botanical Garden’s natural beauty encompasses 67 acres of pathways, ponds, and waterfalls. When Jane Davenport Jansen started the Garden in 1987, she filled it with Asian plants. Now, gardeners have added native California plants.
The Garden offers Acoustic Sunsets on Wednesday evenings from May through October. Visitors enjoy live music and wine while watching the sunset. Wednesday’s admission includes this treat. Area wineries, including Sonoma Botanical Garden’s vineyard partner, La Prenda Wines, pour tastes of their offerings. The Garden Gift Shop holds unique items with a gardening, floral, or wine theme. I can’t think of a better souvenir.
Sonoma State Historic Park
Founder Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo laid out Downtown Sonoma in 1835, the largest plaza in California. Graceful Spanish Colonial Revival architecture surrounds Sonoma Plaza, and the area holds unexpected attractions like Mission San Francisco Solano, now part of the Sonoma State Historic Park.
This park has five different sites. One, General Vallejo’s home, is located one mile west of town. There are also Sonoma Barracks and the Servants Quarters to explore. About twenty minutes from town is Vallejo’s Petaluma Adobe Rancho. It is Northern California’s largest adobe building. Vallejo had the headquarters constructed during the 1830s. They are preserved and are a unit of the State Park. Private tours are conducted by docents, mostly on weekends, and self-guided tours are easy to do with their guide sheet. Your pass to Sonoma State Historic Park allows you to visit all these locations, so enjoy your day.
Where to Stay in Sonoma
El Pueblo Inn is located in the heart of Sonoma and convenient to the parks. Hotel Manager Aranda Burtson and her staff are friendly and eager to help guests make the most of their visit. There is an early morning buffet, and the pool and hot tub are peaceful and well-lit at night. Rooms have screened porches that overlook the gardens centered around a fountain.
PLAN YOUR SONOMA PARK ADVENTURE:
Jack London State Historic Park
Vallejo’s Petaluma Adobe Rancho
The Most Exciting Time In Sonoma
Jo Clark is a travel writer and photographer based on South Carolina’s Grand Strand. She has a thirst for knowledge, history, great food, and wine! She does her very best to live up to her podcast title and Instagram handle, “Jo Goes Everywhere!” Follow her there and on her Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/HaveGlassWillTravel/. She is the editor of http://www.RecipesTravelCulture.com
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