The Sonoma Valley Museum of Art has two fascinating exhibits- Mexican art books (with subjects like…read moreSor Juana Ines de la Cruz&Mayan mythology) and Jack London's photography. One gets the international scope of Jack London's travels- from the leper colony in Molokai to the ravages of the Russo-Japanese War, along with the devastation of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake (that awakened Jack&Charmian in their Glen Ellen home) They give tours, local schoolchildren contribute to the exhibits, they have a small research library- but it looks like the Museum Cafe has been replaced with a gift shop. It IS surprisingly good for a small museum. The $10 admission is worth it. Their gift shop had an amazing coffee table book about the visionary art of New Mexican artists. If you have challenges finding them, they're next to a frozen yogurt/boba spot. A peaceful, artist oasis off hectic Highway 12.

Surf Craft Art Exhibit! What's the deal?! I was in a California high school in the late 60's -…read moreso surfer stuff was a big deal: madras shirts, Beach Boys, Ventures, Dick Dale, stretch tight levi's, vans shoes, sun bleached blond hair and blue eyed blond girls in bikinis. It was with these thoughts that I went to the surf exhibit. I was disappointed. Dick Dale wasn't there, no girls in bikinis - just a silent hall with a bunch of surf boards on display. Sofie and I were given a nice overview by the docent who explained the history of the boards, how they evolved and for what use the different boards are for. The "long boards" for the big waves and the smaller ones for smaller waves. Did you know there are boards for "lefties" and boards for the rest of us? Left handed people ride the boards differently. Some board are made of solid redwood. I am partial to redwood because it is so easy to work with and so beautiful. The one on display was made from recycled wood from an old water tank. They also have a couple of very old boards from the turn of the century... and one from Africa that washed up on the beach. Those old boards looked pretty crude. Looked like they were shaped with a hatchet. Most all of the surf stuff in the gift shop is 40% off. There were 3 ukuleles hanging on the wall for sale. I thought about how nice it would be to play the ukulele for Sofie and sing her love songs... but I decided it would be wrong to deprive someone else of those ukuleles - so maybe you should get one of the ukuleles. They also have a 9' redwood longboard that I thought would be cool to have. There were several books on surfing that were there. I just looked at them and thought, "Hmmm. Someone wrote a book about surfing." Too bad there were no Dick Dale books.

Great historical park in the Sonoma square behind the visitor center. Free admission and…read moreknowledgeable docents. Worth a stop

Stumbled upon this incredible FREE historic park in the heart of Sonoma. I was on vacation with the…read moreladies in my family here and we were walking around down by the Square of Sonoma and walked upon this spot. First of all, I love that this is a free attraction. So incredibly amazing. At first, I thought it was just the open area with some old buildings and a few signs that explained a little bit about the history. But as we continued walking down the street, we realized it was a lot more to see! There's a hotel you can look in and see how it was setup back in the day (1800s/early 1900s) which was so cool. They also had artifacts enclosed that you could look at as well. They even had a room where you could watch a movie playing that told more about the history of Sonoma. It was seriously such a cool experience and I honestly don't want to give too much away. A good experience even for kids to run around and see. Definitely think it's worth stopping to enjoy and love that it's free to the public!

Amazing history, well kept, even perfect for a nice mid day stroll! Highly recommend checking out…read morethe exhibits

I would highly recommend going on the self-guided tour at the mission which has run by the state of…read moreCalifornia. It's part of the parks now and the fee is very low and well worth your time to see how California began as a mission of the Roman Catholic Church.

Just off of the bike path and in Depot park, this quaint museum offers local history, rotating…read morehistorical exhibitions, and a side room completely dedicated to Sonoma railroad history. Books and postcards on Sonoma history are available for sale on premises. I've immensely enjoyed the exhibitions. (Especially the one on the history of the Springs) Highly recommend!

The Sonoma Depot Park Museum is a hidden gem. Despite its close proximity to the Plaza, with the…read moremission&the presidio, it's relatively uncrowded. It's open only from Friday to Sunday. The volunteer docents are very friendly, and there's plenty of history on railroads in Northern California, the Bear Flag Revolt, the local Miwok/Pomo Indians, and a current exhibit on the Sonoma Valley hot springs as a tourist attraction until Prohibition. The Depot Museum also has 3 dioramas with creepy mannequins depicting the Bear Flag Revolt, an 1860s schoolhouse, and a typical children's nursery from the Victorian era.They're not that different from the ones at the Sharpsteen Museum in Calistoga, or the Bl. Junipero Serra one at the nearby California Missions Museum behind Cline Cellars. The Depot Museum is a fascinating, fun little destination. Educational and interesting.

Highly recommend!!!…read more Purchased tickets for Mother's Day. Such a beautiful property. Felt exclusive and so much fun to walk around and explore. Stayed on property for a good two hours. Didn't wine taste but lots of visitors there did. Presentation was beautiful. At entrance they buzz you in and parking is close to check in. You receive complimentary water and umbrellas. Staff were sweet and informative. Highly recommend - such a fun artsy experience!!

Incredible art - we enjoyed our 2.5 miles walk in the property viewing the unique sculptures, etc…read more Great wines. Wonderful staff.

General Vallejo's House is located in Sonoma, CA, in the Sonoma State Historic Park…read more The grounds (including trails) and visitor center was free to walk about. Parking was free as well, they had a nice size parking lot. To view the inside of the house, it's $3. The visitor center was the carriage house nicknamed the Swiss Chalet. It was built in 1852. The timber came from Europe. It's now the museum with history information boards about the General Vallejo and his family. So you may ask, who is General Vallejo? What's the hubbub? Mariano Guadalupe Vallejwas born in Monterey, California, in 1807 as a subject of Spain. He served in the California military which was under Spain. He served as commander of various presidios and establishing them and the controversial workforce. His last command was the Sonoma presidio. The house is furnished and staged as it was in the mid to late 1800s. It was built in 1852, Vallejo lived there until his passing in 1890. The architecture is Victorian Carpenter Gothic. It was prefabricated back East and shipped around Cape Horn (pre railroad). The rooms are viewable through the barred doors. The fireplaces are made of imported marble. The kitchen was another building behind the house. The family cook lived onsite in a room adjoining the kitchen. Behind the kitchen is a body of water, a water reservoir. Back in the day, it was a natural spring. The General sold water to the town and folks by transporting the water in redwood pipes. It proved a steady income. He even tried his hand at winemaking. But suffered severe losses in the 1870s blight and didn't get his winemaking business off the ground. He never fully recovered to his previous economic heyday, living out the rest of his years modestly than before.

Great introduction by the park ranger! Enjoyed how they sell plant bulbs and fruit from the…read moregrounds ! I bought a delicious grapefruit! Plenty of signage regarding rattlesnakes.

How wonderful they started this collection and keep it open for free. Great place to learn about…read moreMexican / American colonization. Great books for sale too. All while wine tasting! The history of California becoming a US State started right here in Sonoma. Albeit a hostile takeover, it's the history we live in today 170 years later. Check it out https://youtu.be/LDwWCFSrvQU

A neat little museum behind the tasting room complex at Cline. The museum celebrates the history…read moreof the 21 missions established in the early Spanish settlements. In addition to the models of each mission, there are some paintings of the missions, two stained-glass panels from Mission Dolores, and a life-size statue of Father Junipero Serra. It's worth a few minutes to stroll through. Once back outside, there is a nice courtyard garden and picnic area where you can enjoy the day and escape the sight of the wine tour buses.

Nice venue for all occasions but especially a wedding event …read more Came to check out restaurants but to no luck .... Forktable closed down after 5 years . So many suites for lease.

Ambience so peaceful and romantic. Can't comment on service since office was closed (weekend?) when…read morewe came and visited. No food either with restaurants clued too. Wine tasting open but didn't go in because I had to drive (I turn red easily) and don't want any ticket. Didn't also had a chance to try the only food truck present at the moment due to time constraint ((had to leave). Can't imagine though how nice and romantic of an experience it would be if you can have your wedding/reception at this venue. . Amazing nature's beauty of the whole place everywhere you look. Interesting history behind its development too. Perfect place for big gatherings/events. For sure be interested in coming and visit next time on regular weekdays.

Located in the Jack London Village, the Sculpturesite Gallery showcases a variety of modern…read moresculptures both within their gallery space and outdoors, around the village. The village is located by a creek, and has a tranquil beauty that is complemented by the sculptures, many of which are kinetic. We had a lovely time walking around the village and seeing the sculptures and the outdoor nature.

I absolutely love this gallery! For me, sculpture defines art. It brings art to life. The wonderful…read morepeople at Sculpturesite understand this better than anyone. They have such a variety of sculpture and work with a wide range of sculptors. Whether it be a gift or something for my personal collection, I know that I can not only find it at sculpturesite, but with their incredible knowledge and fabulous customer service, I am always impressed. Their space is beautiful too. Don't just shop online with them, if you can, head to the gallery for a visit... the sculpture garden alone is worth it!

My friend Karen, with whom I share an interest in the paranormal, joined me for the Sonoma Plaza…read morewalk, and we had a wonderful time! To be honest, I had expected something more of a "points of interest" tour (i.e. so-and-so hanged himself in that building in 1878, and people have reported cold spots and flickering lights in there.) Imagine my surprise to find the tour was a hands-on experience, with us not only getting to work with an EMF meter, divining rods, and even a spirit box, but interact with actual spirits as well. WOW! Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in ghosts and a desire for a fascinating, enjoyable time. Thanks!

Devin and Ellen were great hosts. We arrived and met them at the big Oak tree and right off the bat…read morethey were welcoming and comfortable to talk with. We flew in from Seattle and it was our first stop for our Valentine's day getaway and what a great start! We were joined by a few other couples and were introduced to the gear and the spirits coming through to communicate. We loved the spirit box and the activities plus walking and the history of the town was intriguing to hear about. We loved the experience and would highly recommend this tour for anyone looking to have a safe and paranormal experience! Thank you Devin and Ellen!