Staff were incredibly friendly!…read more The upper pond was lovely. Lots of spots to sit down. Perfect place to bring some snacks and hang out. The flowers were pretty. A lot of the trails were shaded!

The Sonoma Botanical garden was much bigger than I thought it would be. At 67 acres, I think it's…read morethe largest in the bay area, The garden felt more like an arboretum with trails and lots of trees rather than a stroll garden with flowers. The first time I went I didn't realize you could look at a map beforehand because it's not a simple find on their website but I suggest looking beforehand to see what it offers (plan your visit-visitor information-download map). The rose garden here was underwhelming. This one was quite small and didn't look like it was maintained. If you want to see roses I'd recommend the nearby Cornerstone gardens, which have a much better rose garden, and they don't charge an entrance fee. I loved the pond with the lily pads and the Asian garden with all the greenery and small bridges. I also loved how garden was right next to a vineyard. Sonoma is beautiful and warm and it's nice driving up the 12 looking at wineries and admiring the scenery.

The West County Museum is the little Museum that could!…read more Did you know that the building that currently houses the Hopmonk is the former Powerhouse building for the electric train that ran through Sebastopol? Did you know that Graton has been known by as many as 12 different names such as Peachtown and Hicksville but in 1906 it went by Gray's Town, after James H. Gray who helped its advancement. It was later shortened to Graton. I love this little spot in Sebastopol that showcases local West Sonoma County history. West County includes Sebastopol, Graton, Forestville, Occidental, Guerneville, Bodega Bay, Bodega, Jenner, Rio Nido, Valley Ford, Freestone, etc. This area has a history rich in farming and natural beauty. Exhibits at the museum change every few months and have included the history of apple production, the local cemeteries, local photographers and Luther Burbank. Ever wondered what Sebastopol looked like when the train went through town? Or what it was like to live on an apple farm as a 12 year old day laborer? Or what kind of curious tools were used in the picking and packing industry of days gone by? This is your spot. The train car behind the museum is filled with archived artifacts and photographs that are used to supplement the exhibits at the museum. Inside there are numerous local themed books for sale along with postcards, jewelery, etc. Photographs, maps, and drawings cover the walls. The building itself is the former train depot building, now on the National Register of Historic Places. This place is all volunteer run. All the docents are very friendly, knowledgeable and usually long time Sonoma County residents. Ask them anything! Watch for short hours. 1-4pm Thurs.-Sun. For more history go across the street to the post office. Check out the Works Progress Administration sponsored mural of Sebastopol life.

The prior review suspiciously looks like it came from a volunteer who worked there, since it was…read moretoo detailed for an outsider to know all this. They recently had an exhibit for a year about Hippies which was interesting, but there too long. Most exhibits are there for only 3 or 4 months. The museum is so small, that if you don't read every single thing, you can go through it in 15 minutes or less. That's all it takes. At least it's free, since it's definitely not worth paying for.

We were on a morning walk by our hotel when we came upon this cute little museum so we made a plan…read moreto return. Really glad we stopped in here because the couple that runs it are actually relatives of this historical house. They had a lot of interesting stories to tell about everything that was in here. It's not a huge space but does have interesting stuff to check out. Since it's family trying to keep this going we were more than happy to contribute since there was no admission. If nothing else you should come by to see the really cool art from railroad ties.

This tiny cultural center has such a charming museum with great carvings. It isn't even called a…read moremuseum but does better than the big names in Sonoma county.

We had a fantastic experience at Hess Persson Winery--easily one of the best in Napa. We sampled…read morethe release wines, including the Moon Mountain Cab, and everything was exceptional. The cheese plate paired perfectly and elevated the tasting even more. The estate itself is peaceful, beautiful, and set high up on Mt. Veeder with stunning views--it's the perfect place to relax and really enjoy the moment. The wines are outstanding across the board, and the reserve pours were a real highlight. What truly sets this winery apart is the people. Alicia, the manager, was excellent--welcoming, attentive, and incredibly accommodating. Jason and another top manager also stopped by, made us feel right at home, and even treated us to extra pours of their high-quality reserve wines, which was a great touch. We will be back for another great experience if they will have us again

Jason, the tasting room manager, reached out to with a sincere apology for the miscommunication…read moreregarding pricing for non-drinkers, the closure of the museum, and the confusion regarding the refund of the tasting after purchasing several bottles. He went out of his way to make things right and issued a partial refund through Tock. A+ customer service.

It's back after 3 painful years. The North Bay's largest food and wine event brings together the…read moreregion's top producers for an incredible day of culinary and oenological adventures.

Evidently they are the only port place in all of Napa Valley. Its a very small, family owned…read morewinery. We did a port tasting and one of the brothers handled the tasting. Very kind, and knowledgeable about his product. You can definitely taste the different notes and nuances of each port. You can definitely tell (taste) which one was aged longer and was thus more expensive. From thiner and lighter ports to more caramel and thicker ports. They have a great selection of ports here!! I really love the ambiance of this place. We had a table all to ourselves outside. In fact, we had the entire outside area to ourselves. Really felt exclusive. They have a silver lab named Jake (from state farm), roaming the premise. Super friendly but controlled dog. Really enjoyed Jake greeting us at the entrance. Came and made his rounds every now and again to make sure everything was going good. Port tasting could be split amongst 2 people. So even though there was 6 of us we were able to do 3 tastings only. And mote from our group was able to get some tasting in as well. Super chill and relaxed vibes. For each bottle you buy, you get 50% off of the port tasting. So with each bottle you save about $25 bucks for the tasting. Overall, an amazing winery. If you want to try something different. Or if you like sweeter wines (aka port), then definitely carve out time for this place. You will not be disappointed!!

Prager makes some of the best port I've ever had - dryer than normal and quite complex…read more I dragged my wife, a port hater, in here almost against her will. By the time we left, she wanted multiple bottles. "I guess I like port now" she said. Well, she likes Prager Port anyway ;)

My friends and I went on a girls wine trip and they took me to their hidden gems!…read more We were greeted by our host Maddie, she is as cute as a button! Very knowledgeable and attentive to our wine tasting needs. We tried several wines from white to red. There is not one I didn't like! Matter of fact, I have never purchased a bottle of wine over $100 in my life, but here I did, because it was that good!!! Maddie did clue us in on a special case of Chardonnay, where normally a bottle is $90 and we split a case by three people and we paid $120 each for 4 bottles. I love a good deal! The grounds are beautiful and they have an amazing pond to look at while you taste scrumptious Wine! That's the best word, I could come up with to describe the taste. Chalk Hill is on my must return list when in the Napa Valley. I hope you will go and try it too!

It's been a few years since I was last here and being back just brought the same amazing memories…read moreas prior visits. Also kind of sucks that the sister wineries closed down across the street. It was great popping in from one to the others. Anyways, as alway an amazing time was had here. We had a reservation during Fourth of July which I thought would have been a little busier but it was quite nice. Not too crazy. Beautiful afternoon out for wine. There was a good amount of us but only four tasting which they were gracious enough to utilize a larger table to accommodate all of us. Very thoughtful of them even though we had a feeling that people were just going to walk around instead of staying in place...lol... Check in was a breeze. First off, the property is beautiful. A beautiful pond right out front and then the huge stairways up to the tasting room. Of course the showstopper view of the vineyards and property. Check in was right when you reached the top. It didn't take long till we got seated at the inside table. Sort of our own little private room. Started off with a nice crisp white. Even the little sample was great. I totally forgot the sweetie that took care of us but she was a major doll. Very sweet and friendly. Explained everything down to the tea which was amazing. Their tasting which started off with the cool crisp white to the bold red were tasty. Each with their own unique flavors. Whatever you prefer, white or the red, there's something for everyone. As we're a sister member down in Los Olivos, they accommodate us with four tasting included. A nice way to bring friends and enjoy what the valley has to offer. The whites were great and perfect for a nice hot day. Also a great cold drink but red is what we all enjoyed. Just with the pour, you can taste the bold richness flavors of the grapes. Amazing. The property is beautiful with the beautiful olive trees line driveway approaching the front. The cute lake right out front and once you reach the top of the tasting room, the million dollar view of the valley. Tasting room itself is beautiful which a good amount of the tasting can be done on the covered patio with umbrellas. The bar counter is nice as well but private rooms can also be accommodated. Wines were great and the service was a match. Fourth of July tasting was a success. Until next time.

It's been about 5 years since I was last at this property. Fourth of July weekend in wine country…read moreis alway a good thing. We had a tasting set up but a little miscommunication with booking worked out when we arrived. It was early for our tasting so it wasn't too busy when we arrived. There was already a group there when we arrived. The property itself is beautiful. Basically everything in wine country is amazing. Checked in at the counter where we were started off with a nice cold glass of white. A little starter before heading to our table. You could stay and do a tasting at the counter but with it being so nice out and tables were set up along the lavender farm, it was a given. Their tasting menu consisted more reds which we were perfect with. 2 of the cuvée and 2 of the Cabernet Sauvignon. Everything was quite tasty and went down very well. The gal that took care of us was quite sweet and extremely friendly. Explaining everything to the tee. Making sure that everything was detailed before we started. Of course being sister members, we were able to have a tasting for four that was included. The last time we were here, they graciously showed a little tour of the wine cave. It was quite cute in a hobbit sort of way. The cellar and private tasting rooms set up inside were very nice. The property is beautiful. Outside tasting room was quite pleasant with the nice covered tables and the lavender farm. Of course the vineyards in the background, beautiful. Until next time.

We had an appointment at Lancaster Estate Winery and really enjoyed the experience overall. We…read morestarted in one tasting area and then moved to another, and although there wasn't quite enough staff available to accommodate sitting outside, we ended up in the cozy indoor tasting room which actually turned out to be a nice, intimate setting. The Malbec was absolutely to die for rich, bold, and easily one of the standout wines of the visit (and yes, it's priced over $100 a bottle, which says a lot about its quality). We were definitely impressed. I also purchased a Sauvignon Blanc for $37, which was crisp, refreshing, and perfect for a hot summer night. I'm really looking forward to enjoying it later. What stood out most was the elegance of the winery and its beautiful grounds. Even with the slight staffing limitation, the atmosphere and wine quality made it a memorable visit with the Napa Wine Trip Girls.