Page 84 - 2017 Travel Guide to California

HEALDSBURG
Sonoma’s quintessential wine country town
»TASTE, BROWSE,
DINE, EXPLORE
Healdsburg Chamber
of Commerce and
Visitors Bureau
healdsburg.com
SUNSET IN A HEALDSBURG VINEYARD,
above; Healdsburg’s plaza, below.
DATING FROM 1857, the centerpiece and
defining feature of Healdsburg is its
beloved historic plaza designed by Harmon
Heald. Complete with copper-topped
gazebo and shaded by towering redwoods
and date palms, the plaza is grand in scale
but has an intimate, accessible feel. Pos-
sibly the liveliest plaza in Sonoma wine
country, it was recently voted one of
“America’s Most Beautiful Town Squares”
and Healdsburg was ranked among the best
small towns to visit in 2014.
The plaza plays host to numerous events
including the Antique Fair in May and the
popular Beer and Sausage Festival in Sep-
tember. The highly regarded Healdsburg
Jazz Festival held in early June takes place
in various venues and locations around the
town. Throughout the summer months, on
Tuesday evenings, the plaza transforms
into an outdoor community living room
where locals and visitors gather for a free
concert series.
From the plaza it’s a leisurely stroll to the
many wine tasting rooms, artisan bakeries,
coffee spots, cheese shops, art galleries,
bookshops and boutiques offering
clothing, house wares and inspired one-of-
a-kind gifts. Or venture a few blocks off
82 2017 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A
B Y M A R C Y G O R D O N
Center Street to see scores of colorful, well-
preserved historic homes, many in use as
B&Bs. Surrounded by vineyards, and
located just 70 miles north of San Francisco
off Highway 101, Healdsburg is the ideal
home base from which to explore the
world-renowned wine appellations of
Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill, Dry Creek
Valley and Russian River Valley. Wine, of
course, is a main focus of the town, with
more than 35 tasting rooms and wineries
within walking distance of its center.
Dining options are plentiful, from casual
cafés to elite restaurants creating sublime
seasonal fare incorporating the bounty of
locally sourced ingredients and showcasing
regional wines. Although most famous for
its wine, Healdsburg also has a lively craft
beer scene and inspired cidermaking.
Beyond the city center, the Russian River
and peaceful stands of ancient redwoods
are the focal point for hiking and canoeing,
and the mostly flat back roads that wind
through the vineyard valleys make the area
a world-class bicycling destination.
Sophisticated, yet rustic, Healdsburg,
with its agrarian roots, delivers small town
charm and a wine country lifestyle that’s
both laid-back and luxurious.
ALEXANDRA LATYPOVA/SHUTTERSTOCK; HEALDSBURG CVB