To Garden Pavilion

Our venue will have plenty of parking available for those of you that choose to drive.  Our venue is approximately 5 miles from downtown Sonoma where most of you will be staying.  

 

To get a taxi from your hotel, call Vern's Taxi to schedule a pickup at 707-938-8885. Vern's has 9 cars and one van that will hold up to 10 passengers. They are the only cab company in town and there are an average of 8 weddings a night in Sonoma, so keep that in mind when calling to schedule your pickup (call early).  

 

From the Airport

For those of you staying in the Sonoma Square, which is approximately 1 hour from the Oakland airport (OAK) and 1 1/2 hours from the San Francisco Airport (SFO) or Sacramento Airport (SMF).  We recommend you pick up a rental car at the airport.  A car is the best way to get to Sonoma. In addition, there are a lot of beautiful things to see in the area and there is a good chance you will want to have your own car.

 

Make a vacation out of your trip!

 

Northern California has great scenery, world class restaurants, hiking, shopping and more all within a short drive.  If you are planning to stay for a week or more, you should have time to visit some of our other favorite places!  Below are a list of our top recommendations.  We'd love to hear about your adventures when you get back!

 

1. Petaluma (15-25 minute drive)

 

Petaluma is a close drive from Sonoma and a great place to visit. Petaluma is known for it's boutique and antique shopping, great restaurants, craft beer, many popular movie scenes, chickens, and the world championship of arm wrestling.  

• Check out the downtown. 

• This charming area was featured in many popular movies, including (but not limited to) American Graffiti, Cujo, Peggy Sue Got Married, Basic Instinct, Scream, Pleasantville, and Cheaper by the Dozen. If this sounds interesting to you, you can take a Petaluma Film Tour and guides will show you the movie locations. 

• Petaluma is an antique mecca.  If antiques are your thing, you can't miss a stop here.  

• The downtown area is full of quaint boutiques, restaurants, and last but not least ....bars.  You could have a nice pub crawl, visiting 10 different bars in two blocks.  We recommend a martini on the water at Graffiti, a drink at McNears, a Guinness at McGuires, or one of 30 microbrews on tap (and 6 types of hot dogs) at TAPS.  

• Visit Lagunitas Brewery - Tucked away in the industrial area of town lies Lagunitas Brewery.  Spend the day in the outdoor beer sanctuary listening to live music and drinking some of the best beer around. Kids and dogs are welcome, the paninis are great and there is even a brewery tour (that we have never been on).  

 

2. Marin County (30 minutes to 1 1/2 hour drive)

 

• Visit Stinson beach and go on a hike.  After your hike, have an outdoor lunch at Parkside Cafe.

• Hike the Marin Headlands above the Golden Gate Bridge. We did this hike at dusk, just as the sun was setting. It was beautiful! 

• See the towering redwoods in Muir Woods.

• Go to Tiburon and take the ferry to Angel Island or simply sit out at Sams on the water and enjoy the sunshine.

 

3. San Francisco (1 1/2 hour drive)

• Grab an appitizer  or drink at the Cliff House for sunset. 

• Go shopping on Union Street or Filmore Street. 

• Visit the San Francisco Ferry Building for wine, olive oil, oysters, coffee, gelato and more. 

• Have lunch or dinner at the Slanted Door (Vietnamese/Asian fusion).  If you don't want to sit down at the restaurant you can take it to go!

 

4. Napa Valley (20-25 minute drive)

• Visit the wineries in the area

• Check out this website and get free tastings or 2 for 1 at many of the wineries in the area or download the "Winery Finder" app if you have an iPhone.

• Visit Trefethen. Lots of variety and you can buy their wines on the east coast.  The dry reisling is especially good.

• Frogs Leap does tours and their tour/tasting is $20 which seems more affordable than some of the other tours (if you want to do a tour). 

• Go wine and olive oil tasting at Round Pond. 

• End your day at Chandon in Yountville.  They are open later than the other wineries (usually until 6pm vs. 4pm), have a nice outdoor patio and you can sit outside with a bottle of sparkling wine and a cheese platter.  

*Napa Valley is a great place for foodies

• Yountville

-Bouchon: Thomas Keller's more affordable and less famous Napa Valley Restaurant.  Great place for oysters.

-Bistro Jeanty: Good french food.

-Redd: Good outdoor seating for lunch

-Ad Hoc: Pre fixe.  Check the menu for the day online before you go.  

-The French Laundry: Thomas Keller's world famous pre fixe restaurant.  Believed by many to be the best restaurant in the world.  If you'd like to visit this restaurant, make your reservation... yesterday.  

 

• Napa

-Angele: This is my favorite restaurant in Napa. Good outdoor seating.  Get the baked dessert, especially if it's banana.

-Bounty Hunter: Good casual place.  Popular with the locals.  Food is affordable and the scene is unpretentious.  Get the beer can chicken and if you don't finish your bottle of wine, ask for it "to go."

 

• St. Helena

-Market: good comfort food place, great for local ingredients.

 

5. Lake Tahoe (3 hour drive)

• Spend the day hiking, rock climbing, bike riding, and soooo much more! 

• Have dinner at one of the casino's top floor restaurants

• Spend the day at the lake.  

 

6. Yosemite (5 hour drive)

• Rent a yurt or cabin

• Go hiking or biking

 

7. Carmel/Monterey Coast (3 hour drive)

• Go to the beach or shopping/dining in dog friendly Carmel. 

• Visit the aquarium in Monterey. 

 

8. Raft the American River  (1.5 hour drive)