68 South Bay Accent
FROM TOP: RUSSIAN RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND VISITORS CENTERS; COURTESY OF FARMHOUSE
INN RESTAURANT; PREVIOUS SPREAD: COURTESY OF MOUNT HERMON ADVENTURES
1
DOWN THE RIVER
Russian River, West Sonoma
CUTTING A SERPENTINE swath through
lush pastures, vineyards, apple orchards,
and well-heeled hamlets such as Healdsburg,
the Russian River reaches its widest
and most picturesque point around the
time-forgotten villages of Guerneville and
Monte Rio.
This area has been a recreational destination
since the early 1900s, when
wealthy San Franciscans fleeing the fog
summered in quaint cottages along its
banks. Since the “back to the land” movements
of the ’60s, the area has undergone
incarnations as a hippie haven, then in the
‘70s and ‘80s as a gay retreat, and is currently
a year-round mélange of all three.
Pebbly beaches dot the shoreline at Johnson’s Beach & Resort
(johnsonsbeach.com/beach, 707/869-2022) where vendors do a
brisk trade in all manner of watercraft including canoes, innertubes,
Super Soakers and just about anything that floats.
Head to the Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve to see
the sylvan behemoths without wading through the large crowds
encountered at Muir Woods, or stroll through charming downtown
Guerneville to wet your whistle in the quirky local bars
(especially of the LGBTQ-friendly variety), renowned restaurants
and one-of-a-kind shops.
Stay: Sonoma Orchid Inn, www.sonomaorchidinn.com. This
renovated 1906 farmhouse is a comfortable and charming B&B
just yards away from the Russian River, making it a relaxing and
convenient base for land and water excursions in the area. There
are six spacious rooms on three levels in the main house, along
with a nearby three-room cottage. All rooms have private baths.
Guests enjoy a full gourmet breakfast, complete with eggs from
the inn’s chickens and produce from its garden. All the mod-cons
are available, including high-speed wireless Internet and a soothing
hot tub. If you happen to be at the inn during the afternoon,
don’t miss the fresh-baked treats.
Dine: Farmhouse Inn Restaurant, farmhouseinn.com/restaurant.
Southeast along the river in Forestville, where the redwoods
meet the vineyards, is the Farmhouse Inn Restaurant. Occupying
a home built in 1872, the restaurant showcases ingredients
sourced straight from owners Joe and Catherine Bartolomei’s
ranch or discovered by the chef on his daily farm stops en route
to the inn. Menus are ever-changing and rely exclusively on what
is fresh and seasonal in Sonoma County
along with a carefully curated selection of
local wines.
2
ON THE LAKE
Lake Berryessa, Napa
EVER TEMPTED TO go jump in a lake?
Grab a bottle at a favorite winery along
Highway 128, and cannonball into the
watery wonders of Lake Berryessa, Napa
County’s largest lake. This 20,000-acre
manmade reservoir is a great spot to make
a splash, with a wide range of aquatic
activities including boating, water skiing,
wake boarding, tubing and other
fast-paced water sports, plus quiet coves
A D V E N T U R E
A D V E N T U R E
FARMHOUSE INN
RESTAURANT
JOHNSON’S
BEACH &
RESORT
