Weekend Getaway: Healdsburg

Forget over priced busy Napa and get away to Healdsburg CA, just north of Santa Rosa. We visited this town for 2 days back in 2022 and came back to visit Ryans parents in Windsor and it’s safe to say I will be back visiting the in-laws lots!

Where to Stay:

We have stayed at the in-laws and also at the Inn at Sonoma; a cute boutique hotel! They also have one in Healdsburg. The rooms were spacious, staff was amazing and the best part was the roof top hot tub we enjoyed every night! With the growth of Healdsburg there are many boutique hotels to chose from. For luxury check out The Montage, earn Marriott points at Hotel Trio, eco chic H2 Hotel and this cottage on airbnb!

Explore:

I highly recommend driving to the coast. The entire trip takes maybe 4 hours depending on how many stops you take and how long you spend. You can find the google map itinerary here! The drive through the redwoods and vineyards is the prettiest drive I’ve taken. We went late Nov so the vineyards were all red and orange. Honestly the 30 min drive went so fast. The roads are curvy so if you can get a little convertible, it makes it was more fun. We borrowed Ryan’s parents Miata and had a blast.

We drove through Armstrong Redwoods, cruised the PCH 1 and stopped for taffy and clam chowder. The view points along the way took my breath away. I am so mad I forgot my tripod so we didn’t get the best photos of us. You could make this road trip a whole day and stop for breakfast, lunch and dinner and to shop. The next time we visit Ryan wants to golf at the Northwood Golf course!

Where to drink wine:

Bricoleur

The most bang for your buck! They offer 2 types of food and wine pairing options; Rooted ($125-$150/pp) and Soaring($75/pp). We have experienced both. The flavors of the food are phenomenal. These tastings are a perfect spot for lunch. They also have other food for purchase as well. We had their specialty pizza, short rib and kimchi! The staff is so knowledgeable and they will pour revisits or any extra wine you want to try. They have a spectacular garden that I cant wait to experience in the spring and summer. If it’s this pretty in the fall and winter I cant even imagine. The wines are spectacular and a great price point compared to Napa.

MacRostie

The wines are great and the views of the winery are fantastic. It was a little too popular for me and we felt as though we were an inconvenience. I will give them another try in the future. I do love the charcuterie lunch Box add on! I also love that it’s a female wine maker. The tastings are $35/pp so very affordable and worth a taste!

Aperture

Beautiful space, amazing Bordeaux style wines and fun hosts. We had an intimate private lounge room to taste a huge line up of wines from whites to reds. You can also enjoy a tasting on the terrace weather permitting. With so many favorites, it was hard to decide so we joined the club! The bottles were just as amazing as the wines.

Passalacqua

This gem was recommended to us by Brooke Lawson from Bud_Belief. The patio with the fire chat tables over looking the fall colored vineyards was picture perfect. We tasted 5 wines, one was the Fiano. Beyond delicious. Ryan was so excited for the 2 Zinfandel options. We have so many cabs, we were ready for something new. Nick was a great host. The winery is by referral only yet didn’t have the crazy price tag to taste. The $55 tasting fee is waived with a 2 bottle purchase, which is worth it.

Where to eat:

Between downtown Healdsburg, Sonoma and Windsor, there are so many yummy spots to eat.

Valette has great cocktails and a small but big impact menu. My favs were the poke and the duck. The restaurant was stunning as well.

Roof 106 is above The Matheson. Even though it was winter the roof top has so many heaters it was beyond comfortable. The menu is small but they have some awesome apps and great pizzas. I highly recommend the pork belly bites and black truffle pizza. My fav was the fall inspired whiskey sour with pumpkin in it.

Wit and Wisdom had great options, fab cocktails and the best seafood tower I’ve ever had. My whiskey sour with egg white was delicious and the ambiance was perfect.

You have to grab coffee and breakfast at Black Oak Coffee. They have amazing flavors like crème brûlée and sesame pistachio. If you go in the winter the have a gingerbread latte that comes with a little gingerbread house!

I can not wait to add more to this weekend getaway when we go back to visit. You can also check out my blog on Sonoma for more ideas near by! Also please drop me a comment if you have any great recommendations!