Travel: A Blissful Weekend in Healdsburg, California

A charming small town in Northern California wine country, Healdsburg’s gorgeous vineyards, gourmet cuisine and cute boutiques make it an ideal locale for a relaxing weekend away.  During a recent jaunt to the West Coast for a wedding, I was fortunate enough to spend a few days drinking in all that Healdsburg has to offer.  And yes, wine was involved.

Approximately two hours north of San Francisco, Healdsburg is an easy drive from the city.  In my opinion, the place to stay in Healdsburg is at a hotel or inn within walking distance of the town center.  Filled with a variety of tasting rooms, boutiques, restaurants and cafes, it offers a fantastic home base.

Of my favorite things to do in downtown Healdsburg, I highly recommend starting the morning witha coffee and donut muffin from the Downtown Bakery & Creamery. It truly will set the stage for a wonderful day. Not quite a donut, but not really a muffin, this treat is best enjoyed while sitting on a bench in the town center park. Let’s just say that I ate more than my fair share of these little bundles of joy during my trip.

Also notable was a lazy afternoon tasting at the Boisset Taste of Terroir, conveniently located near the Downtown Bakery & Creamery along the town square.  Compared to the casually chic downtown area, the Boisset tasting room embodies modern glamour with black walls, glittery chandeliers and oversized wine glasses.  Tastings run around $15 for three to four wine samples and my group all tried different ones so that we could taste as much as possible. I couldn’t resist the bubbly option, obviously.

While the wines were great, what really made the experience were the two guys who were working there.  They were around our age (late 20s) and were able to educate us about the wines while creating an incredibly welcoming environment.  They also gifted my newlywed friends with a delicious bottle of bubbly, a classy touch.

Outside of downtown Healdsburg, a world of vineyards await.  We spent a lovely afternoon exploring the Ferrari-Carano Winery, which is situated on a 70-acre Dry Creek Valley estate.  Whether you’re a wino or not, the estate has a Chinese garden that’s perfect for photo opps and a boasts fun store filled with interesting wares.  Oh, and the scenic vistas kinda made me felt like I was in Italy and not California.  But then again, it could have been the fact that it was wine tasting number two of the day.  Did I mention that one can sample four small flights of Ferrari-Carano’s delicious wine’s for five dollars at their winery?  Who can say no to that?

As my trip to Healdsburg came to a close, I reluctantly climbed into our car and headed back to San Francisco with the thought that I’d definitely have to come back someday, though I’m not sure which I’d reach for first…wine, or my beloved donut muffin!