San Francisco - Alison Bing [216]
Three miles south in Freestone, get buried up to your neck in warm wood chips at Osmosis ( 707-823-8231; www.osmosis.com; 209 Bohemian Hwy, Freestone; by appointment 9am-8pm), where redwood tubs filled with soft, slow-fermenting cedar and rice bran soothe weary muscles ($85 for 45 minutes). Sebastopol’s Sumtime Spa ( 707-823-2053; www.sumbody.com; 118 N Main St, Sebastopol; 10am-7pm Tue-Sun) offers revitalizing Swedish massages ($75 for 60 minutes) and facials ($39 for 30 minutes) with the spa’s own organic skincare line.
Eating
Zazu (707-523-4814; www.zazurestaurant.com; 3535 Guerneville Rd; dishes $19-26; dinner Wed-Sun) Get fresh over farm-to-table feasts with housemade salumi, organic ingredients from the garden out back, delicate Liberty duck or whole roasted pig, and warm, honey-drizzled Sonoma cheese for dessert.
Bistro des Copains ( 707-874-2436; www.bistrodescopains.com; 3782 Bohemian Hwy, Occidental; mains $16-28; 5-9pm Sun-Thu, to 10pm Fri & Sat) Hearty, French-style classics hot from the wood-fired oven make dream pairings with local pinot; come weekdays for bargain three-course menus, Tuesdays for free corkage and Wednesdays for $1 oysters.
Wild Flour Bakery (707-874-2938; 140 Bohemian Hwy, Freestone; pastries under $5; 8:30am-6pm Fri-Mon) This bakery makes organic brick-oven breads, giant sticky buns and killer coffee.
East West Cafe (707-829-2822; www.eastwestcafesebastopol.com; 128 N Main St, Sebastopol; dishes $7-14; 8am-9pm; ) Go global at this Mediterranean diner, with grilled eggplant and feta on pesto-slathered organic bread, and organic pancakes with real maple syrup.
Drinking & Entertainment
Rio Theater ( 707-865-0913; www.riotheater.com; 20396 Bohemian Hwy, Monte Rio; adult $8, senior, child & matinees $6; Wed-Sun) Dinner and a movie, Russian River style: gourmet hot dogs ($7) in a converted 1940s army-shed cinema.
Hopmonk Tavern ( 707-829-7300; www.hopmonk.com; 230 Petaluma Ave) Serves tasty home brews in its beer garden with funky world beats, from sizzling salsa to New Orleans blues.
Sleeping
For longer stays, find vacation rental deals at www.rrgetaways.com, www.sonomacountyvacations.com and http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/vac.
Dawn Ranch ( 707-869-0656; www.dawnranch.com; 16467 River Rd; d incl breakfast $99-120; ) Take your pick of vintage cabins with woodstoves among the redwoods, or poolside cabanas, and don’t miss the historic roadhouse for killer cocktails and organic dining.
Boon Hotel & Spa ( 707-869-2721; www.boonhotels.com; 14711 Armstrong Woods Rd; d $185-205, tr $225-250) Guerneville’s chic new eco-retreat has sleek cork-floored and solar-heated cabanas alongside the chlorine-free pool. There are fluffy organic cotton robes and onsite an organic bistro and a spa offering hot-stone massages.
Inn at Occidental (707-874-1047, 800-522-6324; www.innatoccidental.com; 3657 Church St; r incl breakfast $249-349) This gorgeously restored 1876 Victorian inn offers escapes from the ordinary, with folk art, bold colors, proper feather beds and gas fireplaces.
Vine Hill Inn (707-823-8832; www.vine-hill-inn.com; 3949 Vine Hill Rd, off Hwy 116; r incl breakfast $170; ) Four guestrooms are tucked under the eaves of this 1897 Victorian farmhouse. There are gorgeous vineyard views and breakfasts with farm-fresh omelettes; two rooms have Jacuzzis.
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HEALDSBURG & DRY CREEK VALLEY
More than 90 wineries are located within a 30-mile radius of Healdsburg, where upscale eateries, wine-tasting rooms and stylish inns ring the Spanish-style plaza. Just over Hwy 101 from downtown Healdsburg is Dry Creek, a dreamscape of lazily grazing sheep, fish leaping from glistening creeks, and gnarled old vineyards blooming with organic ground cover.
Information
Healdsburg Visitors Center ( 707-433-6935, 800-648-9922; www.healdsburg.org; 217 Healdsburg Ave; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm Sat, 10am-2pm Sun) Handy for tasting passes, maps and info.
Sonoma County Library (707-433-3772;