Sebastopol Is the Wine Country Getaway Your Friends Don’t Know About Yet

With far fewer crowds than Napa and just as much charm as Healdsburg, Sebastopol is Wine Country’s hidden gem. The small Sonoma County town was historically filled with apple orchards (the main thoroughfare is even called Gravenstein Highway) but is now dominated by grapevines, and the cooler climate means you’ll find plenty of pinot noir and chardonnay. Check out our guide for everything to taste, eat and do…and earn bragging rights for being the first to show your friends.

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贝丝friday
Bess Friday

Taste

Start the day atIron Horse’srustic outdoor bar. Toast your trip with a glass of bubbly from the winery’s hilltop location overlooking miles of vineyards below. Follow that up with a fancy mid-morning wine-and-cheese pairing atPaul Hobbs Winery. Then play a round of bocce while you sip rosé at塔夫特街酒厂, housed in the barn of an old apple-processing facility. Finally, mix it up atHorse & Plow, which offers flights of wine and cider.

dawn heumann
Dawn Heumann

Eat

A trip to Sebastopol isn’t complete without a stop at的巴洛, a multiuse complex with tasting rooms, restaurants, shops and artist studios. Pick up a signature melt fromThe Farmer’s Wife(we’re partial to the honey lavender bacon and farm egg) on your way in and then sip a low-ABV cocktail fromFern Barduringaperitivohour (4 to 5 p.m.) on your way out. Stay for dinner or head over toHandlinefor fresh Cal-Mex fare in a former Fosters Freeze.

Do

Antiquing is a must in Sebastopol. Make like Chip and Jo atAntique Society, a vintage mecca that houses 125-plus dealers under one roof in an Art Deco building at the heart of antique row. Then take a break from wine tasting and sample single-source honeys instead atBeekind, while browsing apothecary products and candles made from local beeswax.

Stay

Splurge on an overnight stay atFarmhouse Innin the neighboring town of Forestville. The former—you guessed it—farmhouse boasts well-appointed rooms complete with feather beds and fireplaces, plus a gorgeous spa and a Michelin-starred restaurant. For a more rustic retreat nestled in the woods, book theBerry Lodge, which has a manicured backyard, hot tub and outdoor kitchen to die for.



allison mccarthy

Allison McCarthy

San Francisco Editor

Allison McCarthy is a writer and editor with 15 years of experience in the industry. She's currently the San Francisco editor at PureWow, where she covers the best of what's...
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