Healdsburg Vacation Homes

The Alexander Valley Wine Growing Region:

Brimming with beauty and breathtaking vistas, the Alexander Valley is home to more than 40 outstanding wineries, producing a diversity of distinctive wines. Take the Alexander Valley Road, just north of Healdsburg, and enter this spectacular wine growing region with an abundance of micro-climates supporting many premier wine grape varieties including Cabernet, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah and Viognier.

With over 13,000 acres of vineyards, the valley is 22 miles long and follows the winding Russian River as it flows along the valley floor with beautiful vineyards gracing the hillsides. The many renowned wineries of this region include Clos Du Bois, Geyser Peak, Hanna, Jordan, Murphy-Goode, Robert Young Estate, Rodney Strong, Francis Ford Coppola Presents Rosso & Bianco, Seghesio Family, Trentadue, and a host of other very special wineries and tasting rooms.

Dry Creek Valley Wine Growing Region:

To experience the Dry Creek Valley Wine Growing Region, begin just north of Healdsburg and follow Dry Creek Road west through this lovely valley with its many micro-climates, ideal for grape growing, and which ends at Lake Sonoma and its Recreation Area.  Abounding with vineyards, award-winning wineries and tasting rooms, you will probably want to spend a day picnicking and ‘drinking in’ all this enchanting Wine Trail has to offer.

The variety and scenery of this ‘adventure’ is amazing and includes not only the beautiful vineyards and wineries, but also majestic Redwoods and Oaks at the base of the rolling coastal foothills. The spectacular and rugged Sonoma coastline is just 30 miles beyond Lake Sonoma where Skaggs Springs Road reaches Stewarts Point. Some of the region’s featured vineyards include: Amista, Bella, Dry Creek Vineyards, Dutcher Crossing, Ferrari Carrano, Lambert Bridge, Mauritson, Mounts Family, Preston, Quivira, Rued, Talty, and Zichini Family, with many more to choose from.  The fertile Dry Creek Valley is ideal for grape growing, both red and white varietals, producing many great wines.

Western Russian River Valley:

To experience the Russian River Valley Wine Growing Region with the river flowing through it, take River Road and ‘go west young man’. About a 45 minute drive to the river’s end at the Sonoma coast, is a spectacular scenic route lined with Redwoods, through the small towns of Forestville, Guerneville, and Duncan Mills. The morning fog and cooler coastal weather along this most westerly part of this Wine Road, create an ideal climate for the world class Pinot Noir wines produced from the grapes of local vineyards and grown in this part of the Russian River Valley Appellation.

Follow this path and you will pass several of this region’s wineries including Goldridge, Hartford Family, Joseph Swan, Korbel, Russian River, Woodenhead, and more. Armstrong Woods, a wonderful Redwood preserve, is a bonus attraction just north of western Guerneville and offers hiking and picnicking areas in its ‘primordial’ forest of giant Redwoods.

Sonoma and Napa Valleys:

From Santa Rosa, go east on Hwy 12 (Sonoma Hwy), about 30 miles to Sonoma and enjoy the Sonoma Valley vineyards and wineries along the way. The Sonoma Valley includes several appellations; a few of the many wineries of note along this beautiful drive include Arrowood, Blackstone, Chateau St. Jean, Charles Creek, and Los Carneros.

To enjoy the Napa Valley, start in St. Helena on Hwy 29 and follow the renowned Silverado Wine Trail through Yountville to Napa. The Silverado Trail runs from Calistoga at the north end, to Napa in the south and is home to many world class wineries. With a colorful history, dating back to the Silver Mining Era of the 1870’s Black Bart and other highwaymen made their living holding up the stagecoaches carrying mining payrolls along this trail, which is now home to more than 40 outstanding wineries including Copia, Mumm, Napa Valley, Rutherford, Silverado, Stags Leap, and Sterling, to name but a few. The Napa Wine Train offers fine dining and another unique way of enjoying a trip through the vineyards ‘on the rails.