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In
the Carneros region, visit:
Viansa Winery on Hwy. 121, on your way either into or out
of the wine country; incredible picnic items, great wines,
Tuscan villa on a hill overlooking a wild fowl preserve; Gloria
Ferrer, on the same route as Viansa, Sonoma Valley’s
only Methode Champenoise Winery, interesting tours and a lovely
setting. Also check out Cline Cellars, Jacuzzi Family Winery,
The Olive Press and Roche Winery on your way into the valley
and make a stop at Angelo’s for the best beef jerky
in the world and Cornerstone Gardens which you just have to
see to appreciate.
For
customized limousine tours and all your transportation needs
while in the Wine Country, we recommend Beau Wine Tours. We
would be more than happy to book your tour for you as well!
www.beauwinetours.com
:: 1.800.387.2328
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FAVORITE
RESTAURANTS
 At
the top of MY list, you will always find the Glen Ellen Inn.
Consistently excellent service, ambience, wine and food. Chef
Christian Bertrand calls it “California Confusion”.
I call it superb! They’ve now added a Martini and oyster
bar as well! glenelleninn.com
The
girl and fig….also a wonderful and nationally acclaimed
restaurant with country French food and Rhone style wines,
in the old Sonoma Hotel on the Plaza. Its “sister”
restaurant, the fig café, is here in Glen Ellen. It
features more casual bistro style food that is quite delicious,
no reservations, friendly and knowledgeable staff! Sondra
Bernstein and John Toulzes’ newest restaurant is Estate,
where the General’s Daughter used to be – Mediterranean
cuisine in a fantastic setting – another winner! thegirlandthefig.com
Saffron…another
intimate little restaurant just down the road from the inn
features wine country cuisine with a French influence. The
cassoulet, when they have it, is to die for! saffronrestaurant.com
Vineyards
Inn .... a Bar & Grill! A casual, local favorite in Kenwood,
featuring Spanish style tapas and incredible fresh local &
Hawaiian seafood among the extensive Spanish offerings of
steaks, sautees, Paellas & pastas. You must give Chef
Steve's weekly specials a try. One of the valley's best hidden
secrets! The staff is friendly, and there is a great bar,
always populated by interesting people, where they turn out
delicious margaritas with a full bar & local wine list.
Enjoy dining under the grape arbor in the large covered patio
as well as by roaring fire in the winter. Large groups can
be accommodated. vineyardsinns.com
Garden
Court Café…their slogan is “If you leave
hungry, it’s your own fault!” and that is true.
Excellent breakfast and lunches with occasional Friday night
special dinners. gardencourtcafe.com
In
the Jack London Village…Olive & Vine, great for
catering needs and wonderful lunches & picnics; Unwind,
a new tapas bar by the  owner
of Olive & Vine oliveandvine.com.
Also in Jack London Village for mid-day sampling or goodies
to take home, stop by Raymond & Co. Cheesemonger for unusual
artisan cheeses raymondcheesemongers.com;
Figone Olive Oil (their lemon olive oil is wonderful, I use
it all the time!) figoneoliveoil.com;
and Wine Country Chocolates for out of this world truffles!
winecountrychocolates.com.
Just across the street is Eric Ross Winery's tasting room
as well.
The
Bluegrass Bar & Grill (look for Joshua Chauvet’s
old water wheel turning outside) has good BBQ and great sides,
creative and delicious specials, a full bar, warm & friendly
staff and beautiful outdoor creekside patio for dining when
the weather is warm. bluegrassbarandgrill.com
Then there is Yeti Restaurant, Indian and
Nepalese cuisine, for something a little different in wine
country. It is family run, very authentic and absolutely delicious!
Just across the street is Eric Ross Winery's tasting room
as well.
Della Santina…my favorite Italian restaurant
in Sonoma with homemade pastas, spit roasted meats, incredible
desserts and charming setting.
Saddles…a
great steakhouse and great martinis too, at MacArthur Place
in Sonoma!
Kenwood
Restaurant…Chef Max is a classic continental chef. Everything
in his restaurant is always impeccable!!! Great tartare, meats,
specials all beautifully presented.
For pizza, try Mary’s Pizza Shack, Pizzeria Capri or
The Red Grape…all have excellent pastas, pizzas, salads
and sandwiches in a comfortable setting with great people
who make you feel right a home!
Want
authentic Mexican food in a fun and funky – dare I say
dive? – atmosphere??? Check out Juanita, Juanita and
their delicious food and collection of hot sauces rivaled
by none.
Glen
Ellen Village Market is THE place to go for picnic supplies.
They have everything, including a great deli & cheese
selections. Nice wine assortment also. sonoma-glenellenmkt.com
There
are many other good restaurants in the area-the menus are
in the basket in the Common Room. It’s hard to find
bad food around here!
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BEYOND
EATING AND DRINKING
IIf
you would like a spa experience away from the inn, there are
several to choose from in the area, all offering different
experiences. My favorite is the Beauty Sanctuary Day Spa right
here in Glen Ellen. Denise offers manicures, pedicures, massage
and skin care. The products they use are all natural and organic
- they were recently featured in Organic Spa magazine. Visit
www.beautysanctuary.net
for more information!
Jack
London State Park: the author's home in the last years of
his life; fascinating museum, the ruins of Wolf House, his
grave site, and great hiking trails on the Beauty Ranch side
of the park.
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park: more serious hiking trails, offering
incredible open vistas of the valleys.
Quarryhill Botanical Garden: The garden hosts a rich diversity
of Asian Flora in an effort to fully represent the endangered
habitats of eastern Asia and has walking paths and picnic
areas throughout. www.quarryhillbg.org
Sonoma
Plaza: for history from General Vallejo's time, including
a walking tour of the Plaza led by the General himself; delicious
restaurants, like Maya, Della Santina, Swiss Hotel, El Dorado
Kitchen, Café La Haye, Meritage, Deuce (OOPS! There
goes that food
thing again); cheese sampling at Vella Cheese and Sonoma Cheese
Factory; art galleries; and "boutique" shopping,
the "Plaza" area offers it all. The Tuesday night
Farmer's Market (April through October) offers all of the
Valley's bounty and often, good music.
Morton's Warm Springs Resort is a wonderful spot to spend
the day basking in the sun, picnicking and cooling off in
one of the spring-fed swimming pools or in the swimming hole
in Sonoma Creek. They are open every day during the summer
(Memorial Day through Labor Day and sometimes beyond) except
Monday and is ideal for corporate retreats and family parties.
www.mortonswarmsprings.com
Biking is a popular mode of transportation here in the Valley.
Goodtime Touring Company will deliver bikes to the inn for
you, along with everything else you need. Visit www.goodtimetouring.com
for information. If you prefer to pick up the bike yourself
and tool around in the town of Sonoma, on the bike path, you
could visit Sonoma Valley Cyclery on Broadway/Highway 12.
For a unique alternative, take a Segway tour of Sonoma. www.sonomasegway.com
We have just discovered a fun tour company – a fun and
affordable way to visit a selection of smaller wineries, enjoy
a picnic and meet fellow wine country visitors. www.platypustours.com
 For
the young and young at heart - Sonoma's Train Town - a miniature
railroad (with cars large enough for adults to ride in too)
and village, petting zoo, rides, including an old fashioned
carousel and Ferris wheel, among others, in 10 acre "park"
- a place from days gone by to while away a morning or afternoon.
There is a very good pizza/pasta/salad/sandwich restaurant,
Pizzeria Capri (owned by a Norwegian family!) right next door!
For
an incredible selection of country arts & crafts, furnishings,
quilts, bath products, garden decorations and schmaltz, you
must visit Kenwood Farmhouse and Swede's Feeds on Highway
12 in Kenwood. For elegant consignment furnishings, local
art and gift ideas visit Vita Bella, also in Kenwood. www.vitabellahome.com
Sonoma Valley is home to a plethors of talented artists including
Linus Maurer (Charles Schultz’ friend and the inspiration
for the Peanuts character, Linus). His art along with many
others can be found in the charming, eclectic Showcase Gallery
in Glen Ellen. www.ShowcaseGalleryGlenEllen.com
Other partners of ours include:
Atwood Ranch/Sonoma Catering – The best site and event
planners for your wedding or other very special party, at
their site or yours – www.sonomacatering.com
Need a personal chef, or the ultimate caterer? Maria Vieages,
a transplant from New Orleans, offers multi-regional cuisine
– something for every taste! www.mariasmrc.com
For additional help in making your trip extra special and
unique, call on Mary at Wine Country Excursions and Wine Country
Trekking
www.winecountryexcursions.com;
www.winecountrytrekking.com
Looking
for a Sonoma Valley getaway to call your own? Let Sandrew
and Kat Montgomery help you. www.SandKatTeam.com
For
more information on all the fun things to do here, visit www.sonomavalley.com
and www.bestinsonoma.com.
Consult
the
Sonoma
Travel Planner. Or,
call or e.mail us at the Glenelly and we’ll help you
plan the best trip ever!
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