Far from the madding crowds of wine tasters and merrymakers who flood Northern California’s Wine Country, here are some great daytrips and weekend getaways to villages tucked away in lesser-known valleys.
Karen MisuracaFollow
Jun 15, 2021 · 6 min read
Story and photographs by Karen Misuraca
Blue Wing Saloon in Upper Lake, with a striking interior of old-growth redwood and an 1870s-era back bar.
Redwoods and Ravioli in Occidental
In the late 19th century, the last stop west on the narrow-gauge North Pacific Coast Railroad was the village of Occidental, isolated high in dense redwood forests. An 1890’s account described a “well-built” town with “a neat depot, two shoemaker shops, four hotels, a winery, warehouses and … commodious dwellings.”
Today, the two-block-long main street is lined with original and recreated buildings from that era, housing cafes, art galleries, and curio shops. A few minutes beyond on country roads are a world-famous botanical garden; zip lining through a high forest canopy, a shady walk through a grove of ancient redwoods; and wineries. Add to that two Italian restaurants that bring diners here from miles away, and you’ve got reasons to drive up the scenic Bohemian Highway to Occidental.
Settled in the mid-1800s, the farming and logging hamlet of Boonville once served as a stagecoach stop.
Old-timey Anderson Valley
For a short stopover on the way to the North Coast, or a leisurely weekend in the country, head to Boonville, an old Anderson Valley hamlet filled with treasures — from a quaint ice cream parlor and wild gardens to boutique hotels and wineries. Settled in the mid-1800s, the secluded farming and logging community once served as a stagecoach stop, and today still has a sort of lost-in-time atmosphere on the main street.
At the Boonville General Store, grab a cup of coffee and find a sidewalk table, the perfect perch for watching the passing scene of old-timers and long-haired Bohemian types, grape-stained farmers, and snazzily-dressed urbanites on the hunt for cult wines. Wander the aisles of the Farmhouse Mercantile and wander in a nearby art gallery, then, head up the road a bit for wine tasting, produce and antiques shopping, and noshing on some sophisticated grub at The Bewildered Pig.
Base camp for Anderson Valley expeditions is the Boonville Hotel, a vintage inn turned country chic, and a much-lauded foodies’ destination.
Top of the Lake
Vacation resorts and campgrounds dot more than 100 miles of shoreline on Clear Lake, Lake County’s focus of watery summer fun since the 1880s when families arrived in stagecoaches. Beyond the main towns of Lakeport, Kelseyville and Clear Lake, the mini-village of Upper Lake welcomes visitors with an arch over Main Street, heralding the founding of the town in 1854. The first vacationers arrived in stagecoaches, then cruised the lake on steamboats to rickety waterfront health resorts, to “take the waters” at the natural hot springs. Nowadays, Upper Lake is a weekend destination, where visitors linger on the main street of Old West-style and late Victorian buildings lined up along wooden sidewalks.
As pure white as a wedding cake, with rocking chairs on wraparound porches, the 17-room Tallman Hotel once hosted stagecoach passengers, ranchers and loggers. After four decades of neglect, the stately landmark, listed on the California Register of Historical Resources, was restored, and now offers the most elegant accommodations on the lake. Unique are the private patios with Japanese ofuro-style soaking tubs, and commodious Eastlake-style room interiors.
Hotel guests and denizens of the town linger under the maple tree-shaded courtyard at the hotel, enjoying live music, libations, and pub fare from the adjacent Blue Wing Saloon Restaurant. Demolished during Prohibition, the original watering hole was reconstructed in recent years with a striking interior of old-growth redwood and black walnut, and a fancy 1870s-era back bar, to hold forth today as an architectural icon under festive striped awnings. The annual blues festival and barbecue held in the courtyard is a sell-out every Labor Day weekend, when the hotel’s original 1902 piano gets a workout.
Across the street are the Lake County Wine Studio, a sophisticated art gallery and tasting room specializing in locally grown and vinted wines, and Oliveira Antiques, specializing in Western history and Americana. Powell’s Antiques is just down the block, and the 10,000-square-foot Vintage Antiques emporium has a monthly “first Saturday” parking lot sale.
In the Green Valley of western Sonoma County, the tiny village of Graton is loaded with history, wild gardens, and timeworn cottages; plus, art galleries, wine tasting salons, and antiques shops.
A Gourmet Ghetto in West County
On a winding, narrow road in the Green Valley of western Sonoma County, the tiny village of Graton is loaded with history, old gardens, and timeworn cottages. In just a block or so are also an impressive art gallery, wine tasting salons, two antiques shops, and an array of 19th-century false-front architecture reminiscent of a Western movie set.
Like an aging, yet dignified, dowager at the top of the town, the Graton Community Club is the glue that holds the community of about 1,800 together. A former chicken hatchery, in 1916 the building was hauled by horses to where it presides today, hosting teas, town hall meetings, election debates, and the biggest annual event in town, the Spring Flower Show, for which locals spend months growing vegetable seedlings and potted plants, and collecting white elephant treasures, for the show and sale. The other big event is the Graton Day Parade, a quirky convoy of decorated convertibles and flatbed trucks, and hometown bands, culminating in a street party, pet parade, and pie contest.
Those in the know about Green Valley wines, and foodies, come here for three nationally acclaimed restaurants, each just steps from the other on the main street. The Paul Mathew Vineyards tasting room is famous for pinot noir, while Bowman Cellars’ shiny Airstream trailer serves snacks to wine tasters as they relax in the gardens. After a day of enjoying the hidden pleasures of Graton, don’t fail to stop at Mom’s Apple Pies as you head back to civilization.
A major destination for ice cream aficionados, Guerneville is also a vibrant artists’ community, and the gateway to the diversions of the Russian River Valley.
Arts Alive in Guerneville!
As it has since a narrow-gauge railroad brought vacationers from the new city of San Francisco in the mid-1800s, a carefree “Summer of Love” Bohemian vibe continues to attract resident artists, and their patrons, to the little town of Guerneville in the Russian River Valley. Worth the scenic drive along the river are a vibrant restaurant scene, several lively nightspots, and the Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, where easy hikes and picnics under the tallest trees on the planet are likely on your bucket list. Guerneville also anchors a region of 50+ notable wineries within a 20-minute drive.
In a Victorian-era former bank on Main Street, Nimble & Finn’s is famous for exotic flavors like Maple Bourbon Bacon Brittle, Honeyed Peach, Rhubarb Crisp, Lavender, Meyer Lemon, and more homemade ice creams.
Art-lovers show up for the monthly “1st Friday Art Walk,” a lively celebration of art, food, wine, and local color (street buskers, too). The many galleries, as well as local eateries and shops, invite visitors in for snacks and wine, art-browsing, and chatting with the locals.