Hotel at a Glance: Vintners Inn

This Four Diamond Award–winning inn is run by vintners Don and Rhonda Carano, whose story in the Sonoma Valley began when they established Ferrari-Carano Vineyards about 30 years ago. With this getaway, you’ll get a tour of the Ferrari-Carano winery and a tasting at their Enoteca reserve wine-tasting bar. After an indulgent day in wine country, you can return to the inn and relax in front of the large stone fireplace in the communal den. Opt for an upstairs fireplace room to have a hearth of your own, plus extra-stylish touches such as vaulted ceilings.

• Guest favorite: TripAdvisor reviewers rank Vintners Inn the No. 1 hotel in Santa Rosa.
• Welcome to the valley: You’ll receive a complimentary split bottle of wine upon arrival.
• Room with a view: Guest rooms offer views of the vineyard, courtyard and fountain, or gardens.
• In-room amenities: private patio or balcony, down bedding, a small fridge, and complimentary WiFi
• Evening shift: The inn’s turndown service treats guests to fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies.
• Explore the vineyards on 2 miles of manicured trails designed for walking and jogging.
• Get pampered: This getaway comes with a $25 spa credit that you can use toward a massage or other treatment.
• Fine dining: You’ll get a $50 dining credit to John Ash & Co.,a restaurant on the property, as well as two-for-one breakfast vouchers to the onsite cafe.

Sonoma Valley, California: Relaxed Wine Country and Majestic Redwoods

Located about an hour north of San Francisco, the Sonoma Valley is best known for its wine. The mild climate here allows winemakers to grow cool-weather varietals such as pinot noir and chardonnay. But the valley has a varied landscape; some areas are prime for growing hot-weather vines, too.

Follow 17 miles of country roads that connect the sleepy hamlet of Kenwood to the Carneros appellation and you’ll find more than 40 boutique wineries, most small and family owned. Many are tucked amid oak forests and wildflower meadows. Compared to its neighbor Napa Valley (about 15 miles away), Sonoma feels a little more relaxed and remote: the wineries here are generally more secluded from one another than those in Napa, and tasting rooms tend to be less crowded, even on the weekends.

Even if you aren’t visiting for the vineyards, Sonoma Valley’s gentle climate and diverse natural landscape make it worth a visit. Hiking trails wind past redwood trees as high as skyscrapers, and popular excursions are canoeing on Russian River and sightseeing at the craggy Pacific coastline and its unspoiled beaches.

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