Get Outdoors In Sonoma County This Fall

Hidden Beaches, Redwoods, and Zipline Treehouse Stay in Sonoma County

Sonoma Canopy Tours

From hidden hike-in beaches and picnic spots to sensational redwoods, sunsets, and sweeping views, along with a brand new zipline-to-treehouse stay, here are five of the best ways to explore outdoors in Sonoma County.

Redwoods Rendezvous

Shhh … it’s so quiet among 33 hidden acres of towering redwoods tucked just west of Occidental. Bring a picnic and hike a 1-mile loop among redwoods reaching 225 feet. The Grove of Old Trees is sublime, with autumn’s sunlight filtering through the trees and covering the gnarled roots of the old redwoods. Keep an eye out for great horned owls nestled in branches. Bonus Treehouse Adventure Stay: Nearby get your adrenaline flowing with a brand-new Sonoma Treehouses Adventure, and other fun ways to “zip” through the outdoors day … and night!

Sonoma County Trip Ideas

Santa Rosa on a Roll

Santa Rosa’s Spring Lake and Howarth Park border each other to make more than 500 acres of open space, encircled by trails, dotted in picnic spots, and featuring two shimmering lakes. Enjoy it all on an easygoing 4-mile bike ride. Start from Spring Lake Regional Park’s main parking area and within 2 miles you’ll arrive at Lake Ralphine, a good spot to relax and watch kayakers and paddleboats glide across the lake. Keep riding; you’re halfway done. It’s just a short climb before heading back down to Spring Lake. Eat & Drink Bonus: Santa Rosa’s Historic Fourth Street is closed to vehicles in favor of plentiful outdoors strolling and dining. See muralists working on beautiful creations as you pass by local artisan shops and eateries. Grab a patio table at Russian River Brewing or any number of restaurants offering al fresco dining and drinks.

Sonoma County Trip Ideas

Make Time for Tolay

Hidden in the hills south of Petaluma, Tolay Regional Park is 3,400 acres of wide-open space, with a network of hiking and biking trails. Thank the co-management efforts of Sonoma County and the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria for preserving and protecting this land. There’s a lovely 5-mile (round-trip) hike or mountain bike ride connecting the Causeway Trail to East Ridge Trail and ascending to a beautiful panorama of the North Bay, including Mount Tam, San Pablo Bay, and the Richmond Bridge.

Sonoma County Trip Ideas

Hidden Hike-In Beach

Hike in to Pinnacle Gulch Beach in Sonoma County

Bodega Bay has all kinds of hidden gems, including beaches. One of the best is reached via a half-mile hike tucked in the quiet Bodega Harbor golf course community. The Pinnacle Gulch Coastal Access Trail leads to its namesake beach, with soft sands and sea stacks that soak in late-day sunlight. This is a nice beach towards sunset when the shore takes on a periwinkle glow.

Sonoma County Trip Ideas

Picnic by the Pacific

Bodega Head Trail is a 2-mile coastal loop trail along hulking cliffs overlooking the drama of the Pacific Ocean, with spiky sea stacks and distant fishing boats. It also has a tranquil side, with views of the placid and pristine Tomales Bay and Bodega Harbor. Lone benches dot the landscape. At about a quarter of a mile on the trail, find a solo picnic table for a front-row view of the scenery. Tip: Pick up provisions at the Tides Wharf Fish Market, the Birds Café, Spud Point Crab Co., or Ginochio’s Kitchen (best brisket sandwich you’ll ever eat).

Sonoma County Trip Ideas

Where to Lodge

From boutique hotels and inns to tent-cabins, lodges, and more, find places to stay in Sonoma County (Farmhouse Inn and Boon Hotel + Spa pictured above).

Where to Stay

Safe, Happy , and Kind Travels!

Sonoma County outdoors safe travel

Sonoma County Tourism is committed to a safe travel experience. Local businesses follow strict health and safety protocols, and visitors are encouraged to review the Safe Travels Promise: Be Smart. Be Kind. Stay Healthy. Keep Safe. As a Destination Stewardship Organization, Sonoma County welcomes all visitors and invites them to make a positive impact on the well-being of its thriving local communities, abundant experiences, and stunning natural landscapes. Consider signing the Travel Kindly pledge to share your love of Sonoma County.

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  1. Picnic and a Pedal

    West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.

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  2. Hike the Oursan Trail alongside Briones Reservoir in the East Bay

    Opt for Oursan

    Hike the trail less traveled in the East Bay's Briones Regional Park. The Oursan Trail is pure serenity on a wide hiking path skirting the northern shores of Briones Reservoir.

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  3. Most Peaceful Hike of All

    Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.

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  4. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

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  1. Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

    The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

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  2. Lace Up for Lacy

    Lacy Park in San Marino is a hidden gem that may very well be the most pristine green space in greater Los Angeles, and a concealed pair of nearby stairways makes it all the more appealing.

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  3. Hiker amid trees at Oak Glen Preserve in Yucaipa Southern California

    Apple of Your Eye

    That fall feeling is definitely in the air and on display at the Oak Glen Preserve. Apple orchards and colorful leaves are a bonus, as are the apple cider donuts and slushies you can enjoy post-hike.

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  4. Hike San Diego Volcan Mountain Wilderness

    Planet of the Oaks

    Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.

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