As part of a special partnership with Audi, the boutique hotel serves as a jumping-off point for exploring all that Northern California has to offer.
“If it grows together, it will go together. “
Travel to Healdsburg, California, a captivating city in Sonoma County located 70 miles north of San Francisco, and you’ll likely hear this credo repeated many times by the locals. It’s not just a saying that refers to the region’s varied microclimates and farmlands rich in succulent tomatoes, brilliant olives, a wide variety of wine grapes and thousands of other year-round crops. Everyone in this part of Northern California (which sits right at the meeting point of Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley and Alexander Valley) is aware of what “grows together,” especially when it comes to food flavors that will complement wine tastings and dessert pairings. But that philosophy is also a way of life for locals, whose vineyards produce grapes that account for six percent. of all the wine sold in California.
The idea, which links locals to the land with a unique sense of pride, has given way to a lot of industry, making this region an elegant but still low-key destination. New hotels, bars, and restaurants pop up along Mother Nature’s offerings, such as the majestic Armstrong Redwoods State Nature Preserve or Sonoma Coast State Park to the west. Sonoma County may not have been on your travel list last year, but save it for an upcoming long weekend or holiday getaway. Here are five places and reports you shouldn’t miss when traveling to this run-of-the-mill corner of NorCal.
Over the last decade, Healdsburg and the surrounding cities of Petaluma and Tomales have become vacation destinations in their own right, along with traditionally more popular places like Napa. Leading the way in Healdsburg is SingleThread, a 24-acre farm in Dry Creek Valley owned by chef Kyle Connaughton and head farmer Katina Connaughton, who make the produce and flowers (both edible and ornamental) for their inn and restaurant in the center, also called Single Thread. The husband and wife team divide the duties between the five-bedroom hotel, the farm and the sumptuous restaurant, which has 3 Michelin stars and offers an exclusive dining experience. After a sumptuous 20-course Japanese-influenced meal, such as wagyu beef tartare with radishes and pearl onions wrapped in a shiso leaf, visitors can retire directly to their upstairs rooms. Although the word “room” here is conservative. Each suite is luxurious, with high, handcrafted wood-beamed ceilings and a layout that provides plenty of sunlight. The spa-style tub, which includes a spoonful of freshly replenished salt each day, is a specific perk for busy workaholics looking to relax.
Inside one of the suites at the SingleThread Inn.
Inside the SingleThread restaurant, which has 3 Michelin stars.
The broadcast of “Late Spring in Sonoma” at the SingleThread restaurant.
Takiawase with vegetables.
In-room dining is even more luxurious, such as a full hot pot from your selection and a Japanese breakfast served at your suite’s dining table. This is a top-notch type of room service, which also includes top-notch hospitality. Don’t stop at the rooftop at sunset for a glass of pinot noir before dinner.
With rooms costing around a thousand dollars a night, a stay at SingleThread’s Inn rarely fits everyone’s budget. But all visitors to the domain can still revel in farm-to-table luxury at SingleThread Farm, where Katina personally leads the tours. It is a stimulating space, where you can take a tomato or strawberry directly from its stem and put it in your mouth. It’s also a reminder to get to know this fertile California domain. In fact, there’s nothing quite like exploring valley farms, winding forest roads, and cold, rocky coastlines in an Audi e-tron, the German automaker’s electric vehicle. Audi has a special partnership with SingleThread, so if you stay at the hotel you’ll have access to a set of wheels for yourself. Kissing the curves of majestic cliffs in an e-tron sedan is a bit like sailing on some other majestic planet.
An Audi e-tron on the grounds of SingleThread Farm.
The farm in SingleThread.
If you go to this Sonoma County route, you’ll have to see the redwoods at least once. Armstrong Redwoods Nature Reserve offers medium-intensity hikes with breathtaking views, as well as more trails for kids and families. There are also plenty of benches to grab a snack after the tour. Among the towering centuries-old trees, SingleThread will host a bento box-style picnic as part of their “Experiences” they offer to inn guests, where thermoses of miso soup and cups of homemade floral tea were offered. He fainted before the main dinner. Event: Making sushi rolls with all the toppings (including, of course, high-quality sashimi).
There are many wineries to choose from in this area, so you are spoiled for choice. One of our favorites is Aperture, which offers a 360-degree view of the wine production procedure from its sleek, modern tasting rooms. On the mansion-like outdoor terrace at Selling Sunset, you can enjoy a burst of wine while admiring the bountiful hills and valleys. Aperture’s winery straddles a barn that also serves as founder Jesse Katz’s workplace; launched Aperture in 2009 with a focus on Bordeaux and then opened the “Modern Winery and Hospitality Center” at the winery in 2021. Katz’s father is photographer Andy Katz, and his father’s photographs grace each and every bottles of Aperture wines. Live in the area and join Aperture’s Wine Club, giving you access to their fabulous diversity of delicious chenin blancs, taxis and much more.
On Shoreline Highway in Tomales Bay, about an hour south of Healdsburg, is Hog Island Oyster Farm, which serves lush, flavorful oysters to Northern California’s Bay Area. You can decide to live the “full pig” experience, visiting the surrounding services and beaches, shelling the oysters and, of course, also having them for dinner. You can also sit on one of the wooden benches at the hotel’s Boat Oyster Bar and enjoy a light seasonal menu of cooked or raw oysters, accompanied by jaw-dropping local specialties of charcuterie, cheeses, and seafood, as well as a variety of craft beers and wines. (If you prefer a quieter situation, check out Hog Island’s sister restaurant, Tony’s Seafood, down the street. )
Hop in your Audi e-tron and drive about 30 miles to Petaluma, California, home to the sprawling McEvoy Ranch, a 550-acre farm owned by one of the most important families in San Francisco history. Nan McEvoy, whose parents were the founders of the S. F. Chronicle newspaper, bought the land in 1990 and then shipped a thousand olive seedlings from Italy. She was determined to make the type of olive oil she had there a California staple. Thirty-four years later, the farm is known for its extra virginity and is still in operation, with olive groves and vineyards scattered throughout the property. When you first exit your vehicle upon arriving at McEvoy Ranch, you may feel like you’ve been transported to Tuscany. But an olive oil tasting on the ranch patio, overlooking the green hills of Marin County, will immediately remind you: this is NorCal.
This article originally published on August 6, 2024.