A Excellent Day Journey Itinerary to Guerneville, California

In case you’re on the lookout for the proper little Northern California getaway that feels worlds away however remains to be completely doable in a single day, Guerneville is looking your title. This funky, woodsy city tucked into Sonoma County’s Russian River space has all of it: towering redwoods, quirky attraction, and a few severely scrumptious meals. 

Right here’s precisely how I spent the perfect day journey to Guerneville (and sure, it entails mini golf and ice cream!).

Need Fast Particulars? Right here’s a snapshot of an ideal day journey itinerary:

• Seize Sandwiches at Piknik
• Picnic + Hike Amongst Giants at Armstrong Woods
• Play a Spherical at Guerneville Pee Wee Golf
• Store + Stroll Downtown
• Pre-Dinner Cocktail at El Barrio
• Dinner at Trillium
• Ice Cream Dessert at Nimble & Finn’s
• Make it an Overnighter at boon resort + spa or Highlands Resort

Guerneville Day Journey Itinerary

Seize Sandwiches at Piknik

First cease? Lunch! We popped into Piknik, a gourmand deli that additionally doubles as a boutique for cute residence items and native finds. Since we have been heading to Armstrong Woods, it felt like destiny that that they had an Armstrong Woods Sandwich on the menu. It got here stacked with hen salad, currents, cashews, apple, garlic aioli, and greens on hearty whole-grain bread.

Excellent picnic gasoline! (Additionally, I’ll or could not have been tempted by their Guerneville trucker hat—it’s that cute.)

Picnic + Hike Amongst Giants at Armstrong Woods

Sandwiches in hand, we drove simply a few miles down the highway to Armstrong Redwoods State Park. The picnic tables close to the doorway are tucked proper into the redwoods, so we ate lunch actually surrounded by giants—it doesn’t get higher than that.

Afterward, we wandered alongside the Pioneer Nature Path (a straightforward 1.6-mile loop). Highlights? The Colonel Armstrong Tree, a jaw-dropping 1,400-year-old redwood that’s 308 toes tall, and the Forest Theater, a pure amphitheater the place performs are typically carried out. 

Play a Spherical of Pee Wee Golf

Okay, hear me out: mini golf in Guerneville is an expertise. Pee Wee Golf & Arcade is funky, nostalgic, and delightfully bizarre—in one of the simplest ways potential. Constructed within the late Nineteen Forties and 50s, the course has stored a lot of its retro attraction, however the brand new homeowners (a candy native household) are lovingly restoring it.

Sure, it’s somewhat crumbly in spots, however that’s what makes it so enjoyable. Plus, they’ve added extras like ping pong, corn gap, and BBQ areas.

Store + Stroll Downtown

Downtown Guerneville could also be small, however it’s mighty. Don’t simply persist with the primary avenue—wander down the facet roads too.

A number of of my  favorites:

• Books & Letters: A comfy bookstore with an outdated neighborhood typewriter the place you’ll be able to go away somewhat message (how charming is that?).
• Fife Creek Antiques & Collectibles: This store is full of the whole lot from retro data and classic jewellery to Native American artwork, vintage glass, and quirky backyard décor.

Pre-Dinner Cocktail at El Barrio

Subsequent up: cocktails. El Barrio is a mezcal, tequila, and bourbon-focused cocktail lounge with main model factors. Assume Mexican tiles, colourful decor, moody lighting, and one of many coolest bar bogs I’ve ever seen (sure, you learn that proper).

I had the Rosita gin cocktail, which was completely balanced and stuffed with taste. Sturdy, clean, and precisely what I needed earlier than dinner.

Dinner at Trillium

For dinner, head to Trillium, a comfy spot with an oyster bar and wine bar. Their menu leans into seafood, salads, and inventive small plates, plus a pleasant collection of native wines.

We ordered the Ahi Poke with sesame oil, cucumber, and chili crunch (so contemporary and flavorful) and the Stuffed Focaccia Pastrami Sandwich, layered with provolone, roasted garlic, sauerkraut, and arugula. I may eat that focaccia each single day of my life.

Be aware: One other great spot for dinner is Boon Eat + Drink. You actually can’t go incorrect with both of those.

Ice Cream Dessert at Nimble & Finn’s

No good day journey ends with out ice cream, proper? Nimble & Finn’s, positioned within the fantastically restored Guerneville Financial institution Membership, is the place I received my candy repair.

The flavors are playful and inventive—lavender honeycomb, rose cardamom, passionfruit caramel—alongside classics like chocolate and vanilla. I went for the Peanut Butter Chocolate Damaged Cone and let’s simply say… zero regrets.

Between the classic financial institution setting and the handmade small-batch ice cream, it’s the sweetest technique to wrap up a day in Guerneville.

Make it an Overnighter

In case you resolve to show your Guerneville day journey into an overnighter (which I extremely suggest!), you’ve received some unbelievable choices that I like to recommend. 

boon resort + spa is a contemporary, adult-focused boutique retreat tucked among the many redwoods of the Russian River Valley. It’s the type of place that blends reasonably priced luxurious with whole rest—suppose lounging by the solar-heated saline pool, sipping native wine whereas taking part in garden video games, or cruising to city on one among their signature orange bikes. You’ll be able to even unwind with a therapeutic massage at their on-site spa or simply cozy up in your room with natural linens and a vinyl document spinning within the background.

One other nice alternative is the Highlands Resort, a quiet, adults-only getaway surrounded by towering redwoods. It’s strolling distance from downtown Guerneville and Johnson’s Seashore, however it appears like a peaceable hideaway. Mornings begin with a home made continental breakfast—contemporary granola, breads, fruit, and native Flying Goat espresso—and the foyer is stocked with native wines and snacks for later.

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