Grapes aren't the only things growing here. For proof of this, spend a few hours at the Healdsburg Certified Farmers' Market, open on Tuesdays and Saturdays during most of the year. Another way to tour the local countryside is by picking up a copy of the Sonoma County Farm Trails map at the Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce office. Celebrating the sustainable agricultural diversity in Sonoma County, Farm Trails member properties are open to the public for tours, samples and/or sales.

For a small town, Healdsburg is gateway to an exceedingly rich array of outdoor diversions. It's surrounded by hills, trees and vineyard-lined valleys, and a river runs right through it. Canoeing along the Russian River and bicycling along country roads each offer fresh-air recreation and are extra fun when combined in paddle & peddle tours offered by local outfitters. There are two golf courses in the immediate area, one a few blocks from the town plaza that is rumored to have been designed by none other than Alister MacKenzie. Fishing is great on the Russian River (trophy-size steelhead) and also on nearby Lake Sonoma (bass, trout). Hiking and hot air ballooning are two more ways to enjoy Healdsburg's great outdoors.

Another exclamation point to the phrase "surprising Healdsburg" is the local restaurant scene. Clustered around the town plaza and radiating outward are more than 20 restaurants of remarkable quality and diversity. Many of San Francisco's finest kitchens are supplied by Sonoma County farms and ranches, illustrating the bounty of locally and organically grown or raised fruits, vegetables and meats from which Healdsburg's chefs get first choice to work their culinary magic.

Even though it's day-trip close to San Francisco, Healdsburg is a great place to spend a night… or two. Accommodations from budget to deluxe are represented, and Healdsburg is well-known to Californians for its many charming bed & breakfast inns.

Additional attractions and things to do in Healdsburg include the Healdsburg Museum (a treasure of local history and lore), day spas where pampering is definitely in, treasure-chest antique shops, and of course the tree-shaded town plaza, a great place for a picnic lunch or an afternoon ice tea.

Healdsburg exemplifies the sophisticated spirit of the California Countryside. The city has a great Website where you can start to plan your visit; see the Info Box for contact details.

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