OUR RECOMMENDED FAVORITES

There are two questions that almost every guest asks us when they check in or make a reservation at the Glenelly Inn. The first is, "What do you recommend for dinner?" The second question is, "What is your favorite winery?" As a result of these two most FAQ's we have put together a list of "Glenelly Favorites" to help you when planning your trip to Glen Ellen and the Sonoma Valley Wine Country.

In November the leaves on the grapevines are changing color, the mornings are crisp and the crowds are gone. Nights are cool enough for a cozy fire and the days are warm enough for exploring the outdoors. Whether on vacation or visiting friends/family in the area, the Glenelly Inn is the perfect spot for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Or, if you want to "bring" your family to the wine country, one of our private cottages or homes is the perfect gathering spot to whip up a Thanksgiving feast. The Inn rooms come with a full hot breakfast (of course!), a cozy common room with stone fireplace and the traditional bed and breakfast atmosphere. Our cottages and homes which are listed under Glenelly Properties offer very private accommodations with fully equipped kitchens, fireplaces, hot tubs/pools, TV's, and all of the comforts of home.

Another favorite pleasure of ours in the Sonoma Valley in the Fall is Oak Hill Farm. This little shop carries seasonable, locally harvested merchandise including dried bay leaf wreaths, garlic braids, chile pepper wreaths and fresh cut sunflowers to name a few of their items. If you visit us in the Fall, you can't pass up visiting Oak Hill Farm!

The Spring is our other favorite season here in the Sonoma Valley. The vineyards are sparkling with rows of bright yellow mustard and the hills are splashed with purple lupine and California Poppies. The days are often warm and the nights are cool. Two favorite local events during early Spring are the "Heart of Sonoma Valley Barrel Tasting", the third weekend in March, and "April in Carneros" which is typically the third weekend in April. This community event gives tourists a chance to visit the wineries at the southern end of Sonoma County in the Carneros region.

In the Spring, the busy season hasn't begun so wineries, shops, restaurants and lodging facilities are less crowded. In other words, you can visit the Valley without being on a rigid schedule!!! Restaurant reservations are usually not necessary and most B&B's and hotels have availability. You can take each hour at a time and play it by ear. The wineries, shops and restaurants are open rain or shine. And, rain or shine everything will be in bloom! You can soak in our in-ground spa in the garden while inhaling sweet jasmine or enjoy your own private hot tub at one of our private retreats.

FAVORITE WINERIES

Benziger Family Winery: The best tour, in a tractor pulled-tram, out into the vineyards; informative yet fun and un-stuffy; beautiful setting; excellent wines. In addition, the Benziger’s sister winery, Imagery Estate on Highway 12 is well-known for its art collection.

The Wine Room: an eclectic sampling of many small wineries’ wines are available, in a nice tasting room atmosphere and a lovely picnic area; wines you normally would not find readily.

Chateau St. Jean, St. Francis and Valley of the Moon wineries: very beautiful grounds and picnic areas; newly remodeled, very elegant tasting rooms.

Kenwood Winery: one of the friendliest tasting room staffs around and excellent wines.

Kunde Estate Winery: cave tours, beautiful setting against the hills, with lovely outdoor pond-side picnic area, premium wines.

Ledson Winery: the “castle”, which speaks for itself; good picnic items and decent wine.

Matanzas Creek Winery: unusual and delicious wines; off the beaten path, in a very beautiful setting, with luscious lavender gardens and products.

Buena Vista Winery: the Valley’s oldest winery; lot’s of history and gracious old buildings; shady picnic area; good wines.

Bartholomew Park Winery: one of the only that still hand-press, lovely picnic area, very interesting history and the production of County Agoston Harazsthy’s villa, plus access to a 3 mile hiking trail in the hills above Sonoma…a little something for everyone here!

Viansa Winery: on Hwy. 121, on your way either into or out of the wine country; incredible picnic items; great wines; Tuscan villa on a hill overlooking a wild fowl preserve.

Gloria Ferrer: on the same route as Viansa, Sonoma Valley’s only Methode Champenoise Winery; interesting tours and a lovely setting.

Mayo Family Winery: Glen Ellen’s newest tasting room, offers spacious wines and longer hours than average, a perfect capper for your wine tasting day with doors closing at 6:30 p.m. Mayo family has also expanded the experience with a unique food and wine pairing room in Kenwood, available by reservations.

Kaz Winery: eccentric, eclectic small tasting room, friendly staff with an unforgettable experience while tasting their flavorful wines.

Robert Hunter: by appointment only; sparkling wine and garden tours. Group lunches are available.

For customized limousine tours and all your transportation needs while in the Wine Country, we recommend Beau Wine Tours. We would be more than happy to book your tour for you as well! www.beauwinetours.com :: 1.800.387.2328

FAVORITE RESTAURANTS

At the top of MY list, you will always find the Glen Ellen Inn. Consistently excellent service, ambience, wine and food. Chef Christian Bertrand calls it “California Confusion”. I call it superb! They’ve now added a Martini and oyster bar as well!

The girl and fig….also a wonderful and nationally acclaimed restaurant with country French food and Rhone style wines, in the old Sonoma Hotel on the Plaza. Its “sister” restaurant, the fig café, is here in Glen Ellen. It features more casual bistro style food that is quite delicious, no reservations, friendly and knowledgeable staff!

Saffron…another intimate little restaurant just down the road from the inn features wine country cuisine with a French influence. The cassoulet, when they have it, is to die for!

Della Santina…my favorite Italian restaurant in Sonoma with homemade pastas, spit roasted meats, incredible desserts and charming setting.

Saddles…a great steakhouse and great martinis too, at MacArthur Place in Sonoma!

Kenwood Restaurant…Chef Max is a classic continental chef. Everything in his restaurant is always impeccable!!! Great tartare, meats, specials all beautifully presented.

Vineyards Inn .... a Bar & Grill! A casual, local favorite in Kenwood, featuring Spanish style tapas and incredible fresh local & Hawaiian seafood among the extensive Spanish offerings of steaks, sautees, Paellas & pastas. You must give Chef Steve's weekly specials a try. One of the valley's best hidden secrets! The staff is friendly, and there is a great bar, always populated by interesting people, where they turn out delicious margaritas with a full bar & local wine list. Enjoy dining under the grape arbor in the large covered patio as well as by roaring fire in the winter. Large groups can be accommodated. (website)

Garden Court Café…their slogan is “If you leave hungry, it’s your own fault!” and that is true. Excellent breakfast and lunches with an occasional Friday night special dinners.

The Wolf House, the restaurant has a nice creekside setting and a nice menu for lunch or dinner, attached to the historic Jack London Lodge, Glen Ellen's own funky local bar, which TVs tuned to all the sports games, good bar menu and a great pool table!

In the Jack London Village…Olive & Vine, great for catering needs and wonderful lunches & picnics; Unwind, a new tapas bar by the owner of Olive & Vine. Also in Jack London Village for mid-day sampling or goodies to take home, stop by Raymond & Co. Cheesemonger for unusual artisan cheeses, Figone Olive Oil (their lemon olive oil is wonderful, I use it all the time!) and Wine Country Chocolates for out of this world truffles! www.winecountrychocolates.com

Just across the street is Eric Ross Winery's tasting room as well. And, just opened, the Bluegrass Bar & Grill, with good BBQ, great sides, a full bar, warm & friendly staff and outdoor creekside patio for dining when the weather is warm. www.bluegrassbarandgrill.com

Glen Ellen Village Market is THE place to go for picnic supplies. They have everything, including a great deli & cheese selections. Nice wine assortment also.

Mary’s Pizza Shack…has good home-made old fashioned pastas, pizzas, and salads, in a comfortable setting. Great people who make you feel right a home. Very kid friendly!

There are many other good restaurants in the area-the menus are in the basket in the Common Room. It’s hard to find bad food here!

BEYOND EATING AND DRINKING

If you would like a spa experience away from the inn, there are several to choose from in the area, all offering different experiences. My favorite is the Beauty Sanctuary Day Spa right here in Glen Ellen. Denise offers manicures, pedicures, massage, skin care and even has someone who can do "wedding hair". The products they use are all natural and organic - they were recently featured in Organic Spa magazine. Visit www.beautysanctuary.net for more information!

Jack London State Park: the author's home in the last years of his life; fascinating museum, the ruins of Wolf House, his grave site, and great hiking trails on the Beauty Ranch side of the park.

Sugarloaf Ridge State Park: more serious hiking trails, offering incredible open vistas of the valleys.

Sonoma Plaza: for history from General Vallejo's time, including a walking tour of the Plaza led by the General himself; delicious restaurants, like Maya, Della Santina, Swiss Hotel, El Dorado Kitchen, Café La Haye, Meritage, Deuce (OOPS! There goes that food thing again); cheese sampling; art galleries; and "boutique" shopping, the "Plaza" area offers it all. The Tuesday night Farmer's Market ( April through October) offers all of the Valley's bounty and often, good music. New in town is Sonoma Segway, and new and interesting way to tour Sonoma.

The newly refurbished Morton's Warm Springs Resort is a wonderful spot to spend the day basking in the sun, picnicking and cooling off in one of the spring-fed swimming pools or in the swimming hole in Sonoma Creek. They are open every day during the summer (Memorial Day through Labor Day and sometimes beyond) except Monday and also schedule special events and classes and is ideal for corporate retreats.

For the young and young at heart - Sonoma's Train Town - a miniature railroad (with cars large enough for adults to ride in too) and village, petting zoo, rides, including an old fashioned carousel and Ferris wheel, among others, in 10 acre "park" - a place from days gone by to while away a morning or afternoon. Good pizza place (Pizzeria Capri) next door!

For an incredible selection of country arts & crafts, furnishings, quilts, bath products, garden decorations and schmaltz, you must visit Jonathan's Farmhouse and Swede's Feeds on Highway 12 in Kenwood.

The best antique shopping, I think, though not in Sonoma Valley, is in Sebastopol, along the Gravenstein Hwy. (116). There is a plethora of antique dealers there, you can find almost anything!

A great day trip is to drive to the Russian River (take the River Rd exit off 101 in Santa Rosa), to Guerneville. Stop at the Armstrong Redwood Forest. Then continue on River Rd (116) to Highway 1. Head south on 1 for a beautiful drive to Bodega Bay and have lunch or an early dinner at The Tides Wharf. Come back through the town of Bodega (where Hitchcock's The Birds was filmed) and come back through Petaluma's dairy country.