Page 168 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SPRING 2025 GRAND VOYAGE

I hadn’t even considered that I might
actually need a wellness reset come mid-
November. I had not imagined how election
results would confound and knot my spirit.
The more I picked at the knot, the tighter it
bound me. I needed to trade pajamas and
chocolate binges for a world that might
dissolve the dreary daze that had en-
veloped my psyche. I needed to exhale.
I went to Sonoma to chill, explore a few
new trails, savor exceptional food and wine
- but mostly to decompress my way to
wellness.
Sonoma County spans 1,768 square
miles – more than twice the size of neigh-
boring Napa County. The Sonoma Valley is
a 17-mile stretch snug between the Sonoma
Mountains and the Mayacamas. It’s home
to dozens of wineries and tasting rooms
and a few small towns. The town of
Sonoma, with a population of about 10,000
and roots that extend to the Spanish colo-
nial 1760s, is the heart of the valley.
It’s where I based – at the Sonoma Val-
ley Inn, a block or so from historic Sonoma
Plaza, within easy walking distance of
restaurants, trails and the spa I planned to
visit.
On my first afternoon, I hopped on an
electric trike to get the lay of the land. I
opted to let Howard Sapper, founder of
Pushpak Tours, do the driving.
We cruised deserted back roads along
rolling hills decked with endless rows of
grape vines – most still vibrant with red
and orange hues of fall. At one vineyard,
we sampled a few small dark grapes,
plump with sweetness, as we hiked to a
hidden pond tucked into a fold of the May-
acamas foothills.

Sonoma Plaza