Located in Sonoma County, California, Healdsburg is just an hour away from San Francisco.
With a quaint downtown and stunning countryside, this chic town is the perfect spot to spend a few days in California.
In recent years, Healdsburg has undergone significant changes and has been progressively drawing visitors from all over.
If you want to experience farm-to-table cuisine, a fascinating history, intriguing art, and beautiful music, look no further and plan your next visit to this town.
Interested to know more about this city?
Here are the 25 best things to do in Healdsburg, California:
Walking Through the Wine Road
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Tasting wine is indeed delightful, but walking through the Wine Road is definitely an experience only a few people experience.
Also, it is going to hit differently if you are a wine lover.
Strolling through some of the most breathtaking trails is definitely going to be a fulfilling experience.
Along with the aesthetically rewarding journey, you are more than likely to meet many original and devoted winemakers who will explain the extraction process and the making of these wines in great length.
Visitors can also even drop into these local wine houses and get a taste of them.
Wineries and lodging are open in Healdsburg all year long, so you don’t have to worry about that.
Do Some Wine Tasting Around the City
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With more than 19 estate wineries throughout the town, Healdsburg is a haven for wine lovers.
With decorated wine tasting rooms at every block, customers have a lot to choose from.
If you’re a wine lover, you may go over to different wineries in the city.
Indeed, you’ll have fun there.
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When it comes to the Healdsburg countryside, one thing comes to mind: it’s both peaceful and picturesque.
Winding rural roads through vineyards, framed by woodland and mountain ranges, seem to paint a song on our hearts.
Take romantic hand-holding rides through sentinel redwoods and across grape valley vistas on Dry Creek and Alexander Valley Roads!
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After touring different wineries, you may want to sober up at Taste of Tea.
It’s a tea store where you may sip, slurp, dine, and even apply tea on your face.
It’s a tea room, restaurant, and spa all rolled into one, with a wide range of loose tea leaf varieties from across the globe, a variety of Japanese cuisine that employ tea as an ingredient, and a small spa area that uses tea to cleanse the skin and calm the body.
Tea connoisseurs will delight in the wide variety of high-quality teas available for consumption in the shop or to take home, while food enthusiasts will find enough to eat on the menu as well.
Salmon-flavored and grilled rice balls in Kyoto Bancha tea with wasabi caviar and pickled plum and cucumber salad are specialties served with Salmon Ochazuke at a restaurant.
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The Healdsburg Museum and Historical Society preserves photographs, artifacts, and documents that are witnesses to the town’s rich history.
The building has been included in the US National Register of Historic Places.
The museum also hosts special themed exhibitions funded through various donations and loans.
Having an online digital library of 19,000+ photographs, it also increases its access to historical newspapers of all the local areas.
For local history and genealogical research, its Research Centre can be made use of only via appointments.
The museum opens from 11 am – 4 pm.
The entry is free for the public from Wednesday to Sunday.
Have Fun at Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach
This beach has proved to be a worthy picnic spot, as it provides a perfect swimming and sunbathing spot for the summers.
One can sunbathe on the sandy beach and swim in the Russian River.
And as a cherry on top, paddling is available on the beach.
Note, though, that visitors can bring their leashed dogs only to the lawn, and alcohol is prohibited on the beach.
Wheelchairs are provided, and the onsite staff helps the visitors throughout the process.
Parking is available at the beach, but remember to be as early as possible, as it gets filled pretty quickly.
Go Olive Oil Tasting at Different Shops
Tasting the fine wine of this town is just the starting point.
While you are here, remember to taste some fine olive oil.
The top shops offering olive oil tasting services are Figone’s Olive Oil Company, McEvoy RanchThe Olive Press At Jacuzzi Family Vineyard, B.R. Cohn Winery, TrattoreFarmsDaVero Farms And Winery, and Jordan Vineyard And Winery.
Be sure to check these places out if you’re the sort of person who loves wines.
Taste Amazing Cuisines Around
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Healdsburg has quite a history of its own, which has undoubtedly impacted its food.
Some of the local dishes have survived through the test of time and have become the iconic local dishes of the town, which is definitely mouth-watering.
If you are into experimenting, we highly recommend having a taste of some of these local dishes.
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Throughout the year, the Healdsburg Community Band puts on a fantastic show, particularly during the holidays.
The group’s members are accomplished musicians from the area who are passionate about music and eager to share the abilities they’ve developed over the years with a wide range of people.
It all began in 1981, when Milt Brandt, a renowned nature-conservationist who has performed with the band for decades, joined the ranks.
To meet the band’s other responsibilities, many of which focus on the town’s growth and prosperity, they perform once a month.
In some instances, if you bring an instrument, they might even let you join in and play.
Blackberry bushes proliferate throughout Healdsburg.
Berry-laden bushes cover rural roads, encircle certain parks, and crisscross pathways and nooks along the banks of rivers and other waterways.
You’ll discover luscious, juicy blackberries in plenty at every turn.
You won’t need much help from the locals if you’re meandering about, munching on some as you go.
If, on the other hand, you’re hoping to snag a tiny catch of these delightful morsels, you should come prepared.
It’s just one of those natural delights prevalent in Healdsburg during July and August.
Explore the Hand Fan Museum
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Established in 2002, The Hand Fan Museum of Healdsburg is the only hand fan museum in the United States.
Exhibiting a collection of more than 2,500 hand fans, the museum is an icon in itself.
The hand fans displayed here have survived through centuries and evolutions of styles.
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The museum gained a prestigious milestone when its collection was featured in the book “Fantastic Fans.”
In the year 2010, the museum was shifted to the H2hotel.
Using the attached conference room, the fan museum now hosts lectures and free art classes for the local schools.
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With a scenic view and serene quietness, this park is open all year round for visitors.
For 74 years, the area was managed by a volunteering board, but was dissolved over time, and the Sonoma County Regional Parks took over the land in 2016.
You can visit the Russian River Beach and Fitch Mountain, which are just a walking distance away from the park.
Bird watching, fishing, and wildlife watching are some exciting activities that can be enjoyed here, which are fun and educational in a certain way.
The park is open from sunrise to sunset.
Parking facilities are available here, and using a stairway, you can travel to the gravel beach in no time.
Get Lost in the Healdsburg Ridge Open Space Preserve
The ridge, which was once just an ordinary jungle-like land, was developed in 1996 to preserve the lands that now make up Healdsburg Ridge.
The district was allowed to buy the land outright in 2003, which shaped The Healdsburg Ridge Open Space Preserve as we know it today.
The ridge covers an area of 155 acres, but it is an abode of a wide range of groups of flora and fauna, including grasslands, chaparral, woodlands, and even wetlands.
Deers and rabbits can be found in quite a large number, which attracts predatory animals like lions and bobcats.
Do Some Cycling Tours at Dry Creek Valley
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Interestingly, the Dry Creek Valley is on the list of the greatest casual biking routes in the world.
Traveling through some of the beautiful wine yards, listening to the splashing waters of the river while cycling with your pals is a tour that will be worth every penny you spend.
With the help of agencies that offer cycling tours, one can easily enjoy the incredible, quiet road where every spin brings a picture postcard view.
You can choose the type of bike you want, be it the Standard Trek hybrid style or an Electric one.
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Admire the Spectacular View on Gallery Lulo
A gallery of contemporary artworks, Gallery Lulo promotes art in the form of sculptures, designs, fine art, and jewelry.
It celebrates artists from all over the world who explore form, material, and technique in progressive, unique ways.
The curated art is then displayed in a space that is ethereal, to say the least.
If you want to find some unique items to decorate your home, Gallery Lulo might be a perfect place for you.
From diamond rings to coral bowls, you can find your perfect decoration among the many compelling artworks.
Wander Around the Healdsburg Centre for the Arts
The Healdsburg Centre for the Arts promotes the artwork of every kind through its many exhibitions, events, and educational programs.
Formerly known as Plaza Arts, it is a non-profit organization that promotes, creates, and inspires artists from all around the globe.
With a history spanning 26 years, this center hosts Summer Art Camps after-school programs and runs many exhibitions throughout the year.
Visitors can attend the center on Sunday, Monday, and Thursday from 11 am to 5 pm, while on Friday and Saturday, the schedule is from 11 am-6 pm.
The HCA is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
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Famed for their cakes, desserts, and sourdough bread, the Costeaux French Bakery is a must-visit for every tourist, especially if you happen to be a bread-lover.
Since 1923, the bakery has continued to be the favorite destination of locals and international visitors.
You can stop at this French-inspired bakery from Wednesday to Sunday from 8 am-1:30 pm.
Do note that the bakery is closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Stroll Through the Healdsburg Recreation Park
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With a landmass of a whooping 4 acres, the Healdsburg Recreation Park is a fantastic place to visit.
With a lighted field that is a ground for games like soccer, baseball, and football, much is going on here.
Visitors can purchase snacks from an available concession stand.
The park also comes included with an enclosed grandstand for the audience.
Furthermore, it also serves as a community ground for local events, high school competitions, and graduation ceremonies.
Explore an organic farm, olive grove, and vineyard surrounding Healdsburg, home to a food sampling company called Savor Healdsburg Food Tours.
Customers may taste food from six locations on the Gourmet Healdsburg Food Tour while learning about the city’s cuisine, its ingredients, and its chefs, as well as its long and rich culinary heritage.
Some dining locations are Bravas, Cafe Lucia, and Costeaux French Bakery and Cafe, where you can get artisan bread and tapas from Spain and Portugal.
This iconic plaza was built in the 19th century and currently has an extensive array of shops.
This plaza has everything you will need, such as wine shops, great restaurants, and even grocery stores.
Set in the very heart of downtown, it is a wonderful place to explore on.
Among the notable shops in the plaza is Studio Bel Vetro that sells handcrafted furniture and lighting items.
Or you may head over to Cupcake to purchase clothes for going-to-be-moms.
And if you have a child by your side, Cupcake has a cute kitchen for children, where your little one can spend some time playing while you shop in the plaza.
Purchase any book you want at Levin & Company and see the collection of used vinyl records.
Upstairs you can find a room where book signings are hosted by the bookstore.
In response to the overwhelming response to their muffins and macaroons, the young entrepreneurs of Moustache Baked Goods in Healdsburg decided to branch out and build a traditional pie and ice cream business nearby.
Its guiding principle is to utilize only foods from nearby farms and to prepare everything from scratch.
It occasionally employs almost-forgotten culinary techniques and recipes and uses grains like faro and buckwheat.
Try the Salted Caramel Mississippi Mud Pie, one of its fantastic legacy pies.
Its ice cream flavors, which vary every day, are also exceptional.
Suppose you’re in Healdsburg around the middle of summer and are seeking activities that aren’t related to wine.
In that case, you shouldn’t miss Healdsburg Jazz Festival.
The annual Jazz Festival is one of the fascinating events in Healdsburg, including a wide variety of talented musicians performing in various venues.
Each year, from the last weekend in May through the first weekend in June, Healdsburg Plaza hosts the festival.
Each year, our summer evenings become infused with the remarkable abilities of some of the world’s top jazz musicians.
They travel from as far away as San Francisco to perform here.
Most evenings, a gentle, whimsical serenade of music fills the Italianate architecture around Fountain Square.
You may also have dinner while listening to one of these incredible musicians perform at one of the many local restaurants.
Preston Farm and Winery has been a family-run business in Healdsburg’s scenic Dry Creek Valley.
This 125-acre property lies between a winding creek used for salmon spawning and a quiet section of the old wagon path that formerly connected the area to the nearest town.
Running for 45 years, it has shifted from mainly producing wine to producing various products, from grapes to vegetables to olives to grains to grazing cattle.
Besides producing award-winning wine, the estate has an organic farm stand and a bakery with a traditional wood-fired oven.
Seasonally, you may get olive oil pressed on the property, whole-grain bread, pickles, farm-fresh fruit, and wines.
The well-maintained Giorgi Park is a lovely green space for all ages.
While you play a match on one of the two well-maintained tennis courts, the kids may run about in the wonderfully landscaped children’s park.
You can focus on perfecting your serve thanks to the new courts and shaded fence surrounding them.
However, keep an eye on your kids in the play areas that wrap around the courts.
The park also features a variety of fun, engaging, and safe amusements and a nice small barbeque area with semi-shaded seating under a modern-style gazebo.
Rejuvenate your body and soul, strengthen your bonds with loved ones, and rediscover your appreciation for the outdoors at Wildhaven Sonoma.
It has the perfect combination of natural beauty and modern conveniences.
The glamping at Wildhaven aims to keep visitors connected to the spectacular natural splendor of Sonoma County without sacrificing any of the comforts or hygiene.
Large safari-style tent cabins feature all the basic amenities, including mattresses with sheets, lights, and heaters.
Enjoy more than simply a roomy and convenient tent cabin during your stay at Wildhaven.
Modern restrooms and showers include an outdoor cooking area, exclusive riverfront beaches, plenty of open space and scenic vistas, a gift shop with regional specialties, and a private event hall.
Wildhaven Sonoma also holds a variety of fun activities like wine tasting, yoga, and live music within its 10-acre property.
What to do in Healdsburg for families, couples, and singles?
There are hundreds of options available!
Food, wine, and good times with friends—if you’re planning a trip to Northern California based on those phrases, you’re in for a treat.
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