Sonoma County Named Top Travel Destination in the World

Forbes magazine and travel guidebook Frommer's have both named Sonoma County one of the best places to visit this year. Here's what they had to say.


In 1875, horticulturist Luther Burbank referred to Sonoma County as “the chosen spot of all this earth.” 145 years later, he’s not alone in his views. In addition to locals and visitors with an affinity for this area, several publications are big fans. In recent years, Sonoma County has been featured in The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, The Evening Standard, The Sun, among others. And now, Frommer’s travel guidebook and Forbes magazine have both named Sonoma County one of the best places to visit in 2020.

Listing the top 20 destinations for 2020, including Rome, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, and Dubai, Forbes said Sonoma County “offer(s) all the elegance of Napa without the crowds,” and added that, “following a string of wildfires, this resilient Wine Country enclave is open for business.”

The business magazine recommended wine tasting at Copain Wines in Healdsburg and The Donum Estate in Sonoma, as well as visits to the Sonoma International Film Festival (March 25-29) and the Sonoma Speed Festival (May 28-31). Hotel Les Mars in Healdsburg and MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa in Sonoma (which was recently named one of the best new hotels in the world) were also mentioned in the article.

Frommer’s, a travel authority for more than 60 years, highlighted Sonoma County in their annual roundup of “best places to go.”

“In 2020, we’re trading the overtouristed for the overlooked,” said Frommer’s staff writers, who “went looking for less-trampled places that nevertheless have no shortage of culture, adventure, food, and scenery.”

Sonoma County was voted the best destination in the world by Frommer’s readers, and was featured with The Bahamas, Papua New Guinea, Buenos Aires and Greenland, among other top travel destinations. It’s “an ideal setting for a classic wine country holiday … but with a diversity that sets it apart from most winelands: wild rivers and rustic cabins, spas and saddles, redwoods and Peanuts,” said Frommer’s.

If you’re planning a visit to Sonoma County in 2020, here are a few guides that will help you plan your trip:

Best Sonoma Wineries for First-Time Visitors 

Best Sonoma Restaurants for First-Time Visitors 

20 Favorite Hikes in Sonoma County

20 Things to Do by The Russian River

The Best Hidden Gem Restaurants in Every Sonoma County Town

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