Coupon code website Wethrift recently released a list of the top 10 U.S. cities that offer luxury experiences at an affordable price. The August list included two Sonoma County cities — and Sonoma ranked No. 1.
According to Travel + Leisure, the Wethrift study looked at 956 Michelin-starred and Bib Gourmand restaurants as well as 348 luxury hotels across the country to come up with the 10 most affordable cities with 5-star experiences.
Seven of the cities on the list are located in California, and three of those are in the Bay Area. Healdsburg is No. 10 on the list and San Francisco comes in at No. 6.
“Sonoma is the cheapest city for a 5-star experience, with an average restaurant price of just $43.75 and an average hotel price of $518,” the Wethrift team stated in their findings. “In Sonoma, you can enjoy restaurants such as Valley, then stay a night over at the Cottage Inn & Spa.”
Valley Bar + Bottle, also known as Valley, made it on our list of the best restaurants in Sonoma County this year. Favorite dishes here fall under the $40 mark — like the half chicken ($38) and the crispy rice cakes with ginger-scallion sauce ($14).
The best restaurants list also includes Sonoma’s Bloom Carneros, where everything on the dinner menu is under $30. We recommend the Tacos Dorados ($19): crispy rolled vegan tacos with sweet potato puree, avocado, salsa, cabbage and spicy pickles.
In terms of where to stay, Sonoma Creek Inn ranks as one of Wine Country’s best bargains. Additionally, Wethrift noted The Cottage Inn & Spa, on First Street, has the cheapest rate for “250 square feet of charm.”
Healdsburg, No. 10 on Wethrift’s list, is known for its upscale, high-price restaurants like Valette and SingleThread. But there are also some more affordable Healdsburg eateries, such as the Downtown Bakery, Otoro Sushi and the Wurst Restaurant.
Find more places to eat, sip and stay on a budget in Healdsburg and Sonoma here.