At first glance, it hardly looks like the beginning of a sea-urchin foraging expedition: a circle of 40 people on the grass pretending to be kelp, feet rooted to the ocean floor, swaying from the knees up in the current, arms elastic like stalks, heads bobbing. It could be a flash mob reviving the ’60s dance sensation “The Swim.”

“Wave your kelpy arms all around as your back warms up and your arms warm up,” says teacher Ryn Sullivan, who, along with colleague Ricardo Romero Gianoli, leads curious landlubbers into the ocean for Fork in the Path, a Berkeley-based company that curates wild-food foraging adventures throughout the Bay Area.

It’s a late Thursday afternoon alongside the Fort Ross State Historic Park parking lot, not far from a sheltered cove where briny treasure awaits at low tide. “Now we are sea urchins,” Sullivan beckons, encouraging everyone to squat down on the sea floor of grass.

Earlier, a puzzled park ranger stopped by to take in the scene. “You guys have a pretty big group—what’s going on?” he asked a would-be forager.

They’ve come from miles around—some as far as Connecticut and Los Angeles, others as close as Occidental and Sebastopol—a ragtag band of foragers all in search of the notorious purple sea urchin. Martin Wobig drove over an hour from Santa Rosa to learn to harvest a creature he’s never actually tasted, although he’s seen uni on the menu many times at sushi restaurants. “I’m curious to see what they taste like. I mean, they’re gonads, so that’s the initial thought,” he says, grimacing slightly. “But they’re supposed to be a delicacy.”

There’s something about the spiny, round marine invertebrate that draws people in. Maybe it’s the forbidding exterior or the salty sweet interior that is the roe. Or maybe it’s the hard-to-fathom stories of how this seemingly innocuous little creature is directly responsible for the destruction of more than 95% of the kelp forest along the North Coast. It turns out climate change and the centuries-long mass hunting of sea otters have left the hungry sea urchins without any natural predators. To convey the impact, Sullivan asks people to imagine a similar outcome on land. “What if the redwood forests just disappeared overnight? That’s kind of what happened with the kelp forest. But people can’t see beneath the water, so we’re trying to give them that same kind of scale and understanding.”

The marching orders are clear as Sullivan, who uses gender neutral pronouns, tells everyone, “We can take 35 sea urchins per person today. All together in our 40-person class, that is 1,400 urchins removed from this tidal ecosystem, which takes some pressure off the reef.” Their hope is that starving urchins off the coast, where the kelp once grew, will come in and fill the void, and the next round of foragers will remove them, creating a continuous cycle of population reduction.

On a mission, the harvesters—some decked out in expensive waterproof gear from head to toe, others in jeans and hiking boots—gather their bags and makeshift tools, and off they go, hiking down to a cove where a minus tide has exposed glistening tide pools rich with aquatic life.

Long before the Russians ran aground in this same inlet in the late 1700s, later building Fort Ross trading post in 1812, the Kashia Pomo harvested sea urchin and abalone here for as long as anyone can remember. Their nearby village of Metini moved every few years so they didn’t deplete natural resources in one area. At the time the Russians settled, Metini was a little to the east of the fort, closer to Highway 1.

“For Kashia, we are from the ocean,” says Anthony Macias, Cultural and Tribal Preservation Officer for the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of the Stewarts Point Rancheria. “We have a lot of contact with the ocean. It’s been with us since the beginning, you know, since Creator made us.”

Most often, they ate sea urchin raw. Occasionally, they would dry it by curing the roe over a fire and saving it for a snack later. They also used urchin roe in fish traps made from willow branches.

But that all changed when the Russians arrived. Driven by greed and an endless demand for hats and coats, fur traders nearly wiped out the entire North Coast population of sea otters by the end of the 19th century. According to tribal lore, the Pomo tried to warn them about driving the sea otter to regional extinction. “To this day, everything we have said has come true,” says Macias.

As a boy he pulled abalone from the sea, many more than a foot long. “Now we can’t hunt our abalone because of what happened to the ocean—how it got depleted, how we lost the kelp forest, how we’re even losing seaweed.”

In 2015, when the Kashia Pomo regained nearly 700 acres of their ancestral land near Stewarts Point, it was the year after what many scientists call “a perfect storm” was set in motion. In 2014, an El Niño heat wave raised water temperatures around 10 degrees above average. Soon after, a lethal bacteria began infecting sea stars—especially the sunflower sea star, the only other major predator of sea urchins after the sea otter. The sea star wasting disease spread quickly, from Mexico to Alaska, destroying around 99% of the sunflower sea star population in Sonoma County. Left unchecked and without predators, purple sea urchin populations exploded, increasing to around 60 times their average number, voraciously devouring more than 95% of the bull kelp forest along the Northern California coast.

Over the past decade, myriad volunteer groups have taken to the ocean to try to curtail the rampant spread of urchins. Sullivan, the Fork in the Path guide, volunteers with the Purple Urchin Removal Project (PURP), free diving to collect and remove urchins in Stillwater Cove, 4 miles north of Fort Ross. And Gianoli is a member of the Caspar Cove Project, a team of divers who have an emergency permit to destroy purple sea urchins in designated waters off the Mendocino coast.

“Diving underwater, all you see is just this barren landscape like Mars or like a deforested plain,” says Maya Munstermann, a marine ecologist working toward her Ph.D. while studying purple sea urchins and kelp forest restoration at the UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory. “It’s weird because there’s no shade. The bull kelp provided all the shade. Now, under this wide-open bright light, you see urchins all over the ground, all these purple spines and nothing else.”

Urchins typically gnaw away at the kelp’s base, the holdfast that roots its long trunk or stipe (often 100-150 feet long) to the seafloor. Once detached, kelp plants drift away to die, leaving vast urchin barrens covered with starving “zombie urchins,” barely sustained by algae and seaborne nutrients. Without much food, their roe shrivels up—to the point where unlucky harvesters crack open the shell to find hardly any food inside.

But Munstermann is working with fellow marine ecologist Dr. Dan Swezey on an “urchin ranching” project that will hopefully create a rich uni pipeline for restaurants and provide jobs for the Kashia Pomo, a non-gaming tribe. Last year, as part of a grant to restore the kelp forest, the tribe teamed up with commercial divers and several marine science organizations to remove tons of sea urchins off the coast near Shell Beach in The Sea Ranch. A team of Pomo divers is currently in training. For now, they’re turning the high-calcium urchin remains into compost for farmers. But, by next year, they hope to have an aquaculture facility in place to farm both urchins and abalone—a shellfish of great cultural and spiritual importance to the Pomo. Eventually, the goal is for tribal divers to collect tons of empty, starving urchins from kelp forest restoration sites, fatten them up in about two months with a special diet (including kale, carrots, and cabbage), then sell them to local chefs.

“The big vision is for it to support the ocean restoration and to also be that critical piece that’s missing, which is traditional food,” says Swezey, director of oceans and aquaculture for the Kashia Pomo. “This is something that is valuable to the people. If we’re going to be removing tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of urchins year after year to restore kelp forest, the tribe feels a lot better about making use of that resource for food rather than just compost.”

Back in the Fort Ross tide pools, the class of newbie urchin wranglers are trying to do their small part in the restoration process, hoping to reach their limit in the last hour of daylight. Sullivan’s advice to “sneak attack” the urchins and come at them from the side, seems to be working. “You want to twist,” they tell everyone. “You don’t want to pull it off. You want to push to the side. Straight off is how they’ll suction themselves back to the rock.”

Adam De La Montanya, of Healdsburg, makes the most of a stainless steel frosting spatula to pry urchins off the rocks. “I snagged it without my wife knowing,” he says, later explaining how one of his daughters wrote a long letter to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife encouraging them to focus more on reintroducing sea otters along the North Coast.

Nearby, Serena Ingre is using a three-pronged garden rake to claw urchins from the rocks. She drove up from Berkeley with her husband, Sean Gibson, who has memories of melt-in-your-mouth uni in Tokyo sushi bars. But after tasting one mid-harvest, he declares, “It’s best fresh out of the ocean.”

How would he describe it for the uninitiated?

“Silky, a little buttery, but also salty at the same time.”

But Kenny Guay from San Francisco isn’t so sure. “It’s not as strong as I thought it would be coming right out of the ocean,” he says, after cracking open an urchin.

His girlfriend, Jen Goza, seems unfazed. This day has been on her bucket list for years. “Honestly, I started eating more purple sea urchins because of the overpopulation,” she says. Goza is hoping to raise awareness by sharing tales of her adventure. “I’m telling everyone, ‘Look what I did. It’s fresh from the California coast.’ This is a way to be more mindful of our surrounding habitat and how we as humans can try to help.”

It’s the same philosophy that inspired the Mendocino County Purple Urchin Festival. A conscious effort to rebalance the coastal ecosystem is also behind everything from branded Urchinite marbled table- and countertops made from crushed sea urchins to fabric workshops, titled “Help the Kelp: Create Natural Dye with Sea Urchins,” led by artist Margaret Seelie.

Also trying to do their part, local chefs up and down the North Coast often forage for purple sea urchin to bring back to the kitchen, or specifically order purple instead of red urchins from their seafood distributors. Traditionally, the prized uni at sushi restaurants—which can fetch more than $200 for an extravagant uni rice bowl at fish markets in Japan—comes from the red sea urchin, not the purple. But there’s been a push over the past decade to get the purple urchin on local menus. Part of the trick is finding chefs willing to tell the story and come up with creative ways to encourage their guests to try it.

At The Sea Ranch Lodge, not far from Shell Beach where the Kashia Pomo are hauling out urchins by the ton, executive chef Ryan Seal makes a popular uni carbonara with purple sea urchin foam, pancetta, and squid ink pasta sprinkled with katsuobushi (skipjack tuna flakes). The kitchen goes through nearly a pound of uni roe—around 60-80 urchins—every night it’s on the menu.

“We’re not using it because it’s weird. We’re using it because we should and need to, to keep the other sea life around us growing and happy,” says Seal, who foraged for purple urchin when he was cooking at the now-closed Sacred Rock Inn in Elk. A mile down the coast, chef Matthew Kammerer has been known to pluck urchin from local waters for his two-Michelin-starred Harbor House Inn, making tempura-fried maitake mushrooms and fried crispy mustard leaves topped with purple sea urchin roe.

But Seal might win the prize for most creative and unlikely urchin dish: Behold “the Banuni”—a surprise starter with roasted banana sorbet, conjuring notes of caramel, but also slightly savory, similar to a plantain, topped off with what he describes as “the fresh ocean taste” of uni.

At a recent conference in San Francisco, Swezey talked with seafood industry experts about challenges they face marketing purple urchin to new customers. “Many people think it tastes sweeter,” he says. “But the market sort of wants this mango, yellow-orange color and purple urchin roe sometimes looks like that, depending on what they’re eating, but it also looks a little bit different sometimes.”

Purple urchin can display more of a light yellow, he says, and sometimes less desirable “gray twinges” depending on diet. Red urchin are also more meaty and larger in size on average, and hold their shape a little better.

“If we can kind of get over this size thing—like maybe you could combine a couple gonads from a purple urchin and make a bigger piece that is as appealing—the flavor is there,” Swezey says.

When David Hopps, chef and owner of Izakaya Gama in Point Arena, gets a batch of purples with less than perfect roe, he often uses the uni as a thickening agent in pasta sauce, blitzing it down with cream and shallots and serving it over thicker noodles sprinkled with chives.

When he’s not serving it raw as sashimi, Hopps likes to wrap it in a shiso leaf, fry it in tempura batter, and serve it with a dipping sauce. But his favorite uni dish might be layered on top of chawanmushi, a savory egg custard. “It’s the counterbalance of the sweet umami to a really savory umami of the egg custard itself,” says Hopps, who tries to keep purple urchin on the menu about half the year.

The problem with foraging, he says, is the often unpredictable yield. “I’ve had great days where you go out and get like 50 sea urchin and you crack them and they’re all perfect,” says Hopps. On other days he says he can crack 100 and get less than what he could purchase from a seafood purveyor with much smaller investment of time. Occasionally, he wanders down to the Point Arena pier when a dive boat is offloading excess urchins and they’re giving them away.

“When you do get great purple sea urchin, I think it’s just as good, if not better, than the red sea urchin. It’s sweeter,” says Hopps, who often fields questions from tourists curious about the latest news on purple urchin and the local ecosystem.

As night falls on the cove near Fort Ross, the class gathers on the beach beneath the spotlight glow of headlamps to learn how to clean their urchins. Gianoli teaches them to use small scissors to remove the hard five-toothed mouth on the bottom, known as Aristotle’s Lantern, to gain access to precious urchin innards. Then he demonstrates how to run a finger along the inside lip of the shell to dislodge any other teeth gripping the uni flesh. After making a smaller, circular cut around the opening of the shell, and a little more finger prying, he dunks it in a small bath of seawater, then shakes the uni into his hand—something that’s easier said than done.

Under a beach tent, the instructors fire up a hearty miso soup over a gas burner, chopping green onions to sprinkle on top. They offer handrolls of seaweed and rice so guests can top it with fresh uni, and Sullivan explains how to make uni butter at home.

Amid sounds of cracking and grunting, people try their best to wrestle open the brittle shells and unearth the gooey prize. Finally, the moment of truth—the first slurp everyone has been working toward. But not everyone agrees on the taste.

“It’s interesting, but I’m not sure I would go, ‘Wow!’” says Martin Wobig, a first-time harvester and taster from Santa Rosa. He compares it to a soft cheese, more sweet than salty.

A few feet away, Max Aukes is celebrating his 6th birthday with his family. After straining to “take out the mouthpiece” and open the shell, how would he sum up the taste?

“Slimy, yet satisfying,” he says with a big grin.

Another way to size it up: “It’s salty, ocean-flavored butter,” says Keeley Waite, who drove up from Sausalito for the day. “But if you don’t like oysters, you’re not gonna like this.”

No matter what they think about the taste, everyone in the class can agree on one thing: The cautionary tale of the sea urchin, the sea star, and the kelp forest is impossible to ignore. It makes you want to join in and lend a hand, even if it’s just pulling three dozen sea urchins from the millions of spiny invertebrates blanketing the ocean floor.

“It’s nice to engage in a way that doesn’t feel extractive,” says Vanessa Wilbourn. The singer and bass player in the popular folk-rock trio Rainbow Girls is back for her second time, bringing along a friend visiting from Connecticut. “I feel like we’re actually working to bring some measure of balance, or at least that’s what I hope is happening.”

The post Bay Area Locals Are Helping To Save the Coast From Purple Sea Urchins appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Quite possibly the most popular “hair of the dog” drink, the bloody mary is an American icon. While its origins are debated (various bartenders claim to have invented it in early 20th century New York City), as is its name (Queen Mary or actress Mary Pickford?), there’s no doubt that this spicy libation is a go-to when one needs a “healthy” booze-laden start to the day after a long night out.

So what’s in a classic bloody mary? Vodka, tomato juice and a combination of other spices, many of which remain secrets to the bartenders who create them. After a lot of hard research, we present to you the best bloody marys in Sonoma County. From the town of Sonoma to the coast, discover where to find our favorite hangover cure.

Sonoma Grille, Sonoma

Back when bartender Steve Ney joined Sonoma Grille, he brought his famous bloody mary recipe with him from his prior employer, as well as his “secret ingredients.” A supply of spices and mysterious sauces goes into the housemade mix, which is coupled with Hanson habanero vodka and topped with chilled jumbo tiger shrimp. Cult followers call the bloody mary “superb” and “possibly the best bloody mary I’ve ever had.” 165 W. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-938-7542, sonomagrilleandbar.com

Washoe House, Petaluma

The iconic roadhouse in Petaluma is famous for more than just the prime rib, fried foods, and business cards and dollar bills stuck on the ceiling. They’re also known to be a great spot to suck down a bloody mary. Opt for the top shelf and enjoy a bloody mary topped with an assortment of garnishes like shrimp, bacon, pepperoncinis, olives and pickled green beans — all the necessities for a hangover cure. Pair with fried calamari and you’ll be doing just fine. 2840 Roblar Road, Petaluma, 707-795-4544, thewashoehouse1859.com

The Shuckery, Petaluma

Leave it to The Oyster Girls at Petaluma’s The Shuckery to concoct a seaworthy hangover cure: mini bloody mary oyster shooters. A fresh oyster is suspended over a short glass of a classic bloody mary. 100 Washington St., Petaluma, 707-981-7891, theshuckeryca.com

Ausiello’s 5th Street Grill, Santa Rosa

Settle in for Sunday football with a burger and a spicy bloody mary at one of Santa Rosa’s favorite pubs, Ausiello’s 5th Street Grill. “Best bloody marys in town,” said one fan, who joins many pub-goers to enjoy Ausiello’s take on the cocktail. Served in a mason jar, it’s made with Tito’s Vodka and house bloody mary mix, and topped with a huge slice of bacon and pickled veggies. 609 Fifth St., Santa Rosa, 707-579-9408, ausiellos5thstreetgrill.com

Grossman’s Noshery & Bar, Santa Rosa

The New York-style deli, restaurant and bar in Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square puts a Jewish spin on the classic cocktail. Its “Bloody Maury” is made with house bloody mary mix and a choice of vodka, gin or tequila, with an everything spice rim and garnish of house pickles. Plus, Grossman’s serves unique, housemade infused vodkas, such as horseradish, dill pickle and Sichuan peppercorn. 308 Wilson St., Santa Rosa, 707-595-7707, grossmanssr.com

Healdsburg Bar & Grill, Healdsburg

A casual get-together spot for families and friends, the Healdsburg Bar & Grill (known locally as HBG) is also a gathering spot for bloody mary enthusiasts. “Delish,” is how one fan describes the HBG Bloody Mary, which is made with the classic vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire and hot sauce and finished with a salted rim. 245 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-3333, healdsburgbarandgrill.com

Acorn Cafe, Healdsburg

As Healdsburg’s preeminent brunch destination, Acorn Cafe serves a delicious bloody mary. The Acorn Bloody Mary is made with house mix and Manzanilla Sherry and garnished with fresh and pickled veggies. Order alongside the avocado toast or breakfast sandwich for the ultimate hangover helper. 124 Matheson St., Healdsburg, 707-955-7001, acornhealdsburg.com

Fern Bar, Sebastopol

The cocktail wizards at Fern Bar serve up a killer bloody mary for those who like a healthy dose of spice in their drink. The bloody mary is made with vodka, tomato, gochujang, Sriracha, sambal (spicy chili paste), katsuobushi (smoked and fermented skipjack tuna flakes) and “Fres-Yes” hot sauce from Sonoma County-based Hot Drops. 6780 Depot St., Suite 120, Sebastopol, 707-861-9603, fernbar.com

Rocker’s Roadhouse, Valley Ford

Oysters and bloody marys go hand in hand at Rocker’s Roadhouse in the hamlet of Valley Ford. Served in a mason jar, the bloody mary is made with house mix and vodka-infused soju and topped off with pickled vegetables. Rocker’s also offers a Tomales Bay oyster shooter: a house bloody mary paired with a chilled Miyagi oyster on the half shell. 14415 Highway 1, Valley Ford, 707-876-1983, rockeroysterfellers.com/roadhouse

Rocker Oysterfeller’s at the Wharf, Bodega Bay

Rocker’s seaside sister, Rocker Oysterfeller’s at the Wharf, has its own take on the classic cocktail. Also served in a mason jar with a spiced-salted rim, the “bayside bloody mary” includes vodka, house mix and pickled vegetable garnish. 595 Highway 1, Bodega Bay, 707-772-5670, rockeroysterfellers.com/rockersatthewharf

Hanson of Sonoma

Too hungover to get dressed or rather enjoy a bloody mary in the comfort of your home? The family-owned organic vodka distillery Hanson of Sonoma sells a $55 bloody mary cocktail kit that can be picked up at its Sonoma location or shipped right to your door. The kit comes with a recipe card, lemon juice, a bottle of bloody mary mix from Sonoma Gourmet, and your choice of Hanson’s original, habanero, Meyer lemon or cucumber vodka. Order online. 22985 Burndale Road, Sonoma, hansonofsonoma.com

Honorable Mentions

HopMonk Tavern: 691 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-935-9100; 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol, 707-829-7300, hopmonk.com

Brother’s Cafe: 3135 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-541-6345, brotherscafesr.com

Sax’s Joint: 317 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma, 707-559-3021, saxsjoint.com

The Twins Restaurant: 572 E Cotati Ave., Cotati, 707-242-3075, thetwinsrestaurant.com

The Parish Cafe: 60 Mill St., Healdsburg, 707-431-8474, theparishcafe.com

Russian River Pub: 11829 River Road, Forestville, 707-887-7932, russianriverpub.com

Sarah Stierch and Maci Martell contributed to this article.

The post The Ultimate Guide to The Best Bloody Marys in Sonoma County appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

There was a time when kids and Wine Country was not a great pairing. But that is changing. A new breed of family-friendly wineries are welcoming wine-loving parents and their (well-behaved) offspring for some fun in the vineyard — children sipping grape juice while parents relax, wine in hand.

Here are some of the most kid-friendly wineries in Sonoma and Napa counties.

Sonoma County

Francis Ford Coppola Winery

One of Sonoma County’s most famous family-friendly destinations, Francis Ford Coppola Winery has an expansive pool for an afternoon of fun in the sun. Wine and food is delivered to parents poolside, while kids can play bocce and board games. A museum inside the winery features props from Coppola films like The Godfather and Dracula. Reservations required for pool access. 300 Via Archimedes, Geyserville, 707-857-1400, francisfordcoppolawinery.com

Preston Farm & Winery

This cat-friendly winery (leave your dog at home) has gardens, bocce and sheep, in addition to the cats that live on the property. If you’re lucky, your little one can help bottle-feed a lamb. Bring a picnic, pick up one of the winery’s famed Rhône wines, and enjoy the rustic, old-world charm of this west county spot. Don’t miss the farm shop, which sells fresh farm-grown produce. 9282 W. Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-433-3372, prestonfarmandwinery.com

Larson Family Winery

The Larson family has been farming land in the Carneros region for over 120 years. After they started making wine in the 1970s, they turned their farmhouse into a family- and pet-friendly destination. Bring a picnic and enjoy an afternoon of wine tasting in the sun. Larson Family Winery offers bocce, cornhole and other kid-friendly games and has an expansive lawn that makes for a great location for a game of tag. 23355 Millerick Road, Sonoma, 707-938-3031, larsonfamilywinery.com

Landmark Vineyards

Founded by the great-great-granddaughter of John Deere, Landmark Vineyards has created a family-friendly environment at its Kenwood and Hop Kiln estates. After rounds of bocce ball at either property, parents can relax with a picnic and wine tasting while the kids play in the grass. 101 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood; 6050 Westside Road, Healdsburg, 707-833-0053, landmarkwine.com

Benziger Family Winery

It’s not just in the name. Benziger Family Winery is truly a family operation; generations of Benzigers have been raised on the property, known for its organic and biodynamic wines. The winery tour is a must for any first-time visitor to Wine Country. Kids and adults love riding the tram through the property while learning about agriculture, as well as biodynamic and organic winemaking practices. Sheep and cows make appearances along the route and the tram even travels into the wine caves. 1883 London Ranch Road, Glen Ellen, 707-935-3000, benziger.com

Cline Family Cellars

Founded in 1982, Cline Cellars is a family-run winery that offers unpretentious tasting experiences in an updated farmhouse, outdoor cabanas and by a pond. Kids will love the property, and parents the wine. Take a guided tour through the estate to the barrel room, where guests can learn about the history of the winery. Or, pack a picnic to enjoy pondside after a self-guided walking tour of the historic ranch, where the family can meet the winery’s resident donkeys and other farm animals. 24737 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, 707-940-4044, clinecellars.com

Buena Vista Winery

Founded in 1857, Buena Vista Winery is the oldest commercial winery in California. The historic property offers wine tastings for adults and an educational and interactive experience for kids. Schedule a tour guided by period actors, who will guide your family through the winery, including the old wine caves and the historic Wine Tool Museum, which features a colorful multimedia presentation that feels like a blend between Wine Country and Disneyland. Don’t miss the hedge maze and the giant crocodile. 18000 Old Winery Road, Sonoma, 800-926-1266, buenavistawinery.com

Napa County

Castello di Amorosa

The closest thing to Disneyland in Napa Valley, Castello di Amorosa is a 121,000-square-foot replica of an Italian castle from the Middle Ages. It took 15 years to build and even a bored 15-year-old will be impressed. Book a guided tour, which features everything from gargoyles and knights in shining armor to a dungeon and an opportunity to meet the winery cats. There are also peacocks, sheep, chickens and other farm animals. Kids can sip grape juice (included in their $25 general admission ticket) and color their hearts out in their own play area while parents enjoy vino. Please note: Strollers are not allowed inside the winery. 4045 St. Helena Highway, Calistoga, 707-967-6272, castellodiamorosa.com

Sterling Vineyards

Sterling Vineyards offers yet another family-friendly experience in northern Napa Valley. The winery is only accessible via an aerial tram, which takes visitors 300 feet from the ground to the mountaintop estate. Upon arrival, kids will receive age-appropriate backpacks filled with a drink, snack and game. After a self-guided tour of the winery, parents can enjoy wine tasting overlooking Napa Valley. Please note: Children are welcome at the “Sterling Stroll” and “Tour and Terrace” experiences, but the tasting experiences in the Hilltop areas are strictly 21 and over. 1111 Dunaweal Lane, Calistoga, 800-726-6136, sterlingvineyards.com

The River Club

Founded by two local family-owned wineries, Belong Wine Co. and Paper Planes Wine Co., the newly opened River Club welcomes children and pets (be sure to meet estate dog Peaches on your visit) to its cheery, laid-back tasting room space, nestled on the edge of the Napa River. Parents can sip Pinot Noir and Mourvèdre while taking in expansive river views, as the children play games, read books and color with provided art supplies in the kids’ corner. A kids’ snack pack is also available for purchase. Tastings are just $25 per person, and the next-door River Studio offers equally affordable riverside grub. 101 S. Coombs St., Napa, 707-234-5814, exploretock.com/riverclubnapa

Grace Yarrow and Maci Martell contributed to this article. 

The post 10 Kid-Friendly Wineries in Sonoma and Napa appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Early each Friday and Saturday morning in summer, Lana McIntire rolls a cute-as-a-button, Barbie-pink cart in front of her Bodega Bay home and plants signs along Highway 1, pointing beachgoers and coastal cruisers to her summertime-only sweet stop. “I feel like people see pink and think dessert,” says McIntire.

The mom of two launched her Nom Nom Cakes bakery cart last summer to supplement her year-round custom cake business. It was an instant success. It also happens to be Bodega Bay’s only bakery.

Laden with cookies, tarts, and McIntire’s signature cake jars, the sweet car is just a short detour into a residential neighborhood a few minutes’ drive north of town. The clientele is a mix of neighbors, day-trippers and tourists staying in nearby vacation rentals, who pull up, browse the shelves, and peek into the cart’s two refrigerated coolers in search of the perfect dessert.

The Nom Nom cart operates on a self-serve, honor-based payment system, accepting cash or Venmo. Since cell service in the area can be spotty, McIntire posts her Wi-Fi password to help customers pay online. She is usually nearby in her home — happily baking, and ready to bring in sweet reinforcements when supplies run low. McIntire notes that the cart often sells out on busy holiday weekends.

McIntire, a Los Angeles culinary school graduate with experience in high-end restaurants in L.A. and Las Vegas, moved to Sonoma County in 2014. Here she draws inspiration from seasonal fruits and rotates her cart menu each weekend. Her summer cake jars feature flavors like brown sugar peach, vanilla blackberry, and strawberry crunch. “I make my own strawberry crunch with Golden Oreos and freeze-dried strawberries,” she says. “It’s like that strawberry ice cream bar on a stick.”

That dessert is one of her most popular along with peanut butter cheesecake and a treat called the millionaire bar — a buttery shortbread crust layered with rich salted caramel, chocolate ganache, and a light sprinkling of sea salt. “It’s almost Twix on steroids,” says McIntire.

This summer, McIntire has added charcuterie boxes as a savory option, perfect for a beach picnic. Packages of homemade pancake mix are another new addition, tailored for travelers staying in the many Airbnbs in her neighborhood. Those temporary guests inspire some of the little extras she includes on the cart, like gift bags, candles and cake toppers — an instant party for those celebrating a special occasion. There are also s’mores kits and reusable marshmallow roasting sticks. As of June, the cart carries copies of her new, self-published cookbook, “Sweet Creations: Crafting Your Dream Desserts.”

McIntire has become a bit of a celebrity in her seaside town. On a trip to the post office just before opening for the season, three different people recognized her as “the dessert cart lady” and shared stories about their favorite treats. “To have three people at the same time recognize me, I was like, wow,” she says. “I’m thankful that people support my small business and the good things we’re trying to do.”

The Nom Nom Cakes bakery cart is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Friday and Saturday from May through September. Check the Instagram page, @nom.nom.cakes, for menu updates.

Nom Nom Cakes, 390 Calle Del Sol, Bodega Bay, 805-350-0680, nomnombaking.com

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From dramatic waterfalls that tumble onto the beach to peaceful redwood groves hidden along fern-lined trails, Northern California offers some of the most stunning places in the country to pitch a tent. That’s according to a recent article from travel website Matador Network, which highlighted 60 of the most scenic campsites across the United States. Among them, two standout destinations — Wildcat Campground in Point Reyes and Van Damme State Park in Little River — represent the rugged natural beauty of California’s north coast.

Both campgrounds made the cut in the site’s West Coast roundup for offering more than just a place to stay. With striking landscapes and immersive access to the wilderness, they’re ideal for campers looking to unplug and reconnect with nature.

Marin County

Wildcat Campground, Point Reyes

Perched on windswept coastal bluffs with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, Wildcat Campground offers an unforgettable backcountry camping experience. It’s one of the few places where campers can hike to a secluded beach and watch a waterfall, Alamere Falls, plunge directly onto the sand. Accessible only by foot, Wildcat features eight walk-in sites spaced apart for solitude, surrounded by rolling meadows that burst with wildflowers in spring and early summer. During migration season, lucky visitors may spot gray whales breaching offshore.

Hiking distances to the campground vary depending on trailhead, but expect to trek at least 5.5 miles one way. There are vault toilets and water access on site, but no campfires are allowed. Advance reservations are required year-round. 1 Bear Valley Road, 415-464-5100, nps.gov

Mendocino County

Van Damme State Park, Little River

Nestled in a quiet canyon just south of Mendocino, Van Damme State Park blends coastal access with ancient forest immersion. While the main campground offers drive-in sites, the best experience is found along the Fern Canyon Scenic Trail, where five walk-in campsites sit beside a babbling brook in dense redwood forest. It’s only a 2-mile hike to reach them, but the atmosphere feels far removed from the modern world — perfect for campers seeking peace and quiet without a long backcountry trek.

Van Damme is also home to pygmy forests, tidepools and beach access. Amenities are available at walk-in sites and reservations — especially in peak season — can fill quickly. 8001 Highway 1, 707-937-5804, parks.ca.gov

For something a little closer to home, we found the best springtime camping spots in Sonoma County.

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When you live in Sonoma County, you’re never lonely for out-of-town visitors. Family, friends, college roommates, even casual acquaintances are all eager to catch up with you and take in all that the region offers.

Now through New Year’s is high season for house guests, with the number of invading out-of-towners larger than the kids’ gift lists. For local hosts, it can be a challenge deciding where to take restless visitors, especially those on a budget. Farm-to-table restaurants and taquerias are a given. Winery tasting rooms? Natch.

Go any direction in Sonoma County, and you will wind up somewhere intriguing. You’re never far from good food, natural beauty and wine tasting. But with so many choices, we’ve creamed off a few foolproof excursions that will fill up a day and make your guests’ stay in Sonoma County more memorable.

Click through the gallery for a four-day itinerary that includes some not-so-obvious explorations of Sonoma County, guaranteed to please your guests as much as you.

Meg McConahey contributed to this article. 

Day 1: Into the Armstrong Woods and to the coast

Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve in Guerneville is a great place to introduce visitors to the natural superlatives of Sonoma County. Magnificent, 1,200-year-old Sequoia sempervirens, commonly known as coastal redwoods, tower in a way that makes humans feel very small and very serene. Redwoods are among the natural wonders of the world and among the planet’s oldest living organisms. And they’re an easy drive from anywhere in the county.

The Armstrong reserve features a 1½-mile, ADA-accessible trail, making this an easy outdoors experience for everyone in your group. Arrive early and with jackets to combat the marine chill. At 7:45 a.m., you’ll find an empty parking lot and the quiet woods, sans Segways and smartphone selfie-taking hordes. By contrast, visitors to Marin’s Muir Woods have to make a reservation.

After an hour among the gentle giants, depart as the parking lot begins to fill. Those arriving have had their breakfast, so now it’s time for yours. Coffee Bazaar in Guerneville provides house-roasted coffee and pastries. Or drive a little farther west, along the Russian River, to Duncans Mills’ Gold Coast Coffee and Bakery.

Founded in 1877, Duncans Mills is a quaint station on the way to the coast from the river towns, with a charming general store and a depot museum next to where the Northwestern Pacific Railroad once ran. If you still have Christmas shopping to do, then Duncans Mills is a good place to browse. Don’t miss Jim Raidl’s Jim and Willies, a real curiosity shop of quirky antiques and curios with a friendly proprietor.

On the road again, continue west. For some sea air and wide-open ocean views to amaze visitors from land-locked places, stop at the Vista Trail in Jenner at the mouth of the Russian River. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot some harbor seals.

After watching waves crash in the fresh sea air, you’ll be ready for the drive south on Highway 1 to Bodega Bay. This is the classic Sonoma Coast scene of crashing waves, and trails along the bluff are accessible to most people. Check out the whimsical wind spinners at Candy & Kites, the colorful array of saltwater taffy at Patrick’s and the Japanese prints at Ren Brown Collection Fine Art Gallery.

Start heading inland for a hit of Alfred Hitchcock in the tiny town of Bodega. Snap a “The Birds” selfie outside the old Potter School, immortalized in the scene where schoolchildren run screaming and flailing from their classroom. It’s a private residence, so stay on the road. Then swing by the nearby Saint Teresa of Avila Church, also featured in the film.

You’ll be hungry by now. For lunch, consider the Estero Cafe in Valley Ford just a few minutes’ drive away. The restaurant pays homage to local farmers with its hand-lettered chalkboard menus and homestyle food. Its inventive brunches, sandwiches and salads make it one of the county’s top foodie destinations.

Day 2: Healdsburg for the holidays

Start your day by taking in one of the most spectacular gems of Sonoma County — Lake Sonoma. Then head to Healdsburg (a 10-minute drive) for a leisurely breakfast at Costeaux French Bakery.

Costeaux French Bakery is a frequent winner in baking competitions, and its fresh breads are served in Sonoma restaurants. But not many people know that Costeaux serves great breakfasts and lunches.

After breakfast, let the bookworms and audiophiles in the group browse the fiction, vinyl and CD selection at Levin & Company. Take the stairs to the mezzanine for its collection of local art, jewelry and crafts. Next, visit the antique markets — like Shoffeitt’s Off the Square and Antique Harvest — all within easy walking distance of the plaza.

No Healdsburg visit is complete without a winery stop, or two. Lambert Bridge boasts a tasting room with a large fireplace, making it a cozy place for sipping wines in colder months. The Healdsburg Bubble Bar, nestled in a quaint 1906 Queen Anne Victorian near the plaza, offers a wide assortment of sparkling wines.

As the sun goes down, head to Barndiva for a craft cocktail and dinner, and watch the outdoor lights twinkle over the quirky art on the patio. Don’t miss the eclectic collection of British Cigarette Cards at the Gallery Bar.

Day 3: In search of lost time, and more wine, in Sonoma Valley

Winter is a good time to check out the new museum exhibit in Jack London State Historic Park. Even if it’s too cold or wet to hike, you can take cover in the House of Happy Walls museum dedicated to the great writer and his wife, Charmian.

Right outside the park gate, Benziger Family Winery offers vineyard tram tours that will get you out of the tasting room and among the vines, which have their own sculpted beauty in winter.

Make it an outdoorsy day at Sonoma Botanical Garden, one of Sonoma County’s secret spots. Few travel writers have discovered it, meaning you may have this 20-acre garden of rare Asian plants all to yourself. Easy paths wind past ponds and through dense plantings of trees and shrubs with something of interest in every season. There is a nice gift shop for garden lovers as well as golf cart tours by arrangement for those with mobility problems.

In the town of Sonoma, the walkable square offers places to sip, shop and dine. For celebratory sparkles during the holidays, there’s SIGH Champagne bar. No reservations needed, and they always offer three flights of French, Californian and other tantalizing sparklers. If you have teetotalers or beer drinkers in your party, this is a great tasting room option. They also offer draft beer, regular wine and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as snack-sized bites, both savory and sweet.

Sonoma Plaza offers holiday cheer and attractions for history buffs, from the Sonoma Mission to the barracks and Toscano Hotel, all within two blocks. There’s a big parking lot behind the barracks on First Street East.

When you’re ready for a bite to eat, consider Tasca Tasca (TT Tapas). Tasca stands for tavern or pub in Portugal. Chef Manuel Azevedo offers updated Portuguese tapas with a fresh Sonoma spin. They’re also open late. Or head down Broadway to HopMonk Tavern for bar bites and beer, washed down with live music on the weekends.

Day 4: Petaluma, Sebastopol and a farm-to-table finale in Forestville

The age of Petaluma, settled in the 1850s, might not impress visitors from Europe, but the downtown’s quaint storefronts, heritage homes and retro memorabilia will make even your English uncle or Swedish aunt melt. But first, start with breakfast at Della Fattoria, one of the country’s finest bread bakers, famous for its Meyer lemon rosemary boule. Try the breakfast toast with ricotta cheese, banana slices, toasted pecans and honey.

Downtown, check out the vintage guitars and mandolins at Tall Toad Music and the 1,800 varieties of heirloom seeds at The Seed Bank, owned by Baker Creek, one of the country’s leading purveyors of heirloom seed.

For the afternoon, get behind the wheel and drive the 17 miles to Sebastopol’s The Barlow. Designed to look like old farm industrial buildings — without the dirt and rust — this marketplace is good for browsing. Watch local makers in action at restaurants, wineries, breweries and cideries, and art, jewelry, glass, crafts, design and clothing studios.

If you want to arrange for a farm-to-table grand finale, you could make reservations at Farmhouse Inn’s upscale but surprisingly low-key Michelin-starred restaurant in Forestville. For a more affordable but still delicious option, Farmhouse Inn’s casual eatery Farmstand serves woodfired dishes and pizza.

The post Holiday Guests Coming? Here Are 4 Perfect Sonoma County Day Trips appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

As a symbol of renewal, fresh eggs get a lot of attention this time of year. Their sunny yolks and over-easy dispositions make them inescapable breakfast workhorses. Here are our favorite egg breakfasts. Click through the above gallery for more.

The Log Lifter

Buttermilk Biscuits and Gravy with Scrambled Eggs
Baker & Cook

Originating in 19th century lumberjack camps, this gut-stuffing breakfast warms the heart and fills the belly for a long day of timbering—or couch surfing. $18.

18812 Highway 12, Sonoma. 707-938-7329, bakerandcooksonoma.com

Greet the Meat

Midtown Corned Beef Hash
J&M’s Midtown Cafe

House-cured corned beef, crisp hash browns, and melted cheese lay a tasty base for gooey poached egg yolks that slowly drizzle over the beautiful mess. Chef’s kiss. $16.

1422 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707-545-2233, jm-midtowncafe.com

Bling Your Benedict

Lox and Latke Benedict with Caviar
Grossman’s Noshery & Bar

This bougie breakfast substitutes crisp potato latkes and luxurious lox for the usual Benedict players. A schmaltz Hollandaise and caviar pile on the posh. $32.

308 Wilson St., Santa Rosa. 707-595-7707, grossmanssr.com

Hugs and Quiches

Deep Dish Quiche
Costeaux Bakery Cafe

The Godzilla of quiches, this mighty mountain of eggs, ham, bacon, cheese, and crust at this local institution absolutely crushes the competition. $15.

417 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707-433-1913, costeaux.com

Morning Nachos

Chilaquiles
La Texanita

Somewhere between crispy and soggy is the perfect texture of tortilla chips smothered in salsa rojo, cotija cheese, and onions, and topped with scrambled or poached eggs. Add carnitas if you’re feeling sassy. $20.

1667 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa. 707-527-7331, latexanita.com

The Mix Don’t Lie

Shakshuka
Pearl

The Arabic origins of this roiling red dish mean “mixed up,” but the piquant (not hot) combination of paprika, chickpeas, tomatoes, peppers, grilled Halloumi cheese, and baked eggs is more beauty than beast. $25.

500 First St., Petaluma. 707-559-5187, pearlpetaluma.com

Morning Motivator

Breakfast Sandwich
Americana

Greet the day with this easy, handheld traveler of a sando. Two overhard eggs, Estero Gold cheese, spinach, and housemade aioli on buttery toasted sourdough.

$15. 162 N. Main St., Sebastopol and 205 Fifth St., Santa Rosa. 707-827-3309, americanasr.com

Très Français

French Folded Eggs
Willow Wood Market Cafe

Velvety curds of steamed egg stippled with fontina cheese and basil will leave you wondering why Americans insist on overcooking and overstuffing this breakfast classic.

$16.75. 9020 Graton Rd., Graton. 707-823-0233, willowwoodgraton.com

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Dreaming of a coastal getaway? Check into these gorgeous hotels along Highway 1 in Sonoma, Marin and Mendocino counties. Take a walk on the beach, go surfing, eat oysters or just relax with a tasty glass of wine and someone special by your side. Click through the gallery above for eight favorite places to stay on the coast.

Sofia Englund, Maci Martell and Sarah Stierch contributed to this article. 

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