Detour to Duncans Mills

The barn signaling the entrance to Duncans Mills. Photo by Andrew Collins.

One of the more curious – and out-of-the-way – little villages in Sonoma County, the hamlet of Duncans Mills sits along the Russian River about 8 miles southwest of Guerneville, and roughly 5 miles inland from the coastal town of Jenner. Developed in the 1870s as a mill community, and growing a bit as a rail stop on the North Pacific Coast Railroad from Cazadero down to Sausalito, tiny Duncan Mills devolved into something of a ghost town during the mid-20th century, as the railroad shut down and businesses moved out. In recent years, however, the population has grown to more than 100 residents, and the community’s charming Victorian buildings have been renovated and reopened as cafes, antiques shops, galleries, and home-furnishings stores.

Great weekend brunch spot near the Sonoma Coast. Photo by Andrew Collins.

As a pit stop on your way out to the coast from inland Sonoma, Duncans Mills makes a wonderfully entertaining diversion. For dining, the community has a couple of excellent options. Cape Fear Cafe serves well-crafted seafood and contemporary American cuisine and is particularly popular for its weekend brunches. And the funky Blue Heron Tavern specializes in creatively prepared comfort food – think house-made meatloaf, seared ahi-tuna salad, and delicious mac-n-cheese. There’s also live music here from Wednesday through Sunday night.

Among the shops, check out Worldly Goods for its selection of global arts and crafts, jewelry, pottery, and more. Thistledown Antiques is one of several such purveyors of fine furnishings and paintings. Also, with its location right on the Russian River, Duncans Mills attracts its share of outdoors enthusiasts. Right by the historic train depot, Russian River Outfitters rents top-of-the-line kayaks, perfect for paddling down the river and out toward the coast, where you may spot harbor seals, egrets, river otters, and osprey.