Russian River Wonderland

Russian River, Sonoma County

By Janet Parmer

Swimming, fishing, or a relaxing picnic along the banks of the Russian River, offers a variety of experiences for everyone.  Canoe and kayak rentals and guided tours are available for the more adventurous.

River access is available at many points along the shoreline. Giant redwoods, quaint cabins, weekend getaways and resorts dot the banks of Sonoma Country’s main waterway.  From Cloverdale in the north, the river meanders through a handful of towns and travels westward until it joins the Pacific Ocean at Jenner.   After you experience the river up close and personal, it becomes clear why this area has been a favorite destination for generations.

A Scenic Green Getaway

You’ve checked into your eco-friendly hotel, now ditch your car and launch a kayak into the gentle current of the Russian River. Paddle your way into a relaxing, “green” vacation.

While visiting the Russian River, as well as the Sonoma Coast, look for the EcoRing logo on local businesses certified as “green,” meeting criteria regarding energy use, waste practices, pollution prevention and water conservation efforts.

Boaters, hikers, foodies, wine lovers, and cyclists can help you create a novel and affordable experience. To enhance your vacation, combine your adventure with spa treatments, cooking classes, dinners, lodging and more.

For a truly offbeat trip, arrange a visit when a Sonoma County mushroom foraging group has an outing into the forest, then ask a chef to give a mini-cooking lesson in how to prepare dishes using the prized ingredients you just collected.

If you’re a gardener at heart, peek into a sprawling flower and shrub garden designed to attract butterflies. Follow that up with a stop at a farm, where you can harvest produce, then return to your rental cabin as a happy and conscientious “locavore” to whip up a meal with fresh-picked veggies and fruit.

Colonel Armstrong Tree in Armstrong Woods, Sonoma County

Be awestruck by the giant coast redwoods with a guided hike through Armstrong Redwoods State Park offered by the Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods. Visit the tallest tree — The Parson Jones — measuring more than 310 feet in height. The Colonel Armstrong tree is the oldest tree in the grove, estimated to be more than 1,400 years old.

Launch a canoe, either alone or with a guide, and experience the fragile balance of nature and tourism. Paddle down to where the river meets the sea at the Jenner estuary. Here river otters, seals and other water life can be viewed up close only from the water.

Taste the bounty of food and wine produced here. Local winemakers and chefs offer culinary demonstrations and tasting events that tempt even the most discriminating palate. Tour a local farm with Farm Trails. The produce you look at in the morning may be used to create your dinner tonight. Visit a winery and take along a fresh picnic lunch.

The Russian River and Sonoma Coast have been popular tourist destinations since the 1870s, when families made annual pilgrimages from San Francisco by train to summer resorts. Large swaths of pristine open space and numerous parks and preserves have been set aside, making the area a premier scenic and recreational wonderland.

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