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The air changes when you arrive in the Russian River Valley. The region is enveloped by Northern California’s famous redwoods, where the Pacific sends ocean breezes into vineyard-covered valleys. And in the heart of it all is a vibrant LGBTQ community where the food and wine are as delightful as the natural scenery.
Welcome to Guerneville, California. Home to just a few thousand residents, the Sonoma County town is one of the most beloved vacation spots for San Franciscans. They come for the fresh air, the hiking, the tastings and for the always-inclusive climate where lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer folks have long found fun and comfort.
About 100 miles north of SFO Airport, Guerneville stays busy year-round, and it’s an idyllic town to anchor your rainbow explorations around Sonoma County. But quality time here begins on River Road, the main thoroughfare where you’ll find lovingly converted stores and eateries, like the Guerneville Bank Club, a circa-1920s bank building that’s now a retail, art and food hall.
The city of Sonoma is filled with “Love” — Photo courtesy of Kelsy Chauvin
A few steps away, lesbian-owned café Big Bottom Market and bistro Boon Eat + Drink deliver seasonal, sustainable ingredients in the most delicious ways. Proprietor Crista Luedtke also operates Barrio, a bar specializing in tequila, mezcal and bourbon, plus an assortment of mocktails and tasty antojitos (Mexican small bites). Luedtke runs the boutique Boon Hotel + Spa, too, with a courtyard pool surrounded by guestrooms and glamping-style luxury tents.
The retro vibes seem embedded in Guerneville’s DNA, especially in the fun souvenirs at the Guerneville 5 & 10 store, and at Pat’s Restaurant, serving classic American diner fare along with veggie-forward and Korean-inspired dishes. LGBTQ tipplers find welcoming watering holes at local bars such as Rainbow Cattle Company and the Main Bar at the R3 Hotel.
To sip Sonoma vintages, don’t miss gay-owned Equality Vines tasting room, which supports LGBTQ organizations including the Human Rights Campaign, the Lambda Archives and San Francisco’s GLBT Historical Society.
R3 Hotel (those three Rs stand for Russian River Resort) has long been a go-to adults-only lodge for gay travelers, hosting everything from pool parties to weekend drag shows.
Up from River Road, the Highlands Resort’s quiet cabins are nestled in nature and have warmly welcomed LGBTQ visitors and allies to enjoy the clothing-optional pool and its trademark breakfast of fresh muffins and homemade granola. Plus, the hotel is a great embarkation point into the majestic Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, where you’ll find some of the tallest trees on earth.
At AutoCamp, travelers lodge in new Airstream campers transformed into posh hotel rooms, surrounded by lawns outfitted with hammocks and fire pits. For summer trips, book well in advance to stay there or at Johnson’s Beach, a rustic, 11-acre resort on the banks of the Russian River dating to 1918 – and gay-owned since 2015.
AutoCamp lets Guerneville guests get closer to nature — Photo courtesy of Kelsy Chauvin
It should come as no surprise that Guerneville hosts a colorful Russian River Pride celebration, with a splashy parade through town each September. At Sonoma County Pride, you’ll find an even bigger annual festival each June in the city of Sonoma, about an hour southeast from Guerneville.
The county also sees big gay events throughout the year with May’s Russian River Women’s Weekend and midsummer’s Lazy Bear Week and fundraiser.
Rivaling the zeal of all LGBTQ events, however, is the annual Gay Wine Weekend. Held every mid-July, the niche-within-a-niche event is organized by travel-experience agency Out in the Vineyard to showcase Sonoma’s best food and wine, featuring VIP vineyard tours, drag brunches, auctions and parties – all to fundraise for local non-profit Face to Face, Sonoma County HIV/AIDS Network.
Supporting Sonoma
Fall harvest season is prime time to visit Sonoma wine country — Photo courtesy of Kelsy Chauvin
Of course, when in Sonoma, one should plan to visit some of the incredible local wineries that made the county famous. In the wake of recent wildfires, travelers have been rightly concerned about the region’s forests and agriculture.
The good news is that much of Sonoma County – which covers nearly 1,800 square miles (almost the same size as Delaware) – was untouched by fires. Meanwhile, local communities and organizations continue to work together to recover and rebuild devastated areas.
One of the best ways to help is by supporting local businesses through tourism, which spreads love and dollars among proprietors and residents who need both.
So the least a traveler can do to help is to drink gorgeous wines and eat unforgettable food. For a few standout tasting experiences across the county, don’t miss wineries like the hilltop Iron Horse Vineyards, elegant St. Francis Winery and posh Gary Farrell Vineyards. Or go for more laid-back tasting experiences at family-run Moshin Vineyards and Porter-Bass.
Eastward in Sonoma Valley, ditch your car and book seats instead on the Sonoma Valley Wine Trolley to visit four wineries, including the enticing, family-run Benziger Winery in Glen Ellen and Paradise Ridge in Kenwood. For even less driving, stay in the city of Sonoma for refined tastings just off the central plaza at Abbot’s Passage, Bedrock Wine Co. and gay-owned Corner 103.
Few destinations offer LGBTQ travelers such a warm welcome as Sonoma County, where nature draws us in and fruits of the fields keep us fueled. The best part of all, though, is discovering the boundless tastes and experiences of this uniquely Californian enclave, a place where sunshine meets rainbows.
