Santa Rosa and Sanoma California

We left Arcata after one week there and decided to go to a MOTEL in Santa Rosa, California. Just for a break. The motel was in the town just a few miles from downtown. Santa Rosa is in the Sanoma Valley noted for its' vineyards and excellent wines. There is a nice old town area and very charming neighborhoods. 4th street in downtown seems to be the center of it all and we spent lots of time there.

The photos above and below are of 4th Street in the downtown area.

The Ledson Winery was the first that we visited. It is everything I ever thought about vineyards and wineries: swank, groomed, pleasant, charming. Plenty of good wine and food. They have a terrific picnic area and great gardens.

One of at least 4 tasting rooms.

A beautiful picnic area

We next visited the Benziger Winery. They promote their version of organic farming they call Biodynamics and have an extensive display about it.. Their wines were quite good also. By the time we finished here we felt that if we visited another winery we would have to take a nap. So we quit and went to the town of Sanoma.

Sanoma is a quaint town with an awesome Plaza. Here's a challenge for anyone. Walk around the Plaza and stop in each wine-tasting shop and have one "slate" which is about one glass of wine. I don't think anyone could get around the whole plaza. A champ might make it one block.

Again with the No Dogs Allowed signs. I'm going to collect all these and post a special blog.

The Mission

The Plaza in Sanoma, California.

Well this is a first. It made us want to go in. Kudos to Harvest Home.

Someone told us that we haven't had a hamburger until we've gone to In & Out Burgers.
"Order the Double-Double, Animal Style," he told us. Well, I've never eaten a double double in my life and was not about to start. But I did have the single "Animal Style". It was good but very messy.
The sauce was all over me and the bun fell apart under the strain of all that sauce.  Debbie had her usual, a single, one slice of cheese,  nothing,  no,  nothing on it.