Sustainable Travel Guide for Sonoma County

There are many places and ways to stay sustainably in Sonoma County, in every corner of our 1,768-square-mile region.

You can positively impact the Sonoma County community by choosing to:

• Go glamping at a luxury safari tent or Airstream trailer camp
• Go tent or RV camping at one of our beautiful campgrounds 
• Cozy into a bed & breakfast for some truly local hospitality
• Make yourself at home in your own vacation rental

If sustainability-focused hotels are more your style, consider booking through Kind Traveler, the first socially conscious give + get hotel booking and media platform. Kind Traveler enables you to unlock exclusive rates and perks from curated Sonoma County hotels when you give a $10 nightly donation to a vetted charity.

Sonoma County charities that benefit from Kind Traveler bookings include Sonoma Land Trust; Russian Riverkeeper; Redwood Empire Food Bank; and Farm to Pantry. 

And Kind Hotel properties in Sonoma County include Farmhouse Inn in Forestville; Timber Cove Resort in Jenner; and in Santa Rosa, Vintners Resort, the Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country, Flamingo Resort, The Sandman Hotel and Hotel E. 

Many Sonoma County eateries, markets, and cooking classes are committed to sourcing ingredients that are locally grown and/or sustainably made. This commitment enables area food producers to prepare and serve conscientious, delicious cuisine with a real sense of place. 

For some great Sonoma County sustainable food options, check out our restaurant and dining guide, and consider the following: 

• Sustainable Culinary Experiences in Sonoma County
• Sustainable Seafood Restaurants in Sonoma County
• Crab Season: Where to Find Fresh Dungeness Crab

• Vegetarian Food Adventures in Sonoma County
• Sonoma County Vegetarian Foodie Trip
• Best Vegan Restaurants in Sonoma County
• Where to Go on a Vegan-Friendly Sonoma Valley Trip

• The California Cheese Trail in Sonoma County
• Gravenstein Apples — Sonoma's Other Famous Crop
• Olive Harvest Season in Sonoma County
• Sonoma County Farm Tours 

Remember that wine is only one of the sustainable craft drinks made here in Sonoma County. You can also slake your thirst with libations like:

Cider made from locally grown apples, by producers like Tilted Shed Ciderworks in Windsor, and Golden State Cider in Sebastopol; 

Spirits made from locally grown grains, by distilleries such as Young & Yonder Spirits in Healdsburg, Spirit Works Distillery in Sebastopol; and Hanson of Sonoma in Sonoma; 

Beer made from locally grown hops, by breweries like Fogbelt Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, Brewsters Beer Garden in Petaluma, and Seismic Brewing Company in Sebastopol. 

If you're a wine lover, though, you'll be happy to know that Sonoma County also has more than 425 wineries in 19 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), and 99% of our vineyards are certified sustainable.

Consider this Sonoma County wine-tasting road trip itinerary, which lets you manage your time, fuel, and environmental impact by choosing wineries that are near one another. Or use our wine tour guide to learn about the wineries in each town, cities, or region you'd like to visit. 

You might also want to choose wineries that are biodynamic or organic; dry-farmed; or simply eco-friendly. We can also suggest a cellar's worth of sustainable wine tours and sustainable winery experiences. Cheers!

Sonoma County is chock full of activities that promote sustainability, either on foot, on wheels, or even way up in the air.

Our mild climate, rugged mountains, deep valleys, thick forests, 11 state parks, more than 50 regional parks, and 55 miles of Pacific Ocean coastline offer a wide range of outdoor activities that include:

• Canoeing, SUPing, and kayaking on lakes and rivers
• Horseback riding on park, mountain, and coastal trails
• Golfing in Wine Country and at the coast
• Ziplining through groves of redwoods

• Segway rentals and tours with Sonoma Adventures
• Tandem motorcycle sidecar rides with Sonoma’s Sidecar Tours 
• Electric bike tours with Pedego and Pushpak Motors

• Renting a bike and hitting some trails in Santa Rosa
• Mountain biking through gorgeous regional parks
• Going wine tasting by bike
• Following the best bike itineraries in Wine Country

• Hiking (without or with your dog) on our beautiful trails 
• Guided hiking tours with Wine Country Trekking, Landpaths, Unbeaten Path and/or Coastwalk
• Beach walks at the coast
• Walking tours of Healdsburg and Sonoma

Sonoma County is renowned for local products and handcrafts that have been created with minimum impact on the environment and community — so rest assured, it's easy to shop sustainably here. 

Art(s) & Crafts

For locally made arts and crafts, shopping destinations include:

• Artisans Co-Op in Bodega
• Hand Goods in Occidental
• Made Local Marketplace and Wild Honey Mercantile in Santa Rosa's Montgomery Village
• Art galleries in downtown Healdsburg

Apparel

If socially-conscious trade, eco-friendly textiles, and/or sustainably-produced fashion are important to you, comb through the racks and shelves at clothing stores like:

• Indigenous in Sebastopol
• Global Heart in Sonoma
• Ethical Clothing in Petaluma

Home Goods 

Sustainable shops selling eco-friendly, locally produced home goods such as recycled glassware and refillable cleansers include:

• Heritage Alchemy in Santa Rosa
• Images in Windsor
• Hello Penngrove in Penngrove
• The Seed Bank in Petaluma

Food Products

Locally made food products — such as biscuit mix, olive oil, vinegar, jam, pickles and chutney — also make thoughtful gifts and souvenirs.

To discover your new favorite pantry staples, wander through some of Sonoma County's amazing farmers markets, and well-curated food shops like:

• Shelton's Natural Food Market in Healdsburg
• Andy's Produce Market in Sebastopol
• Big Bottom Market in Guerneville