What to Expect When Visiting Sonoma County Wine Country
Sonoma County is welcoming tourists with our SAFE Travels Promise, prioritizing a safe and memorable experience for visitors and our community. When visiting Sonoma County, many travelers may have questions about travel safety, current Sonoma County travel conditions and more. This is especially the case with changing guidelines and new recommendations that vary from state-to-state and region-to-region. So we’re here to help answer those questions.
What To ExpectÂ
Sonoma County lifted universal mask requirements for vaccinated individuals in most indoor public settings beginning Wednesday, February 16. This aligns with similar measures in other Bay Area counties, as well as the State of California.
Indoor masking is still required by the state for everyone, regardless of vaccination status, in public transportation; healthcare settings; congregate settings like correctional facilities and homeless shelters; long-term facilities; and in K-12 schools and childcare settings. Additionally, some businesses may have their own protocols in place for the safety and well-being of their staff and visitors. You may find these posted at the entrance of these businesses, or on their website or on social media pages. We kindly ask visitors to respect the wishes and policies that businesses have in place.
Workplaces will continue to follow the COVID-19 prevention standards set by CalOSHA.
Give Yourself A Little Extra Time
We want visitors to have the best experience possible in Sonoma County, and so we recommend giving yourself a little bit of extra time and to be patient with our incredible community of hospitality businesses. Restaurants, wineries, breweries, and hotels are all committed to guest safety and well-being, now more than ever, which means added measures like higher standards of cleanliness and guest safety. As such, things like checking into your hotel, getting seated at a restaurant, or entering a state park may take a little bit longer. Â
Make Reservations
While not all restaurants and wineries require, or even offer reservations, many now do. We recommend making reservations well in advance, especially on weekends. Same-day reservations are sometimes available and welcome by phone call, and some places welcome walk-in visitors. Many businesses are providing the latest updates and new happenings via their social media pages. Check their Instagram or Facebook accounts for the latest information and new offers.
Wine tasting, and dining, al frescoÂ
With our enviable Mediterranean climate, Sonoma County is an ideal place to wine taste and eat outdoors. Below is just a sampling of some of the great places to dine and taste outdoors around Sonoma County.Â
Enjoy More Personalized, Intimate Experiences and Events
One of the advantages of this new reality of travel is that it often affords a more intimate experience for guests. Here in Sonoma County we like to think of our destination as a naturally intimate place that allows travelers to slow down, stretch out and connect with each other and our community of artisans. That couldn’t be truer now.
Events are coming back to Sonoma County! We recommend checking event websites for the latest information on upcoming events.
Enjoy Wine Country, Save Water
As you may already know, Sonoma County, like most of California, is experiencing a drought. In an effort to protect our beautiful destination for generations to come, we’re asking visitors to join with us in helping conserve water. The following blog post has water conservation tips as you plan your trip.
Leave No Trace
Experiencing our destination through the Sonoma County Leave No Trace Seven Principles gives travelers an opportunity to make a difference. Together, we can protect and preserve this special corner of the world for generations to come.Â
Sign The Travel Kindly Pledge
Finally, we invite you to sign the Sonoma County Travel Kindly Pledge. In doing so, you commit to making a positive impact to the health and well-being of our local communities, abundance of experiences, and beautiful natural landscapes. Think local, plan ahead, leave no trace, tread lightly, make an impact, spread kindness, go beyond, and be mindful. These words seem as important now as ever.
