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The Russian River Valley In California
The Russian River Valley is an American Viticulture Area (AVA) in Sonoma County, California. The area lies between Sebastopol in the south and Forestville and Healdsburg in the north. It is centered on the Russian River and produces approximately ⅙ of the vineyard acreage in Sonoma County. The area enjoys a cool climate heavily affected by fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean and is known for its cool climate varietals, notably Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
At the turn of the 19th century, Russian fur trappers from Sitka, Alaska, settled in this area and founded Fort Ross. The Russians planted the first grapevines and they were followed by Italian immigrants.
The Russian River Valley AVA has more than 300 operational wineries, ranging in size from small family wineries to the industry giants. In addition, non-resident California wineries purchase grapes grown in the Valley to produce their award-winning wines.
Wineries
People come from all over the country to see the beauty of the Valley and to visit the wineries and to visit the winners for tours and wine tastings. We, at Green Vacation Deals, have a list of great wineries with a savings for you.
- Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate
- Williamson Wines
- Rued Wines
- Guerrero Fernandez Winery
- Spicy Vines
- Windsor Tasting Lounge
- Peterson Winery
- Viszlay Vineyards
- Kobler Estate Winery
- Zouzounis Wines
- Private Wine Tasting Tour
Outdoor Activities
While in the Valley, visitors enjoy the beauty of the countryside and the lush greenery of the riverbanks. The many outdoor activities offered on the Russian River and its many lakes include kayaking, canoeing, boating, stand up paddleboarding, water tubing, water skiing and much more. Horseback riding is also popular here.
The Russian River offers year round fishing. Anglers come here for bass, bluegill and catfish in the summer, for steelhead runs in the fall and winter and for shad in the spring. Del Rio Woods, just outside of Healdsburg, is a great your round fishing spot. Fort Ross State Historic Park’s coastal waters have an abundance of abalone and rockfish.
Sonoma County’s 55-mile coastline offers places to fish from the shore. You can also venture into the Pacific Ocean for some deep-sea fishing.
If you’d like to see more of Rusia River Valley, you can take a tour in a hot air balloon or take a Sonoma County Food and Wine Tour.
You could also take a tour of nearby Muir Wood and Sausalito.
Hotels
If you’d like to take an upscale escape to the Russian River Valley, then the following hotels might be perfect for you. Green Vacation Deals has compiled a list of the top 20 hotels and inns in the Valley based on great reviews. And you can use Hotels.com to find the best price for your stay.
- Bella Luna Inn
- Daisy’s Guest House
- The River Belle Inn
- Downtown Suites ONE
- Inn at Occidental
- Rockhouse Suites
- Hotel Les Mars
- Carmella Inn
- Harmon Guest House
- Cottages at Healdsburg
- Santa Nella House
- h2hotel
- Healdsburg Inn on the Plaza
- Madrona Manor
- Grape Leaf Inn
- Farmhouse Inn
- Hotel Healdsburg
- Calderwood Inn
- Honor Mansion
- Casa Secova