18 Best Things to Do in Healdsburg (in 2023)

The best things to do in Healdsburg, California involve rolling vineyards, organic farms, and tasting rooms. It’s safe to say that, among the hidden gems and fun activities, Healdsburg is about as farm-to-table as it gets. 

I’m a California local and, in this article, I’ll dish on the very best things to do in Healdsburg. This wine-country wonder is located just 15 minutes from the Sonoma County Airport but is the perfect place for a relaxing nature getaway.

Book yourself into one of the best places to stay in Sonoma County and plan a relaxing weekend getaway in the hills.

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18 Best Things to Do in Healdsburg

Barndiva

Feast on seasonal delights in a Michelin-starred restaurant with countryside-chic design and creative cocktails crafted by a master.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (707) 431-0100 | Website | Hours: 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm Wednesday & Thursday, 11 am – 2:30 pm and 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm Friday & Saturday, 11 am – 2:30 pm and 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm Sunday, Closed Monday & Tuesday

Barndiva is a local Healdsburg restaurant with a seasonally-driven menu inspired by the motto, “Wherever you are, eat the view.” This spot is essentially the Healdsburg countryside translated into a fine dining experience. 

Barndiva is a must-try, even if you just pop in at the bar for one of industry legend Scott Beattie’s exquisite artisan cocktails. Dinner is served prix fixe; weekend brunches are more casual but equally delicious. Reservations are strongly recommended. 

If you’re looking to impress a special someone or just straight up be impressed, this is the spot. And I mean yeah, roast duck with chanterelles does pair perfectly with ‘sunset in the Russian River Valley.’ 

🍸 Pro Tip: You can visit the bar with or without a reservation.   

Dry Creek Road and West Dry Creek Road

Sample the finest of Dry Creek Valley at local farms and vineyards, then slow down and enjoy the view along one of Healdsburg’s most picturesque stretches of pavement. 

📍 Google Maps 

Dry Creek Valley offers a cornucopia of delights, many of which are nestled amongst the stunning scenery along this seven-mile stretch of Dry Creek Road. You’ll find plenty of vineyards that aren’t fussy about reservations and the Dry Creek General Store serves up farm-fresh deli-style favorites.  

This scenic drive was recommended by a lifelong Sonoma County local and immediately became a treasured part of every visit I made to Healdsburg thereafter.

🚗 How to Get There: From the 101, exit on Dry Creek Road. Follow Dry Creek Rd northwest for about 7 miles, then turn left on Yoakim Bridge Road (be sure to stop in for some sweet Dry Creek peaches when they’re in season). Then turn left again on West Dry Creek Road to head back toward town via the scenic route, gliding smooth curves through farmland and forest with no more traffic than the odd tractor.  

SingleThread

Indulge in one of the world’s finest farm-to-table experiences at a restaurant and inn with three Michelin stars.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (707)723-4646 | Website 

SingleThread offers a 10-course tasting experience created by nationally recognized chef Kyle Connaughton. The restaurant highlights produce lovingly raised from the ground up in the thoughtful care of Katina Connaughton, Head Farmer of SingleThread Farms in Dry Creek Valley. 

The farm is a culinary destination in and of itself and it invites visitors both during and outside peak harvest season. The late summer harvest is the most challenging time to get reservations, which are highly recommended year-round. Still, it is worth calling about last-minute availability, the service is superb and they will get you in if they can. 

Dinner reservations are guaranteed to those staying in the Inn at SingleFarms. Rooms feature design and amenities curated by the SingleThread team and every stay includes full-service breakfast. 

👉 When to Snag a Reservation: Availability is released on the 1st of each month for the following month (i.e. on October 1st they will release reservations for November.)  

Blackberry Picking in Badger Park

Wander a riverside trail to a blackberry bramble that bears ripe, sweet fruit in late summer.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (707) 431-3301 | Website | Hours: 7 am – 10 pm daily 

Berry picking on a trail alongside the Russian River is perhaps the sweetest taste of life in the Healdsburg countryside. Those planning to visit Healdsburg in summer can taste the fruit of these Badger Park bushes roughly mid-July through early September. Located on the southern side of town, the park offers lovely picnic areas, dog parks, and gardens year-round.   

For enough berries to make a nice cobbler, you’ll need to forage a bit deeper into the thicket. Opt for clothing with thorn-protective qualities. I recommend booking a Studio King room at the Hotel Trio for a place to prep and cook said cobbler.

🪜 Pro Tip: If you’re coming toward the end of the season, bring a ladder. Most reachable fruit will have been gleaned, so the most bountiful branches are up top.  

The Harris Gallery

Explore a one-of-a-kind pairing concept in a family-owned gallery near the Healdsburg town square.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (1707) 385-1888 | Website | Thursday – Monday, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM

The Harris Gallery in Healdsburg is both an art gallery and a wine-tasting lounge. Fittingly, the gallery is operated by a father-son duo who are both artists and wine curators and is located in the historic Plaza Arts Building. The setting paired with the art and wine is an all-around delight for the senses.

Still, art and wine experiences are something Healdsburg does well on multiple fronts, and appreciators will want to visit more nearby galleries. Booking a guided experience like this Healdsburg Food and Wine Walking Tour for your first night in town is a great way to get your bearings, maximize your time, and indulge in some fine food & wine. 

🛎️ Need a Hotel? Just around the corner and across the plaza, Healdsburg Inn offers posh, freshly renovated rooms in a historic building. 

Healdsburg Center for the Arts

Engage with local artists and their work or take a workshop to make your own art. 

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (707) 431-1970 | Website | Hours: 11 am – 5 pm Sunday/Monday & Wednesday/Thursday, 11 am – 6 pm Friday & Saturday, Closed Tuesday | Entrance: Free

The Healdsburg Center for the Arts is one of the best things to do in Healdsburg during the offseason of November through February. This center hosts fun, creative events year-round, and artists throughout the area look forward to the annual Holiday Gallery. 

In addition to a rotating exhibit or two in the fall months, the Healdsburg Center for the Arts sponsors regional events. The open-studio exhibition Sonoma County Art Trails during the 1st & 2nd weekends of October is a fan favorite. 

Healdsburg Ridge Open Space

Savor a taste of the great outdoors while trodding paths and trails through protected wildlife habitats. 

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (707) 385-2500 | Website | Hours: 6 am – 7:30 pm daily | Entrance: Free 

Nature lovers can glimpse the wilder side of Healdsburg in the Healdsburg Ridge Open Space, a 155-acre preserve. Hiking trails wind through an array of habitats, allowing visitors to spot deer and rabbits in grasslands and a variety of birds and other wildlife in marshes. Trail maps of Healdsburg Open Space Preserve can be found here.  

This is an adventure further afield, yet its proximity to the Russian River makes it one of the best things to do in Northern California.   

🐕 Traveling with Doggos? Healdsburg Ridge is dog-friendly, just make sure to keep your fur family on a leash. The area is a protected home for lots of small animals, and you’ll want to keep pups away from potential bobcats or the (very) rare mountain lion. 

Coppola Winery and Movie Museum

It’s lights, camera, cabernet in this one-of-a-kind destination where you can sip award-winning wines on the grand estate of a Hollywood legend. 

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (707) 857-1471 | Website | Hours: 11 am – 5 pm daily, Closed Tuesdays | 🍷 Tastings: $40 | 👉 Custom Wine Tour from San Francisco

The Coppola Winery and Movie Museum is a resort, winery, and museum all rolled into one opulent package. Perfect for wine lovers, history buffs, and film fanatics alike, I recommend making a reservation to enjoy a wine tasting or a meal at Rustic. For added memory-making, book a poolside Cabine to spend a day on a pool lounger in the lap of luxury.

When I was in film school, even the most cynical auteur had to admit The Godfather trilogy lived up to the hype. So too does the Coppola Winery, where the family’s reputation for excellence is on full display. 

Short for time? You don’t need a reservation to check out the movie memorabilia and pick up a few bottles of Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon.

👪 Pro-Parent Tip: While Coppola Winery is one of the most family-friendly vineyards around, the smokin’ hot ticket is those Cabines. Pricey, yes, but relaxing on one of the most beautiful estates in California wine country while the kids splash around happily – priceless. 

Healdsburg Plaza

Stroll shaded paths or lay out a picnic in a leafy central square surrounded by some of Healdsburg’s best shops and restaurants. 

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (707) 433-6935 | Website | Hours: 6 am -11 pm daily 

One of the best parts of visiting Healdsburg, California is enjoying simple, everyday pleasures. Healdsburg Plaza is just the place for soaking up small-town charm. And a great spot to wrap up your holiday shopping. 

Grab a cone from Noble Folk Ice Cream and Pie Bar and wander your way to a bench for a little people-watching. Enjoy a couple of wine tastings and meander over to the fountain to take some silly pics. Do a little window shopping then marinate in the sunshine for a while, deciding which shops you’re heading back to.  

Healdsburg Plaza also hosts a spate of free community events such as outdoor movie screenings and performances by the Healdsburg Community Band.  

🍿 Pro Tip: Movies at the Plaza (May-August) come complete with free popcorn!  

Dry Creek Vineyard

Feel the love poured into this family-owned vineyard while exploring sustainable gardens or sitting at umbrella-shaded tables, sipping a flight of cabernet sauvignon and vibrant fumé blanc.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (707) 433-1000 | Website | Hours: 10 am – 4:30 pm daily | 🍷 Tastings: $30 & up | 👉 Browse Tours on Viator

Dry Creek Vineyard is a family-owned vineyard in Healdsburg with a 50+ year history of wine production and a focus on sustainability. 

While renowned for its Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, I also recommend you visit the Insectary Garden. It sounds weird, but this wildly elegant little garden really draws you into Dry Creek Vineyard’s thoughtful, refined approach to full-circle sustainability. 

Couples can nestle into cozy nooks along the lawn for local wine and quiet conversation. The wide patio offers ample space for groups to gather over a bottle or two. Outdoor tables are shaded by both umbrellas and tall trees or opt for the tasting room for complete respite from the summer heat. 

If you fancy wine pairings with a game, book the aptly titled Bocce Experience to pair your wine tasting with two hours on the bocce ball court.   

🧺 Pro Tip: Their Wine Flight & Picnic Lunch is one of the best deals around for wine and food pairings, and makes for a uniquely enchanting midday meal!  

The Elephant in the Room

Socialize with the locals at a lively neighborhood pub with live music and a beer garden. 

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: 1 pm – 12 am daily | $10 cover charge for live music nights

Elephant in the Room is the quintessential place in Healdsburg for a fun bar with fair prices. Good music, cold craft beers on tap, local wines, pub food, it has it all. 

Regulars here can spot an outsider from a mile away. A snooty or demanding attitude isn’t going to do you any favors, whereas waiting patiently and appreciating the talents of bartenders who prioritize fast over fancy is likely to win you a few new friends. 

🎵 Pro Tip: If it’s not a Monday or a Wednesday, expect a cover charge. To quote the website: “Live music on Fridays and Saturdays Usually Sundays Sometimes on Tuesdays and Thursdays”. 

Healdsburg Museum

Learn about the history of Healdsburg, California through artifacts, artworks, and everyday objects from the town’s past. 

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (707) 431-3325 | Website | Hours: 11 am – 5 pm Wednesday – Sunday, Closed Mondays & Tuesdays | Entrance: Free

Healdsburg Museum is a must-visit for history buffs looking to brush up on Healdsburg lore. The museum features rotating and permanent exhibits of Sonoma County’s storied past. The collection here is lovingly gathered and tended to by the Healdsburg Historical Society. 

The museum also seems to pique the interest of TikTokers who wear thrifted tee shirts ironically, who come from a distinctly different demographic than the historical society set. Just goes to show that when it comes to the best things to do in Sonoma County, there’s something for everyone! 

Hand Fan Museum of Healdsburg

Browse handcrafted antique fans in a bright space on Healdsburg Ave. 

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (707) 431-2500 | Website | Hours: 12 pm – 5 pm Wednesday – Saturday, Closed Sunday – Tuesday | Entrance: Free 

The Hand Fan Museum is like a vibe cocktail of all things downtown Healdsburg – fashion, history, and art with a twist of kitsch.  

Located across the street from Healdsburg Plaza and next door to popular Hotel Healdsburg, this is a quick bit of fun mix-in on shopping and wine-tasting trips to downtown Healdsburg. The museum’s gift shop is particularly spectacular for fans of fans, who can purchase pieces for their home collection that are equal to the vintage and quality of the museum’s permanent exhibits. 

👉 Love Small, Quirky Museums? Check out my guide on San Francisco museums for fascinating finds dedicated to everything from cartoon art to antique vibrators (yes, that kind of vibrator.)  

Ferrari-Carano Winery & Gardens

Stroll acres of lush French and Italian-inspired gardens on a Sonoma County estate offering a variety of wining-and-dining options.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (800) 831-0381 | Website | Hours: 10 am – 5 pm daily 

Ferrari-Carano Winery & Gardens is an elegant vineyard and estate in Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley. 

Bougie Sunday brunches at the estate are perfect for a girls’ trip, whereas a more casual wine lover can grab a slice at Pizza & Vino (Thurs-Sat, 3-5 pm.) Even if you’re not hungry, I highly recommend pairing your wine tasting with the Fleur Sauvage Bonbons, hand-crafted by a local chocolatier.

🌷 Pro Tip: Springtime visitors won’t want to miss the garden’s famous tulips. Dedicated anthophiles can call the Tulip Hotline at (707) 433-5349 to find out when the buds will be fully in bloom.

Shelton’s Natural Foods Market

Pick up healthy snacks and delight your favorite coffee lover with a bag of beans from an exceptional local roaster.  

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (707) 431-0530 | Website | Hours: 8 am – 7 pm daily

Located in downtown Healdsburg, Shelton’s is a great place to pick up snacks and such. They carry lots of locally sourced products and brands you won’t find elsewhere.   

My #1 tip on Shelton’s is for y’all coffee connoisseurs: Bella Rosa Coffee Company. Low-acid, organic, rich, and delicious. Literally typing this sentence one-handed with a cup of their flagship Morning Star blend (my fav) in the other.

Sonoma County Wine Library

Satisfy any and every curiosity about winemaking and the Sonoma County wine industry in the stacks at this regional research hub. 

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (707) 433-3772 | Website | Hours: 10 am – 6 pm Monday/Thursday/Friday, 10 am – 8 pm Tuesday & Wednesday, 1 pm – 5 pm Sunday, Closed Saturday | Entrance: Free 

From the outside, Sonoma County Wine Library looks like your average small-town library. However, the inside reveals a renowned catalog of wine-related materials to satiate wine lovers’ thirst for knowledge.

The Sonoma County Wine Library features plenty of resources and local history on both local and worldwide winemaking. There are also plenty of historical records regarding the Sonoma wine industry. Plus, the friendly librarians are happy to guide you to anything from publications on this season’s preferred Pinots to handbooks on how to grow your own. 

📚 Pro Tip: Though the library is only a five-minute walk from Healdsburg Plaza, the location is a couple of blocks outside Healdsburg Center. Travelers looking for an equally quiet and relaxing place to stay will find just that at Grape Leaf Inn, a darling B&B housed in a Victorian building just up the block. 

Russian River Rose Company

Level up ‘stop and smell the roses’ while wandering the fragrant fields and gardens on the only Healdsburg, California estate featuring an on-site parfumerie.      

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (707) 433-7455 | Website | Hours: 10 am – 3 pm Tuesday – Saturday, Closed Sundays & Mondays | Entrance: $10, free for children 3 & under 

Russian River Rose Company is a family-run rose nursery that showcases over 650 kinds of roses in their Display Garden. These roses are grown specifically for the purpose of creating rose oil and rose water, which is as much a treat for the eyes as it is for one’s sense of smell. 

Call the number listed to make a reservation (required!) for a tour, offered Tuesday through Saturday at 10 am, 11 am, 12 pm, and 1 pm.     

👃 Pro Tip: For the ultimate olfactory delight, pause for a rest on the Sweet Scent Seat. Not only is this spot enveloped in ultra-fragrant roses, but the bench itself is fashioned from aromatic cedar wood.                   

Parkpoint Health Club

Save on self-care and keep up fitness goals at a local fitness club with saunas, a gym, and a kid-friendly pool area.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (707) 385-2500 | Website | Hours: 5:30 am – 8:30 pm Monday – Friday, 7 am – 7 pm Friday & Saturday | Entrance: $30 

Parkpoint Health Club offers all the benefits of a top-quality fitness club, including saunas, whirlpools, massages (for a fee, must book ahead,) and a small cafe. Guests of local hotels can enjoy all these benefits without a membership, just purchase a day pass at the front desk. 

Two pools offer lots of space for kids to play and swimmers to swim. Parents can also take advantage of on-site childcare for kids under 10.

🛎️ Need a Hotel? Just a five-minute walk from Parkpoint Health Club, Calderwood Inn offers a complimentary glass of wine at check-in and fresh flowers in every room.

FAQs About What to Do in Healdsburg

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Now that we’ve poured out all the info on the best things to do in Healdsburg, CA, you’re set to drink it all in on your next trip. Thanks for reading, and remember – one glass of wine, one glass of water. Up next, check out our guide to the best towns in California.