Healdsburg

My dear friend took me on a day trip to Healdsburg. She was saying the locals have recently been going to Healdburg instead of Napa to avoid the tourists.

Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge.

Once we crossed the bridge, the weather was gorgeous!

Found the Bear Republic Brewery in downtown Healdsburg.

Took a beer break on the patio.

I ordered the Pale Ale and my friend ordered the Rye Ale. They were both really good and so refreshing on a hot day!

Since we were in downtown already, we went to the Kendall Jackson tasting room. I had been drinking their Chardonnay religiously this summer so it was great to try their other wines. For $5, you get to try any 4 wines.

We hung out at Bear Republic too long and realized that most wineries closed around 5pm on weekdays. So we ended up going to Simi, which is really close from downtown.

You get any 8 tastings for $15. I'd seen their wines before but had never tried any of them. I really liked their Sauvignon Blanc, Reserve Cabernet and Petite Syrah.

The people who worked here were super friendly and kind, even though we went 15 minutes before closing. After they closed, they chatted with us and gave us extra pours of wine (which was wonderful). 

The garden outside the visitor's center.

The great thing about Healdsburg is that the tastings are very reasonably priced (especially compared to Napa) and most places will waive the tasting fee if you purchase wine. On my next visit, I would love to spend more time and visit other wineries and also dine here. Supposedly there are a lot of great restaurants!