Home Care In Sonoma, CA

Twice each year, some 20,000 gray whales pass along the California coast as they swim south to breeding lagoons on the west coast of Baja California during winter months, then back to their summer feeding grounds in the Arctic’s Bering Sea in spring. The round trip for these sea giants is roughly 12,000 miles and is considered one of the longest among mammals.

If you’d like to witness this epic journey, the peak months for whale watching are January through May. If the weather is good, whales can be seen within a few hundred yards of coastal headlands. During spring migration, even little whales are a big deal, as the recently born calves cavort with their mothers on their way back to colder waters.

Here are our favorite spots for prime whale viewing along the Sonoma Coast.

Gualala Point Regional Park

Bordering the Gualala River and Mendocino County, this oceanfront park marks the northernmost point on the Sonoma Coast. During whale migration season, many visitors will head to Whale Watch Point, which offers excellent views of the ocean, weather permitting. Parking is $8; free for regional park members. 42401 Highway 1, Gualala, parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov

Sea Ranch Coastal Access Trails

Just south of Gualala, The Sea Ranch extends for 10 miles along the Sonoma Coast. The headlands here offer views of the sea, the rugged coastline, and — if you’re lucky — migrating whales. The Sea Ranch is a private community but six public access trails, managed by Sonoma County Regional Parks, give visitors a chance to experience this area and catch a glimpse of its wildlife. Parking is free. The Sea Ranch, off Highway 1 south of Gualala, parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov

Stillwater Cove Regional Park

About 15 miles south of the Sea Ranch, Stillwater Cove features hiking trails through redwood forests and along ocean bluffs. Just north of the cove, the Stillwater Bluff Trail curves above the rocky coastline and offers views of the Pacific and a vista point for whale watching. Parking is $8; free for regional park members. 22455 Highway 1, Jenner, parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov

Bodega Head

One of the prime whale-watching spots in Sonoma County, the steep and rocky bluffs of this peninsula offer sweeping views of the ocean. January through May, volunteers from the Whale Watch public education program are stationed in this part of the Sonoma Coast State Park on weekends (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) to answer questions and share their knowledge about whales. Day use parking is $10 per vehicle; $9 for seniors. Off Highway 1, Bodega Bay,

Whale watch from a boat, Bodega Bay

For a chance to get closer to the whales, while remaining at a safe distance, book a whale watching tour with a local fishing charter company. Companies like Bodega Bay Sportfishing and Miss Vic Sportfishing offer tours departing from Bodega Bay. Rates for Miss Vic’s whale watching charters are $600 for four to six people.

There’s a good chance you’ve seen bottles of the California appellation Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red at local markets for well under 20 bucks. But there’s a more artisanal side to this 47-year-old Geyserville-based winery, showcased at Marietta’s first-ever tasting room in downtown Healdsburg.

The story

Marietta Cellars got its start in 1978, when Chris Bilbro founded the Dry Creek Valley winery and named it for his favorite aunt. Initially buying fruit from local growers, he built a reputation for making solid, affordable wines with integrity — including Marietta’s famous $19 red. Bilbro’s sons, Scot, Jake and Sam, grew up in the family business, so it was no surprise that all three found careers in the wine world. In 2012, Scot and Jake bought Marietta Cellars from their dad, and Sam founded Idlewild Wines. Now, as Marietta’s sole owner and winemaker, Scot Bilbro is adding exciting new dimensions to the business.

Farming 200 acres of vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino counties, the winery makes about 35,000 cases per year, with small-lot wines reserved for the tasting room. Wines feature an intriguing array of varieties, including Zinfandel, Riesling and Trousseau.

The vibe

Steinkamp is an architectural designer and it shows in the bright, contemporary space. (One of her sketches hangs on the wall and her lovely watercolor paintings appear on Marietta’s wine labels.) All of the design choices are thoughtful and intentional, from the French marble hutch behind the bar to the wooden branch sculpture that hangs from the ceiling. Even the spittoons are custom-made by a local ceramicist — a former Buddhist monk.

Seating includes a velvet banquette with marble-topped tables and a couple of bar seats. There’s also a sweet patio out front, with tables set under some leafy trees. The winery doesn’t currently offer food, but you can order from Acorn Café and have it brought over (Marietta shares a back door with the restaurant). Wines are available by the flight, glass and bottle, so visitors are welcome to stick around and relax. If you’re a dog person, as I am, you’ll enjoy meeting the couple’s bouncy pup, Harry.

On the palate

Although Marietta has some higher-production wines in distribution across the country, you won’t find them here. This is a chance to taste Bilbro’s small-lot wines, which he describes as both personal and emotional.

The tasting room offers two different flights for $35 each. The Place sampling features single-estate wines made in a more traditional style. The Presence tasting highlights Marietta’s “Etta” series of playful, esoteric wines. All selections are made with neutral oak, which highlights the purity of the fruit and adds texture.

The Etta 2023 Gris ($42) immediately hooked me with its pale, coppery color. A blend of Grenache and Trousseau, the wine has peachy hints and a nice balance of acidity and body. I loved the Nadi 2022 Wirz Vineyard Dry Riesling from Cienega Valley ($38) for its golden color, stone-fruit aroma and racy energy. The 2022 Gibson Block Red from McDowell Valley ($58) is made from Syrah vines planted in 1918, along with Grenache, Petite Sirah and Alicante. Its deep color, structure and dark fruit flavors call out for a pan-seared steak.

Beyond the bottle

To keep the laid-back, artsy vibe going, catch a movie at the new True West Film Center. The three-screen theater showcases “art house” flicks and new releases, offering big, comfy seats and — in true Healdsburg fashion — a sommelier-designed selection of wines from the Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River valleys. Moviegoers can also preorder food from Acorn Café, El Milagro, Journeyman Meat Co., Lo & Behold and Troubadour.

Marietta Cellars is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. 250 Center St., Healdsburg. 707-433-2747, mariettacellars.com

Tina Caputo is a wine, food, and travel journalist who contributes to Sonoma magazine, SevenFifty Daily, Visit California, Northern California Public Media, KQED, and more. Follow her on Bluesky at @winebroad.bsky.social, view her website at tinacaputo.com, and email her story ideas at [email protected].

Three pest control companies that improperly disposed of hazardous waste at dozens of sites around the state and failed to secure sensitive customer records have agreed to pay over $3.1 million to resolve a civil complaint brought by multiple district attorneys' offices.

The civil complaint was filed against Orkin Services of California, Crane Pest Control, and Clark Pest Control of Stockton, which are all owned by Georgia-based Rollins Inc.The companies were discovered to have thrown away pesticides that were toxic, ignitable and corrosive in municipal dumpsters destined for regular landfills, according to Wednesday press statements from Bay Area district attorneys' offices, which led investigations into the companies.

“Our Environmental and Consumer Law Division is working with other district attorney offices throughout California to ensure that businesses comply with environmental protection laws to preserve our natural resources and to ensure confidentiality of protected consumer information,” said Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez

The investigations involved district attorneys around the state and checked 40 dumpsters in 2021 and 2022. They were said to have found thousands of hazardous products illegally disposed of and customer records that were not shredded or otherwise destroyed, which is a violation of privacy laws, according to Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton's Office.The companies operate a total of 70 facilities in California, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office.Products improperly disposed of included a range of hazardous electronic waste and chemicals, including pesticide containers with dangerous liquids, foams, and powders, along with poisonous baits, adhesives, sanitizers, aerosols, batteries, and other material not permitted to be thrown in dumpsters headed for regular landfills.The district attorneys' offices said that Orkin and Clark Pest Control of Stockton were cooperative with the investigation once notified of the violations.A spokesperson for Orkin said the company had worked with investigators to resolve the issues and was taking steps--which are now also being required by the stipulated judgement--to correct the violations."Since being notified that a few of our brands in California were being investigated, we quickly began working cooperatively with the District Attorneys' offices. Since that time, we have improved our operational and service processes and policies to better reflect the highest industry standards," a company spokesperson said.Requests for comment from Crane Pest Control, Clark Pest Control of Stockton and their parent company Rollins Inc. were not returned Wednesday afternoon.The stipulated judgement includes about $2 million in civil penalties, over $300,000 to recover investigative costs, and about $800,000 that will be directed to environmental compliance measures, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office.The companies agreed to retain a third-party auditor for five years to monitor 10% of their dumpsters, make reports of those audits, train employees on proper waste disposal, and pay for thousands of hours of additional audit and compliance-related measures to be taken internally, the DA's Office said in a news release.The complaint was brought by the district attorneys of the counties of Sonoma, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Alameda, Santa Clara, San Joaquin, Solano, Monterey and five others in Northern and Southern California.

This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Temple Lodge No. 14 of Free and Accepted Masons — the oldest fraternal organization in the City of Sonoma — will celebrate its 175th anniversary on Saturday, November 15, 2025, marking a proud legacy that reaches back to California’s earliest days and the very founding of the town of Sonoma itself.

Granted dispensation on November 25, 1850, and officially chartered on May 6, 1851, Temple Lodge No. 14 has served as a cornerstone of Sonoma’s civic and philanthropic life for nearly two centuries. Today, the Lodge continues that legacy through its strong support of local education—donating laptops and iPads to students in need throughout Sonoma Valley’s elementary schools, and contributing more than $10,000 over the past three years to DonorsChoose.org to help teachers purchase essential classroom materials. These initiatives underscore the Lodge’s enduring commitment to education, community service, and the advancement of Sonoma Valley’s next generation.

But the story of Sonoma’s Masons is inseparable from the story of Sonoma itself — and indeed, from the birth of California.

Freemasons played a central role in shaping California’s early identity. Many of the leaders of the Bear Flag Revolt of June 14, 1846 — the rebellion that helped set the stage for California’s transition from Mexican to U.S. governance — were Freemasons. Among them were Dr. Robert Baylor Semple, Captain Granville Perry Swift, Captain John Grigsby, Bartlett Vines, William Henry Hargrave, Peter Lassen, and George C. Yount.

Just weeks later, on July 9, 1846, U.S. Navy Lieutenant Joseph Warren Revere — himself a Freemason and the grandson of patriot Paul Revere — lowered the Bear Flag and raised the Stars and Stripes over Sonoma Plaza for the first time, forever linking Sonoma to the birth of the American West.

Following the Mexican-American War, a number of Freemason Army officers stationed in Sonoma remained to help build the young state’s institutions. Among them were Colonel Jonathan Drake Stevenson, commanding officer of the First Regiment of New York Volunteers and later the first Grand Master of Masons in California, and Lieutenant George Stoneman, Jr., a future Union General and Governor of California (1883–1887).

Their leadership helped establish the principles of community, service, and moral fortitude that became the hallmarks of California Freemasonry.

Temple Lodge’s roots stretch back to a meeting on April 9, 1851, when eight Freemasons gathered in the upstairs room of the Ray House (now the Adler Adobe at 205 East Spain Street). By the following month, the group had received its official charter, with Grand Master Stevenson presiding over the ceremony.

The Lodge’s early members included West Point graduates and Army officers such as Lt. George Horatio Derby (the Lodge’s first Master), Lt. George Stoneman (Secretary), and Lt. Robert Hopkins (Treasurer).

Over the decades, Temple Lodge met in several historic Sonoma buildings — including the Salvador Vallejo Adobe, the Vaslit Building, and the Sonoma Valley Bank Building — before settling in 1909 at 465 First Street West, where it remained for 84 years and grew to over 300 members.

Among the many distinguished Freemasons associated with Sonoma are several who achieved national prominence:

Through earthquakes, fires, and the passage of time, Temple Lodge No. 14 has endured as a living link between Sonoma’s frontier past and its vibrant present. In recent decades, the Lodge relocated to its current home at 669 Broadway, where members continue to uphold the timeless values of brotherly love, relief, and truth.

The Lodge’s 175th anniversary celebration will honor not only the Masons who helped shape Sonoma’s early years, but also the organization’s ongoing contributions to the civic and cultural life of the Sonoma Valley community.

Two wine country towns are on a new "most adorable small towns in Northern California" bucket list.

SONOMA VALLEY, CA — Sonoma and St. Helena are on a new "most adorable small towns in Northern California" bucket list.

Some of the towns are a surprise, others are naturals for the WorldAtlas list, a scholastic-oriented organization whose criteria for the nine towns selected blend brains and beauty.

While iconic cities and golden beaches help to define California, the Golden State's beauty also lives quietly in its smaller towns, tucked between vineyards, mountains, forests, and coastlines, according to the list where St. Helena and Sonoma respectively ranked No. 7 and 8. "Whether you’re sipping Chardonnay beneath ancient oaks, hiking through redwood groves, or watching the sun sink into the Pacific, these destinations promise the kind of experiences that linger long after you’ve unpacked your bags."

The towns also have something to teach visitors. Steeped in heritage, each of these nine towns offers its own brand of magic, according to the site.

ST. HELENA: At the heart of Napa Valley, about 65 miles north of San Francisco, lies St. Helena, whose motto is "The Roots of Napa Valley. This town is a refined yet down-to-earth destination that captures the essence of Wine Country living, according to the list. Wine lovers will find themselves spoiled for choice here. To dig deeper into the region’s roots, step inside the 1881 Napa Wine History Museum, where guests can wander through antique winemaking equipment and browse ephemera from the Early California Wine Trade Archive. When hunger strikes, Gott’s Roadside is a local favorite. What began as a burger stand on Highway 29 evolved into a James Beard Award-winning take on North American comfort food. Literary buffs will appreciate a detour to the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum, which holds the world’s largest public collection of materials related to the famed author of Treasure Island. The exhibits range from rare manuscripts and letters to early editions and family heirlooms.

SONOMA: The motto on the Sonoma visitors' website is, "Come as you are and experience Wine Country your way." One way is to look for the historical landmarks. Sonoma is where California’s story and wine legacy, truly began, according to list. At the heart of the town and all around are lessons in the state's history from Spain, to Mexico, to the Bear Flag. Wander further to find the Toscano Hotel and the home of Gen. Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, also known as Lachryma Montis — "the crying mountain."

The most adorable bucket-list list includes: