Try An Outdoor Adventure When Visiting Healdsburg

Sonoma Canopy Tours.

Sonoma County is known for its natural beauty. Flowing rivers, towering redwoods, rolling vineyards and the peaks of the Mayacamas Mountains create the perfect backdrop to sitting back with friends, enjoying a glass of wine and sharing delicious food. But something that sometimes surprises people is that natural beauty is a playground for those visitors who enjoy outdoor recreation. Guests can combine their love of food and wine with everything from golf and biking to horseback riding and river rafting. All of these experiences are easy to incorporate into your Healdsburg getaway.

The river valleys that our wine regions are named for are incredible places to spend a day during the summer. A canoe, kayak or even inflatable float is a spectacular way to travel the Russian River through the center of wine country. Several local outfitters, like Russian River Adventures, Getaway Adventures and River’s Edge Kayak provide guided tours or can simply rent the equipment needed to enjoy the local flora and fauna. Del Rio Woods and Veteran’s Memorial Beach, some of the county’s numerous regional parks, provides beach access to the river for paddling, sunbathing and picnicking.  

If you prefer to stay dry, there are plenty of adventures on land to choose from. Hiking trails for all ages and levels of experience can be not far from the heart of downtown. Fitch Mountain has a popular six mile loop that takes hikers along the Russian River and through redwood groves, with a few hills thrown in for good measure. It’s also home to a unique 2000 square foot vacation rental, situated high above all three river valleys.  For an easier trek, the Magnolia Loop is a flat, paved four-mile route through vineyards with the Mayacamas in the background.

Wine Country Bikes, Spoke Folk, Ace It Bike Tours and Bolo’s Bikes rent bikes and organize tours to take the work out of planning the day’s ride. They’ll outfit you with the right bike and all the accessories you need for a memorable ride through the region. Ace It rents hybrids, road and e-bikes and also provides tours to wineries and breweries throughout the region. Bolo’s e-bikes make getting around a breeze on their tours of historic Healdsburg and nearby wineries. Getaway Adventures also hosts bike tours that combine biking with hiking or kayaking excursions.

Bike Healdsburg.

Bike Healdsburg is a little less of a workout and a little more of a party. Guests will still need to pedal the 13-passenger bike on a progressive party through local bars and restaurants. They’ve got two wheels but no pedaling is involved! Segway of Healdsburg tours take riders out of town and into the vineyards or through the redwoods. 

Trade two wheels for four feet and explore the area on horseback. Thunderbird Ranch is a gorgeous wedding venue, but visitors can explore more than 600 acres of property in the beautiful Alexander Valley on their trail horses. The trails take you through vineyards, along the Russian River and over the rolling hills of the countryside around Healdsburg. The Ranch at Sonoma, another beautiful wedding and event venue, offers trail rides that showcase breathtaking 360-degree views of the valley below. Rides can be customized for new riders and old hands alike.

The Healdsburg Golf Club, a challenging nine-hole course, is just about a mile from the Healdsburg Plaza if you need a break from all the wine tasting, eating and shopping in the town center. 

Or change your perspective by experiencing the valley from above. Up and Away Ballooning offers spectacular views of Sonoma County, Napa Valley and on a clear day San Francisco. Nestled in the forest just a short drive from Healdsburg, Sonoma Canopy Tours is an adventure course through California Coastal Redwoods. The guided eco-tour includes multiple zip lines, sky bridges and a final rappel to the forest floor. 

For a real adrenaline rush, NorCal Skydiving, located a bit north in Cloverdale, takes jumpers high above Sonoma County for panoramic views from the Pacific Ocean to the Sierra Nevada range. For sky-high views from inside, Helico Sonoma offers tours that showcase the Russian River and Anderson Valleys as well as a bird’s eye perspective of the area’s vineyards - and can even land at local wineries for a tasting. Imagine riding a bike in the air. That’s the concept behind Spirits Up tours that take guests on a magical flight in an open cockpit aircraft.

Wine and food may bring you to Healdsburg, but there’s so much more to get out to explore. For more information on things to do visit our website.