Destinations

I needed to get out of town for a few days and decided to re-visit a resort I used to go to with family and friends when my son was little.  I had forgotten how much I liked the Flamingo Resort and Spa in Santa Rosa.  It is the perfect place to hide away from your hectic life for a few days. The rates start around $89.00 or $99.00 a night and they have regular rooms, junior suites, 1 bedroom and even a few 2 bedroom suites. Many of the rooms have refrigerators and microwaves. We had the luxury of having a 2 bedroom suite. It was great having that much room.  You can sleep up to 5 people and maybe 6 if they give you a rollaway .

The Flamingo is great for families of all ages. The pool is wonderful and they also have a hot tub. The hotel has reciprocity with the health club next door. Tennis is free there and you have to pay a nominal fee if you want to use the gym or take classes.  The resort also
offers yoga lessons on certain days of the week.

Go to www.flamingoresort.com for more details on what they have.

There is a lot to do in the area. For the kids (and adults), there is the Charles Shultz museum. The Russian river is not far away and you are also close to many of the wineries in Sonoma and Napa.  So there is plenty to keep you busy, or you can just stay in this little oasis and never leave!

The Carneros Inn, a small world class retreat with dramatic vineyard vistas. A perfect place to visit for a Bay Area Getaway. Located just inside the Napa County line off Highway 121, across from Tattinger Vineyards, a one hour drive from San Francisco.

Spacious accommodations in freestanding cottages with private furnished patios. Spectacular bathrooms with indoor/outdoor showers and heated slate floors. Beautiful Italian bed linens.

The Hilltop restaurant serves breakfast and lunch.The FARM is the signature dining room and for casual eating there is the Boon Fly Cafe. Two swimming pools, a whirlpool, gym, yoga studio, running trails and bocce courts. A wonderful spa with 15 treatment rooms.

Sonoma County Grape Camp, a behind-the-scenes three-day wine and food adventure, is designed to explore the fine craft of taking winegrapes from the vineyard to the bottle and more.

Produced by Sonoma County Winegrape Commission and Relish Culinary School, this event offers consumers hands-on experience harvesting grapes and blending wine to take home, as well as exclusive access to influential winemakers and chefs who help make Sonoma County Wine Country a world-class destination.

The second annual Sonoma County Grape Camp will take place during the exciting harvest season, Sept. 29 - Oct. 1. Camp highlights include an outdoor vineyard reception dinner overlooking the Dry Creek Valley at Frei Brothers Reserve Winery, featuring a kickoff toast by Gina Gallo, winemaker of Gallo Family Vineyards. Noted chefs Duskie Estes and John Stewart of zazu restaurant and farm will prepare dinner.

Campers will also enjoy a “Cooking with Sonoma Wine” workshop under the direction of renowned Chef/Author John Ash. Other camp activities include a private dinner feast in the Kunde wine caves, and a picnic lunch in Saralee’s Vineyard featuring a top Sonoma cheesemaker and premier coffee roaster, Andrew Barnett, of Ecco Caffe. There will also be visits to Jordan Winery, Tandem Winery, Valdez Family Winery and Francis Ford Coppola Presents Rosso and Bianco Winery.

Featuring a unique consortium of mountains and valleys, coastal breezes and oceanic fog, Sonoma County’s varied topography and climate make it one of the most diverse winegrowing regions in the world. Sonoma County Grape Camp embraces this distinction, offering campers memorable experiences in several growing regions within the county.

Tuition is $1,500 per person for each couple ($200 single supplement) and includes two nights hotel stay at the luxurious Vintners Inn, as well as all meals, seminars, transportation and activities listed on the camp schedule.