Visiting Healdsburg? Get out of Downtown!

The little town of Healdsburg in Sonoma County can be quite full of visitors on any weekend and during the summer vacation season. It's pretty busy almost any time these days because numerous travel web sites and magazines have named it a place to visit if you love wine.

Besides many hotels and restaurants in the downtown area (what's considered downtown is about three blocks long) there are probably 18 tasting rooms. These can get quite busy especially on weekend afternoons. If you don't like crowds try a slightly longer walk or a very short drive to a few others outside of the immediate downtown area.

Within a few minutes walk:

Breathless and Kobler two or three blocks to the west of the downtown plaza. Breathless is all sparkling wines. Kobler is mostly viognier, syrah, and pinot noir.
Selby a block to the south a block over from the the main drag. Susie Selby is most known for her zinfandel, but you'll find everything from malbec to rosé.

Walk or drive:

Longboard about four blocks south. You could walk, but it could be a bit of a chore if you're carrying some wines back with you. They are mostly about Syrah, but make others including sparkling wines.
A half-mile southeast of downtown on Front Street along the Russian River is a cluster of wineries. You could park and spend your day right here. Be sure to try the pinot noirs from Davis Family, Holdredge, and Sapphire Hill, zinfandels at Pezzi King.
Hudson Street Wineries is a collection of small wineries in one tasting room located near the Front Street wineries listed above.

Drive:

Seghesio is about 3/4 miles north. They are known for their zinfandel.
Simi Winery is two miles north of downtown. It's an old, historical winery (now owned by Constellation Brands). They are all about the Alexander Valley cabernets though they make quite a few different wines. Simi is one of the few places around that offer a winery tour.

Google Map of Healdsburg tasting rooms.