JFitzpatrick Travel LLC

On a recent trip, I saw a picture which said “The world is the book and those who do not travel read only a page”.  I was struck by this and agree with it totally. I think that we are all much broader when we see and experience other cultures – i.e., this enhances our knowledge and acceptance of others making us all richer in the process.

This picture REALLY inspired me!

We travel! We travel a lot! We make many efforts to see the world beyond our country, sometimes forgetting just what we have in this country in terms of beautiful and experiential  places. This  past 4th of July, we visited one of those places, Sonoma, California.

Nestled in California’s wine country with mountains to both the east and west, Sonoma is a picturesque town with a wonderful town square around which many of its shops and restaurants are located. With a population of about 10,000, it reminds me of a modern day “Mayberry” (remember The Andy Griffith Show?) where people are warm and friendly and greet even strangers with a smile.  Sonoma is also the birthplace of “Williams-Sonoma”, one of my favorite stores. Of course, I had to go by there to see the original store.

We decided to go to Sonoma to celebrate my cousin’s wedding anniversary.  We opted for “MacArthur Place “as our lodging and could not have found a more romantic place.   Set on seven acres of gardens dotted with sculptures, this upscale Inn is centered around a manor house built in 1850 and is walking distance from the Sonoma Town square.

Plush rooms feature a laid back decor with overstuffed mattresses and, in some rooms, fireplaces.  With a free breakfast buffet, a wine and cheese happy hour, a spa and a gourmet restaurant, it’s easy to spend all of your time there in the hotel.  Don’t ask me about the cost! Remember, it’s a special occasion place and there’s nothing too good for your special somebody.  (Smile!)

 All decorated for the “4th”

If you’re looking for a good winery, Sonoma is a good place to be. If you’re looking for a good 4th of July celebration, this is  a GREAT place to be. “Travel and Leisure Magazine ” put Sonoma in its top 10 town squares and top 10 “Fourth” celebrations. In addition to its parade which draws crowds in the thousands, they also have a carnival and fireworks which are incredibly spectacular.

We happened upon weather which was perfect! Bright blue skies, low humidity, moderate temperature even though California had been experiencing a heat wave, it couldn’t have been better.  We arrived along the parade route early enough to grab a good viewing spot and spent the next few hours oohing and ahhing  and laughing with people all around us.  In a nutshell, we had a great time experiencing the community feeling of this parade.

Lest you think that Sonoma is isolated with nothing else around it, I need to explain that there are many other cute places in the region. NAPA is only about 15 miles away and as it’s technically in the Napa Valley versus Sonoma being in the Sonoma Valley, it’s a different, but close, wine region. There’s actually a little bit of competition between the Sonoma Valley and that Napa Valley.

Other cute towns in the region are Yountville, Healdsburg and St. Helena, to name a few.  One could spend weeks exploring wineries and experiencing great restaurants. For the gourmet and/or oenophile, this area is the place to be with food and drinks galore.  BTW, as a treat, David and I went to the CIA (Culinary  Institute of America, Greystone) in St Helena–located about 35 minutes from Sonoma – – and had a great meal.

 The CIA in St Helena

Yes, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page”!  I challenge you to read more pages and broaden your horizons!  Travel on your own or join us on some of our group trips!