Image of grapes
(Photo by Peter Griffith, www.sonomacountry.com)
Where else you can find ritzy restaurants next to hometown bakeries, uptown hotels next to downtown inns and just-pressed grape juice used for sipping and soaking. Here are five reasons to visit.

1. Haute hotels

The crown jewel of Healdsburg is Les Mars, a Relais & Chateaux hotel modeled after a 17th-century French country estate. San Francisco designer Helga Horner coordinated the décor, furnishing rooms in an Old World style, with 18th- and 19th-century European antiques and reproductions. Hand-carved walnut panels line the library, where a nightly wine reception is held.

2. Gardens galore

While most towns showcase home gardens,
Photo of the pond in Quivira garden in Healdsburg
Healdsburg touts those of its vineyards. Two to check out are Quivira, a biodynamic garden of native plants, lavender and raised garden beds, and Ferrari-Carano, where an old prune orchard has been transformed into a lush, five-acre oasis of flowers, trees, koi ponds and a long meandering stream.

3. Fan-tastic museum

Just a jog off the main square is the quirky Hand Fan Museum, the only one of its kind in the U.S. Founded in 2002 by Pamela Sher, whose husband is co-partner in Hotel Healdsburg and the soon-to-open h2hotel, the closet-like space features a rotating display of mostly 18th- and 19th-century fans, ranging from Japanese ivory to Perfume fans, plus the history that accompanies them.

4. Indulge and imbibe

While Cyrus is the first name that pops up on the foodie radar, don't miss local faves like Scopa, Willi's Seafood and Raw Bar and Bistro Ralph.
Store shot at Lime Stone, Healdsburg
Imbibers need only drive Dry Creek Road to sate their taste for crushed grapes.

5. Shopping

With a central plaza surrounded by galleries and boutiques, Healdsburg browsing can be retail therapy. Make your first stop Lime Stone, the stylish atelier opened by Lisa Palmer, wife of famed chef Charlie Palmer, which carries home accessories such as vases, platters and decoupage wine label trays. At 14 Feet, contemporary sofas and accents are the raison d'etre, plus rustic farm tables that fit the wine country aesthetic.