You Have Olive Me

Sonoma Valley 2015 Olive Season

01.13.2015

Move over cheese: wine has a new best friend! Meet Olive, the diverse, multi-talented fruit that is the life of the party in Sonoma this winter. The 14th Annual Sonoma Valley Olive Season goes through February (one of the best times for escaping to real wine country). Many of the festivities and celebrations happen around the vibrant heart of old Sonoma—where the historic Mission, the Sonoma Barracks, and the picnic-friendly Plaza provide a beautiful central backdrop within easy walking distance to stores, tasting rooms, spas, and restaurants. From olive-themed cooking and wine pairing classes to spa treatments (olive oil and sea salt massage, anyone?) not to mention great ways to say "Olive You" over Valentine's Day weekend, events include the sumptuous Feast of the Olive, winery tours, food pairing classes, and a fantastic Finale Weekend. There are plenty of ways to explore Sonoma Valley, which is home to more than 100 wineries. This winter, turn your weekend getaway into olive affair that lasts.

BONUS: Sonoma Valley is very hike and bike friendly! Download a Hike/Bike guide, which includes the Sonoma History & Wineries self-guided bike tour of wineries and notable sites. Or pick up the info at either of the two visitor centers.

Check out all of Olive Season's events plus take advantage of seasonal savings on lodging, spas, wineries, and more!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories

From Beach to Summit
No need to decide between a beach and a mountaintop—this hike includes both! Explore the stunning coastal scenery on this 6-mile out-and-back up Montara Mountain and into Rancho Corral de Tierra.
View
Picnic and a Pedal
West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.
View
Most Peaceful Hike of All
Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.
View
Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll
One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure.
View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

Canal Contemplations
With its incense-scented boardwalk, bohemian shops, skateparks, and abundance of body builders, Venice is happily eccentric, and artistic. Exhibit A: Its network of European-style canals with charming bridges, offering a tranquil tour of the town’s history.
View
Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan
The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.
View
What's Up, Winthrop!
It’s not just its location close to Washington State’s spectacular and less visited national park (North Cascades) that makes Winthrop such a winsome mountain town. This lively enclave in the Methow Valley bristles with a whimsical blend of Wild West charms, contemporary culture, and a mosaic of outdoor adventures—from river to lake to waterfalls, and beyond.
View
Planet of the Oaks
Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.
View