An Eco-Friendly Visit to Sonoma: Hipmunk City Love

California is known for eco-consciousness, and Northern California for an organic and natural approach to life. Sonoma is a destination renowned for wineries, acres of blossoming vineyards, and tasting rooms where one can easily spend a weekend sipping some of the nation’s finest wines. In keeping with the local’s view of conservation, here are some great ways to explore Sonoma while keeping it pristine.

Cycle and Sip Your Way Through Sonoma with Getaway Adventures

From the leisurely paced Healdsburg Sip ’N Cycle tour that covers the back roads of Dry Creek Valley to the hard-core 35-mile Velo ’N Vino tour Getaway Adventures has something for everyone who wants to mix their passion for pedaling with a wine tour of beautiful Sonoma area. The perfect way to get an up close and personal look at the terroir that makes for world-class wines is quite literally at your fingertips. Sip and cycle carefully, though!

Image courtesy of torbakhopper from Flickr

Support Conservation and Education Efforts with a Kayak Tour

Water Treks EcoTours is proud to combine their love for showcasing the natural beauty of Sonoma County with an educational angle on their kayak tours. Sonoma Coast State Park is your playground for the day when you take the Jenner Estuary tour. It includes all your equipment, dry bag for your electronics (just in case), and a naturalist guide who will teach you all about the ecology of the area as well as how to spot gray and humpback whales! While not every day includes a whale sighting, it’s much more frequent to see other friends such as harbor seals, sea lions, bobcats, and sometimes even a bald eagle. Tours are available for beginners and last four hours. For more advanced paddlers the full-day tour offers a 7-hour option.

Be a Wine S.N.O.B.

This cute acronym was the brain child of Anna Brittain. She created Deep Roots Tours to showcase the sustainable, natural, organic, and bio-dynamic vineyards and wineries within Sonoma County. From the lightest of pinots to the tantalizing effervescence of a Halleck Gewürztraminer, the tours are handcrafted to suit your wine tasting preferences and come in either a half-day or full-day option, with all transportation via hybrid vehicles and a picnic lunch enjoyed with spectacular vineyard views. Giving back to a community has never been so easy or enjoyable.

Image courtesy of torbakhopper from Flickr

Indulge Yourself at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa

Are you ready to relax every hour of that workweek away and be pampered beyond belief? This eco-conscious Sonoma hotel is more like a resort with their huge emphasis on total well-being. The Willow Stream Spa boasts an enviable site above a 1,100-foot waterfall replete with soaking pool, massages, and mineral baths. With so many outstanding amenities and their dedication to the environment, no one would judge you for spending all your time on site.

Whether you’re visiting Sonoma to run the winery gamut or to reset yourself amid some of the most beautiful scenery in the world, doing your part to conserve this natural playground makes everyone happy at the end of your vacation.

Please note : This is part of a series for #HipmunkCityLove. Hipmunk.com is low-cost and budget travel service that I use while planning budget travel, and am thrilled to write for. I know you will find the articles as well as their services useful.

Remember, you are my first priority and I only work with or support companies whose products and services I believe in. For all the nitty gritty on this check out my disclaimer. It’s even got pictures of monkeys.