Spend a Weekend in Sebastopol, California

Come to Sebastopol, California, in the late fall and early winter to sip crisp cider, hike past autumn-bright vineyards, and connect with farmers and chefs ready to share their latest harvest creations. “That’s the magic of November and December in West [Sonoma] County—it’s a time of celebration,” says chef Preeti Mistry. Host of this year’s James Beard Award–winning podcast Loading Dock Talks and a two-time James Beard nominee for best chef in the West, Mistry has made their mark far beyond Sebastopol. But it’s here, among the area’s family-owned farms and vineyards, that they found home. Mistry took a break from tending their own Apple Cheeks Orchard to share their favorite spots to enjoy the town’s local cuisine, wine-country landscapes, and down-to-earth community.

Experience the harvest.

November marks the arrival of olive-harvest season at Gold Ridge Organic Farms, where 21 types of olives are grown and pressed into four olive oil blends. Book a tour and sample the range of flavors, from the herbaceous Tuscan to the piquant Picholine. The farm also hosts festive cooking demos, such as how to make an apple pie with an olive oil crust or latkes fried in Gold Ridge’s signature oils.

Pick your own Fuji apples, persimmons, and pineapple guava at Earthseed Farm, a permaculture farm named after the fictional religion in author Octavia Butler’s Afrofuturist Parable series. Earthseed sits on ancestral Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo land, and visitors often leave not only with fruit in hand, but with a “deeper understanding of the area’s original stewards,” says Mistry.

Raise a toast to the region’s huge variety of heirloom apples at Tilted Shed Ciderworks, just 20 minutes north in Windsor. “Husband-and-wife team Scott Heath and Ellen Cavalli make some of the best cider I’ve ever tasted,” says Mistry. “Before trying theirs, I thought of cider as sweet and one-note. Their single-varietal ciders have depth, nuance, and can be paired with food—much like wine.” Mistry recommends the Graviva, made with Sebastopol’s iconic Gravenstein apples, as well as the crisp, lemony Wickson.

At Naidu Wines, take in expansive views of rolling amber vineyards while sipping estate-grown pinot noir in a fireside cabana. “Watching the leaves turn is a joy,” says Mistry. “People say the San Francisco Bay Area doesn’t have seasons, but up here, the fall colors are stunning.” 

Stroll or roll.

For more fiery foliage, bike or walk between vineyards and orchards aflame in brilliant reds and golds on the West County Regional Trail. The mostly paved path extends 5.5 miles along a former rail line, from Sebastopol to Forestville.

Just outside of Sebastopol, Laguna de Santa Rosa Trail is a migratory bird magnet, says Mistry. Look for flocks of waterfowl on flooded marshes, great blue herons standing in the shallows, red-winged blackbirds flitting through reeds, and bald eagles gliding overhead.

Sneak in an invigorating Sonoma Coast stroll 30 minutes west at Doran Beach. “You can dip your toes in the water,” says Mistry. “But it will be chilly—this is NorCal.” 

Taste the season.

The town’s food scene is a mix of hippie farm culture and younger, more experimental chefs and winemakers. Mingle with the vintners at the Punchdown, a convivial bar where Sebastopol’s natural wine community gathers for happy hour. “The natural wine world is so much more laid back and not stuffy,” says Mistry. “You might be sipping wine made by the person sitting right next to you.” 

Dinner options abound, but “when the weather cools down, nothing is better than a spicy bowl of house-made noodles at Ramen Gaijin,” says Mistry. “I love the pickles—especially the shiitake mushroom—and the seasonal shrubs for a refreshing non­alcoholic drink.” 

Seafood is the star at Handline, but Mistry swears by the burger: “It’s perfectly done—and they have the best fries in West County. Sometimes we go with friends just for oysters, fries, and bubbles.” Across the street, at the mom-and-pop joint Psychic Pie, the “adorable” owners Nicholi Ludlow and Leith Leiser-Miller “have gotten a lot of props” for their pillowy pizza crusts topped with local ingredients, says Mistry. “Nicholi is the dough master, and Leith is great with the flavors.”

Pick a souvenir.

In a town so tied to agriculture, even the shopping feels rooted. “The sheer bounty of local produce at the Sunday farmers market is just incredible,” says Mistry. Stalls brim with ripe pomegranates, blood oranges, and sweet oroblanco grapefruit. Purchase tools to preserve your fresh finds at Gather, a home-and-garden boutique, where shelves thoughtfully display ceramic fermentation crocks, canning jars, and handcrafted cookware. 

At Antique Society, seek out a ceramic relish tray to show off those pickles. The sprawling space holds a collective of over 125 dealers, selling everything from diner signage and rustic milk cans to Edwardian nightgowns and velvet stools. “You could spend all day there,” says Mistry. 

But the best memento might be one that sprouts leaves. Spread across more than 7 acres, “Botanica Nursery and Gardens is beautiful for a walk,” says Mistry. Shaded trails meander past soaring dawn redwoods, crimson Japanese maples, and rhododendron hybrids cultivated on-site. Take home a native yerba buena plant—its minty sprigs make a tasty tea—and savor your visit for seasons to come.