Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WORTH A TRIP
GRATON
A portrait of West County's offbeat arts and food scenes, teeny-tiny Graton (population
1815) wasn't on tourists' radar until Martha Stewart profiled a local antiques shop. She
overlooked everything else, but we love the entire one-block-long town. Go 4 miles north
of Sebastopol on Hwy 116, then a half-mile west via Graton Rd.
Contemporary California artists show at
Graton Gallery
( 707-829-8912;
www.gratongallery.com
; 9048 Graton Rd; 10:30am-6pm Tue-Sat, 10am-4pm Sun) - note the
lovely jewelry. Martha loves browsing bric-a-brac at
Mr Ryder & Co Art & Antiques
(
707-824-8221;
www.mrryderantiques.com
;
9040 Graton Rd; 11am-5pm Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm Sun).
So do we. Part general store, part café,
Willow Wood Market
( 707-823-0233;
www.willowwoodgraton.com
; 9020 Graton Rd; mains $12-26; 8am-9pm Mon-Sat, 9am-3pm Sun)
serves knockout California comfort food, like polenta with goat cheese and roasted chick-
en; sit in the garden. Surprisingly cosmopolitan
Underwood Bar & Bistro
(
707-823-7023;
underwoodgraton.com
;
9113 Graton Rd; mains $17-29; 11:30am-2:30pm Tue-Sat,
5-10pm Tue-Sun) draws accolades for Mediterranean-style small plates; bon vivants fill the
hoppin' bar.
Guerneville & Around
The Russian River's biggest vacation-resort town, Guerneville gets busy summer week-
ends with party-hardy gay boys, sun-worshipping lesbians and long-haired, beer-drinking
Harley riders, earning it the nickname 'Groin-ville.' Though the town is slowly gentrify-
ing, it hasn't lost its honky-tonk vibe - fun-seeking crowds still come to canoe, hike red-
woods and hammer cocktails poolside.
Downriver, some areas are sketchy (due to drugs). The local chamber of commerce has
chased most of the tweakers from Main St in Guerneville, but if some off-the-beaten-path
areas feel creepy - especially campgrounds - they probably are.
Four miles downriver, tiny Monte Rio has a sign over Hwy 116 declaring it 'Vacation
Wonderland' - an overstatement, but the dog-friendly beach is a hit with families. Further
west, idyllic Duncans Mills is home to a few dozen souls, and has picture-ready historic
