Back in November, I spent my birthday weekend in Napa doing wine tasting. My friend and I took Friday off from work to drive to wine country from Reno, and we decided to spend our half day in Sonoma before heading to Napa. After a four-hour drive, we arrived in Sonoma around 11 am, giving us the perfect amount of time to grab lunch and browse the streets before heading to the highlight of the day.
There was one key activity I wanted to do over the weekend: a safari. I had seen @sassyredlipstick and @tripp go to Safari West, and I couldn’t resist the opportunity to feel like I was in the middle of the Lion King. (Pro-tip: Use Sarah’s promo code ‘sassy’ for 10% off.) But before we talk about going on safari in Sonoma, let’s talk lunch.
Sunflower Caffe in Sonoma
The Sunflower Caffe is right in Sonoma Plaza and the perfect place for lunch. It has a bright, welcoming ambiance and lots of outdoor seating. The word that comes to mind to describe it is “refreshing.” Fun fact: It’s located in a historical landmark. The Sunflower Caffe is located in the old home of Salvador Vallejo. Vallejo lost it in a poker game, and now it’s a tasty place to grab some simply food.
And the food was on point. I ordered the grilled cheese and tomato soup, one of my go-to meals when I’m feeling indecisive. The menu changes seasonally, so I can’t guarantee it’ll be there when you go. That said, the ingredients were superb and I can’t imagine anything on the menu is bad.
While you can sit inside, I recommend taking advantage of the extensive outdoor seating behind the building. It’s covered in greenery and has forest-like qualities.
Safari West in Santa Rosa
You need at least an hour to get from Sonoma Plaza to Safari West, which is technically in Santa Rosa. It’s deep in the surrounding hills and worth the drive on the winding roads.Safari West has nearly 900 animals from over 90 unique species roaming around the 400-acre preserve.
The day Whitney and I went it was super smoky from the area wildfires, which was obviously a bummer, but did not stop us from hopping in the safari vehicle for a few hours. Yes, it’s a LONG tour–part walking and part on the vehicle. You see everything from flamingos and monkeys to rhinos and giraffes.
Our tour group was about 10 people, other families and friends, in the truck, and while you sit on the “ground floor” for most of the Safari West tour, you will get to rotate to the top of the truck for a bird’s eye view. It’s a very cool experience to be on top of the truck. Don’t worry the tour guides know you’ll want a picture up there. They’ve got your back.
Also, if you’re taking photos on the drive, you’ll want to bring a lens with a lot of range because animals will be right next to the vehicle and off in the distance. You’ll want to capture them all. I used my Canon Rebel T6i with a 55-250mm IS STM Lens. It’s not the fanciest setup, but it gets the job done.Now, I could sit here and tell you how tall the giraffes when you actually get next to one. It’s f***ing crazy. I could tell you how crazy it is to see a rhinoceros or a herd of zebras that close. But instead of describing all the animals to you, I am going to share an extensive gallery below. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, so you’re about to read a novel.
Next, I’ll need to go on safari in Africa. But that’s a larger investment. Maybe for a hypothetical honeymoon, ha!
Have you been to Sonoma before? Where do you like to go? Until my next trip, here goes nothing.
