Where to picnic in Sonoma Valley

Sonoma

A historic winery set inside Bartholomew Park, a 375-acre private preserve on Sonoma's east side with free parking, oak-shaded picnic tables and about three miles of hiking trails. It is one of the few Sonoma Valley spots where you can picnic without buying anything, and wine to go is sold for the park.

Glen Ellen

A large biodynamic estate high on Sonoma Mountain above Glen Ellen, known for its tractor-tram vineyard tours. Its terrace picnic tables let small groups bring their own food with a bottle purchase.

Kenwood

A family-owned Rhône-focused winery (Grenache is the star) on the former Paradise Ridge Kenwood site, built around drop-in glasses and bottles under the olive trees. It explicitly welcomes outside picnic food, kids and dogs outdoors — one of the most relaxed picnic stops on Hwy 12.

Glen Ellen

Founded by Doobie Brothers manager Bruce Cohn and famous for its olive groves and rock-and-roll history, B.R. Cohn is now part of Adair Family Wines. It welcomes walk-in 'grab and go' picnics with wine and snacks bought on site, but outside food isn't allowed.

Sonoma

One of California's oldest wineries (founded 1858), still run by the founding family, with a relaxed, music-loving vibe and a big estate on the east edge of town. Picnicking is on the winery's terms: it sells picnic baskets and snacks but no longer allows outside food.

Kenwood

A Chardonnay and Pinot Noir house at the foot of Sugarloaf Ridge whose lawn, fountain courtyard and bocce court make it feel like a picnic spot — but for non-members the food has to come from the winery's own cheese-and-charcuterie selection.

Sonoma

Anaba Wines offers a bookable picnic experience, "Pinot, Pizza, and Bocce": A welcome pour, a shared salad and wood-fired pizzas with a flight of five single-vineyard Pinot Noirs, plus bocce.

Kenwood

Kenwood's showpiece estate with a chateau, formal gardens and one of the best-known lawns in wine country. Its long-standing free picnic grounds are gone: outside food is now banned, and picnics happen only through a paid Estate Picnic booking with food from the winery's market.

Glen Ellen

A small family winery on Sonoma Highway that openly courts picnickers: reserve a table, bring your own spread and buy wine by the bottle. Laid-back, dog-friendly and kid-friendly.

Sonoma

A privately owned estate park that's open to the public, run by the nonprofit Bartholomew Foundation, and one of the prettiest free picnic spots near Sonoma, with lawns, redwoods and vineyard views minutes from the Plaza. The on-site winery that funds the park sells bottles and tumblers for picnickers, though the rules don't say whether you can bring your own wine.

Sonoma

A relaxed neighborhood park a short walk from the Plaza, with bocce and petanque courts, a playground and public restrooms next to the picnic tables. It's the downtown option for dog owners, since leashed dogs are welcome here but banned from the Plaza, and the same 11:30 a.m.-to-sunset drinking window applies.

Sonoma

A free, low-key county park in the Springs area of Sonoma Valley with an accessible group picnic area, a playground, a dog park and a flat paved loop past a small wetland. It's a practical family stop.

Sonoma

The Plaza's French-style bakery has been turning out baguettes, croissants and country loaves since 1994 and is the classic place to pick up bread and a sandwich before a Sonoma picnic. Lunch runs to sandwiches, salads and quiche, and you can order ahead online to skip the line.

Sonoma

Sonoma's summer evening market turns the Plaza into a giant picnic every Tuesday from May to early September, with farm stands, food vendors, beer and wine and live music. It's presented by the City of Sonoma with the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce, and locals bring blankets, chairs and their own spreads.

Sonoma

The Plaza's famous cheese shop shut at the end of 2018 and was bought in 2020 by the Sonoma's Best hospitality group, which reopened it as a cheese counter, BBQ deli (The Butcherman) and wine shop in one historic building. For picnickers it is the easiest Plaza grab: boxed cheese and charcuterie, sandwiches and a bottle, with a back patio or the Plaza lawn a few steps away.

Sonoma

A Sonoma-based charcuterie and grazing business serving Sonoma, Napa and Marin, with clearly priced boards sized from a couple to a crowd. It's a good option for a ready-made picnic spread when you're headed to a park or a winery that allows outside food.

Sonoma

Platypus runs the same picnic-lunch formula on the Sonoma side: three smaller wineries plus a boxed lunch on a winery's grounds, with pickup included. The Sonoma Valley version runs daily; a North Sonoma version covering the Russian River and Healdsburg runs at weekends.

Sonoma

The Sonoma Valley's local balloon operator, launching at sunrise from Sonoma Skypark. It offers a champagne landing toast rather than a picnic brunch, so plan your own picnic for later in the day.