Camping Near Healdsburg at Wildhaven Sonoma Glamping

Are you dreaming of a glamping getaway? Recently, my family had the chance to get away from it all at Wildhaven Sonoma Glamping near Healdsburg and it was an easy and comfortable way to experience the outdoors without too much effort. 

Have you considered camping near Healdsburg, California? Here at Trekaroo, we’re big fans of the outdoors, and that includes glamping. At Wildhaven Sonoma glamping is a four season affair, especially with California’s temperate climate and Wildhaven’s creature comforts. 

Wildhaven Sonoma Review

What is Glamping Anyway?

Glamping is just camping but with more amenities and a bunch of prep work already done for you. It’s glamorous camping. Our family is a camping family – we’ve got our camping kitchen in a box and ready to go at a moment’s notice.

But if you aren’t a camping family and don’t have all the gear ready to go, it can be a daunting task to get it together for a weekend trip. So, if you’re a camping family or if you’re not, consider checking out Wildhaven Sonoma.

Wildhaven Sonoma is a glamping campsite located on the Russian River in the Russian River Valley wine country of Sonoma, California. It’s located 90-minutes north of San Francisco. No tent or extensive planning required. All you have to do is book it, pack a few essentials, and get there for a weekend a world away.

Why Camp at Wildhaven Sonoma?

The Great Outdoors

It’s always fabulous to get into the great outdoors. The Russian River flows along the property; in fact you can book a tent that is mere steps away from the river!

Head down to the river for a dip, or a short float down the river. We brought along our own inner tubes and kayaks. 

You can also take a longer float down the river by starting at a rental site in downtown Healdsburg. The river bottom and shore are a bit rocky, so sandals or water shoes are recommended. The location is close to family-friendly hikes, boat rentals, horseback riding, river floating, and wine tasting.

Wildhaven Sonoma plans to offer guests floatation equipment and kayaks in the future. 

The Comfy Bed

You don’t normally associate beds with camping. Wildhaven Sonoma provides queen sized beds with comfy mattresses, sheets, and plush pillows. When we’re traveling, a great bed always ups the happiness quotient.

Typically, we don’t worry about beds while camping, we just throw down our camping pads and call it “good enough”. We were pleasantly appreciative of the quality beds at Wildhaven Sonoma.

Tents can either have one or two queen beds, plus cots can be added for additional kids. Our family of five had one queen bed and three cots. For cots, you may want to bring along bedding or sleeping bags. Sleeping bags are also available for purchase at the camp.

The (Warm) Tent

Sturdy canvas tents sit atop wood platforms with porches. You don’t have to fuss with setting up and tearing down a tent. The porch has a table and chairs for lounging. Each side features zippable windows with screens. There are hooks to hang your clothes, lights, power outlets, and bedside tables.

The fall and winter tend to bring lower temperatures, though Sonoma is generally a very temperate climate. Wildhaven Sonoma provides each tent with a space heater and extra blankets to keep you cozy at night.

Premium campsites have their own firepit grill and picnic tables. You can use the firepit to cook on, roast marshmallows, or just sit around and tell stories.

The Screen-less Time

Slow it down, way down. Distance your family away from those screens and into the serene. Although each tent provides lamps with USB outlets to keep your “essential” devices charged, when camping disconnecting is encouraged. There is wifi which is good enough for texts and to upload that one off photo to Instagram, but not enough to stream video.

If you are specifically looking to get some work or school done (don’t) in the great outdoors, reception for Verizon is usually 1-2 bars, while AT&T and T-Mobile can be a bit better. But seriously, try disconnecting in order to reconnect as a family.

Other Amenities

Wildhaven Sonoma also sports a common BBQ grill area with propane, sinks for dishwashing, common bathrooms which are cleaned regularly, and individual shower rooms. A wheelchair accessible bathroom and shower are also available.

The recently opened camp store stocks wine, beer, snacks, and items for picnics. Wildhaven Sonoma is also working on organizing wine tasting events and food truck visits on weekends. Dogs are allowed for an extra fee. For more information or booking, visit the Wildhaven Sonoma FAQ.

Plan a getaway to Wildhaven this November.

Use code IGNOV20 (20% off a 2-night midweek stay).

Eating While at Wildhaven Sonoma

Head off to taste wine during the day throughout Sonoma County, and bring it back to your campsite and cook up a gourmet meal under the stars.

You can cook on your grill firepit (Premium or Riverside sites) or at one of the communal gas BBQs which feature side burners. Firewood can be ordered beforehand or requested at the campsite during the day.

If cooking isn’t your thing, Wildhaven Sonoma is just a short drive or bike ride away from the quaint town of Healdsburg which is chock full of wonderful eateries.

Things to Do in Nearby Healdsburg

Sonoma County is one of California’s well-known wine growing destinations. If wine is what you seek, you’ve come to the right place. There are six wine tasting rooms within a 10-minute bike ride from the property.

If you want a one stop overview tasting experience, you can also head to downtown Healdsburg.

Vineyard Tours and Walks

There are many spectacular vineyards and winery walks.

• Alexander Valley Vineyards offers a tour of their caves and free tasting.
• In Dry Creek Valley, Bella Winery provides cave tasting, weekend food and wine picnic parings, and even tours aboard a vintage 4WD vehicle.
• Sbragia Family Vineyards dates from 1904 and provides expansive views and Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery has breathtaking gardens.
• MacRostie Winery, known for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir was voted ‘Best Winery in Sonoma’ by San Francisco Magazine. The MacRostie estate offers views and a modern feel.

If you want to take a short walk through the vineyards, check out a self-guided tour from the Sonoma County Winegrowers association.

Trails are generally under a mile and relatively easy. There a number of tours available, including at Amista Vineyards, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, and Mauritson Wines.

Downtown Healdsburg

Healdsburg is a gem of a small town. Its walkable streets radiate out from a lush central park square. The streets are filled with farm-to-table restaurants, wine tasting bars, art galleries, artisan shops, and wellness spas.

We spent one of our lunches diving into the tasty BBQ platters at KINsmoke, which is located on the Healdsburg Plaza square. We particularly enjoyed the incredible flavor of the beef brisket.

For desert, consider heading over to the Noble Folk Ice Cream and Pie Company for a slice of pie, a scoop of ice cream, and a coffee.

Looking to start off the day right with some breakfast fare? The Costeaux French Bakery and Cafe offers up bistro cuisine for breakfast.

The Parish Cafe serves up New Orleans cuisine such as beignets covered in powdered sugar all day long. Craving for your morning coffee shop fix? Check out Flying Goat Coffee or Plank Coffee.

If you’re yearning to learn more about the rich history of Healdsburg, consider stopping for a bit at the Healdsburg Museum.

Hiking and Bicycling

We spent a couple of hours strolling around the wide trails of Healdsburg Open Space Preserve where you can find majestic overlooks of the vineyards.

The wide maintained trails are great for hiking, trail running, and mountain biking. For novice mountain bikers, it’s a good place to get started with it’s wide maintained trails.

On the campground property, if you bring bicycles or scooters the kids can zip around the paved campground roads with little traffic.

Although there aren’t always bike lanes, Sonoma is a great place to ride. Healdsburg is about a 5-mile ride from Wildhaven Sonoma.

Wildhaven Sonoma sits on Alexander Valley Road which does not have bike lanes, so take care if you have little ones who are riding, or drive a bit to get started. Downtown Healdsburg is fairly easy to cycle around with its wide streets and slow traffic.

For a more extensive tour, you might opt for the Alexander Valley loop. I rode a 10-mile section of the loop and it was relatively flat. Nothing beats whizzing by the vineyards imagining you’re in an extremely slow Tour de France.

For a more protected paved cycling and walking trail, check out the West County Regional Trail which weaves along vineyards and agriculutral land.

More Places to Get in the Water

Although you’re adjacent to the Russian River at Wildhaven Sonoma, you may also want to check out Veterans Memorial Beach in Healdsburg which features a swimming beach and picnic areas. The swimming area is staffed with lifeguards in the summer time.

Lake Sonoma is a huge manmade lake which offers boat rentals and ample opportunities to swim, paddleboard, and fish. The lake contains bass, perch, catfish, sunfish, and bluegill. There are plenty of picnic areas, a visitors center, as well as a fish hatchery.

Day Trips From Wildhaven Sonoma Glamping

If you’d like to wander further afield, head towards the coast to the small resort town of Guerneville (35 mins) along the Russian River. Near Guerneville, Korbel Delicatessen & Market is a great lunch spot where you can also try their Korbel California Champagne.

Also plan plenty of time for the Armstrong Redwoods, where you’ll experience majestic and oft less-visited views of the majestic towering California redwood trees. 

Keep on driving west and you’ll reach Jenner, a village on the rugged Pacific Coast where the river meets the ocean.

Charles M. Schultz Museum lies 20 minutes to the south and celebrates the work of Peanuts artist Charles M. Schultz. Adjacent to the museum is an ice skating rink where you can order food served up in a dog bowl ala Snoopy.

Safari West is a Trekaroo community favorite and is a touch of Africa in Sonoma County. You can go on safari in the “Sonoma Serenghetti” amidst nearly 900 animals across 400 acres. Roam amidst the giraffes, rhinos, and wildebeest.

Disclosure: We were hosted by Wildhaven Sonoma to facilitate this article.  However, as always my opinions are always entirely my own.