Geyserville

With boardwalks lining vintage Western storefronts and blue-gray mountains in the near distance, Geyserville’s 60-yard-long main street looks like an old-fashioned movie set, where cowboys might duel at high noon. However, this friendly, rural Sonoma County town is actually a wine country destination. On the 128 between Healdsburg and Cloverdale, gorgeous Geyserville unfurls near the Russian River, surrounded by miles of vineyards and winding roads, with some of the most popular restaurants in the whole North Bay.

Homes in Geyserville cluster on the narrow side streets of Geyserville Avenue, spill along country lanes and up to the tumbling hills, and eventually pepper the farmland and vineyards along the 128. Mid-size single family homes range from $750,000 to just over $1 million: you’ll see early 20th-century Craftsman-style cottages and farmhouses on lots up to a half-acre; 1990s ranch-style homes with Craftsman-style details; and late 1960s and ‘70s modern designs in the hills, often shaded by wide, craggy oaks. Larger, newer estates blending Craftsman style with modern design often sit on multiple acres, ranging from just over $2 million to $4 million. Historic multi-family properties on tens of acres, often with planted vineyards, can go for as much as $10 million, while land zoned for new vineyards is about $260,000 an acre.

Though vineyards have been here since the mid-1800s, Geyserville exists because of, well, geysers. Tucked high up in a Mayacamas Mountain gorge, a series of hot springs, fumaroles and steam vents were long known to the local Pomo tribe; their 1847 “discovery,” though, was attributed to a pioneer trapper who tripped across them while tracking a bear. By the time the railroad arrived in 1872, these geysers had become a popular tourist attraction for visitors as acclaimed as Mark Twain and Theodore Roosevelt, and Geyserville was becoming a real live town. By the turn of the 19th century, you could find handsome homes, a general store, a saloon and restaurants along the one main-street block of Geyserville Avenue — which is still pretty much the scene today.

One of the biggest main-street attractions is Diavola Pizzeria and Salumeria, Michelin-rated for combining great value with great food. “This is my favorite place to eat in Sonoma County, which is seriously saying something,” says area resident Allison Bettis. “Inside it’s like a saloon crossed with a circus funhouse, and outside there’s a garden patio hung with all these colorful upside-down umbrellas. They make their own pasta and salumi,” continues Bettis, “but it’s their wood-fired pizzas that have my heart. If you like roasted peppers and can handle some spice, the Diavola pie will ruin you for all other pizza.” You’ll likely have to wait for a table, but you could pass the time next door at sister bar/restaurant Geyserville Gun Club, where you’ll find a zoo’s worth of taxidermy and some of the stiffest cocktails this side of the Mississippi.

You can nurse a hangover or fuel a morning’s shopping with a cup of joe and a breakfast sammie on fresh-baked bread from Fermata Coffee. Then try on some top-notch Western wear at family-owned Bosworth and Son, which was founded in 1911 and serves as both a general mercantile and a local historical museum; donated by area residents, artifacts here include bygone kitchen gadgets and farming tools. You can also wander the treasure trove at Gin’gilli’s Vintage Home, where dozens of vendors display 200 years’ worth of antiques, retro homewares, handcrafted jewelry and (a whole lot) more. Stop for some groceries at the Geyserville Market & Deli, which should tide you over until a bigger shop at the Healdsburg Safeway, 10 minutes south.

Take an afternoon break at main-street tasting rooms like Mercury Wine, where former Navy pilot Brad Beard makes some of the area’s best Bordeaux-variety reds, as well as sparkling rosé named for his black lab, Freddie; keep an eye out for Freddie, as well as Brad’s cheerful brother Grady, who’ll likely be pouring your wine. The Alexander Valley wine region is known for rich, hearty cabernet sauvignons, and you'll find them (as well as other varietals) at a handful of downtown tasting rooms, as well as sprinkled along the 128. One exception is the Francis Ford Coppola Winery, just across the 101: Blending the feel of a family-friendly resort with a movie memorabilia museum, this sprawling complex features two swimming pools, bocce courts and of course, wine.

If you don’t want to pay for a pool cabine at Coppola, beat the summertime heat at the Russian River or nearby Lake Sonoma, where you can hike shaded trails or rent a sailboat. Bike the meandering 128 (being mindful of weekend wine-tasting traffic) and get your steps in along the highway-side Geyserville Sculpture Trail, enjoying works like “Victory,” a 25-foot-tall rearing iron horse. If you prefer your animals real, visit the exotic birds, cats and alpacas at the trippy Isis Oasis Sanctuary, a spiritual center devoted to ancient Egyptian goddesses. You can try your own luck at River Rock Casino, where you’ll find slot machines, gaming tables and a penny slot lounge, plus mountain views from the restaurant patio.

The Geyserville community is family-friendly and inclusive, especially when you make this small town your home; get to know your neighbors at big annual events like Fall Colors, a vintage car show and all-day fair that benefits Geyserville schools. Geyserville Elementary serves kindergarten through 5th grade, while Geyserville New Tech Academy serves both middle and high school students with a technology-integrated curriculum. Both have a solidly average track record of test scores and academics, but are locally appreciated for their compassionate, inclusive teachers.

If you long for a taste of the Old West, wine country cuisine and/or Alexander Valley cab, surrounded by mountains, vineyards and the Russian River, pull up a seat to Geyserville’s friendly table.

Written By

Melanie Wynne

Photography Contributed By

Tyler O'Neil

Video By

Bill Jennings