This Is The Most Welcoming Town In California

California’s Napa and Sonoma Valleys receive millions of visitors each year, and rightfully so, with so many incredible vineyards! However, heavy tourism often forces towns to change. If you head to the northernmost part of Sonoma, you will find a town that has managed to maintain its welcoming small-town spirit and strong sense of community: Cloverdale. This town’s annual fairs, summer concerts, and local breweries always seem to bring residents and visitors together throughout the year. Its wineries are special here as well, many remaining small and community-focused. For those seeking some of the best hospitality in the state, it can be found here in Cloverdale.

Community Fairs And Events

Cloverdale has a knack for hosting community gatherings. In fact, it hosts the Cloverdale Citrus Fair, which is one of the oldest fairs in California, dating back to 1892! The Annual Citrus Fair runs from February 13th to 16th this year, celebrating the regional citrus harvest. The fairgrounds also host several other notable events throughout the year, such as a wine tasting event, the Spring Market, and the 4th of July Street Faire.

In the summer, meanwhile, the Cloverdale Arts Alliance hosts the iconic Cloverdale Friday Night Live concert series. From May through August on Friday nights, attendees can enjoy musical performances ranging from rock and American to blues and soul. The Cloverdale Farmers’ Market is also an important way for residents and visitors to gather, running from April through November in the downtown plaza. Here, craftspeople, farmers, and food vendors have the chance to sell directly to the community.

Welcoming Wineries

You can find great wine all throughout Sonoma County, but the wineries that await in Cloverdale are particularly hospitable, in large part because so many remain family owned. J. Rickards Vineyards & Winery, for example, lies just a short drive south of town and is owned and operated by a couple who have been planting vines over the last several decades. The tasting room on the estate is set in a former barn overlooking the valley and is open Monday through Saturday for tastings each week. Right downtown, you will also find tasting rooms like Kelley & Young Wines, which was established in 2006 by a husband-and-wife duo. Today, the tasting room offers tastings by appointment, with a few of the available varieties including sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, and malbec.

Arts And Culture

Cloverdale has plenty of ways to get involved with the local art and culture scene. If you are hoping to catch a live show, you can check out the calendar at the Cloverdale Performing Arts Center, which puts on movie nights, concerts, and plays throughout the year. To learn a bit about the town’s historical roots, you can also plan an afternoon at the Cloverdale History Center, which sits right in the heart of town, hosting exhibits and collections since its opening in 2009.

The Cloverdale Arts Alliance Gallery is the perfect place to see what the town’s local artists have been working on. Run by the same alliance that hosts the Friday Night Live summer series, this gallery showcases six annual exhibitions and works from resident artists and guests.

Friendly Shops & Restaurants

A friendly tour through Cloverdale is not complete without mentioning some of its welcoming shops and restaurants! If you have been thinking about getting a new plant to brighten up your home, you should definitely stop by Cloverdale Home & Garden, a locally owned plant shop that sells a wide variety of succulents, annuals, perennials, shrubs, and more. The Sonoma County Trading Company is another lovely place to grab a souvenir, offering eco-friendly home, bath, and body products. Travelers with an appetite will find some cozy places to dine as well, starting with Railroad Station Bar and Grill, which serves grass-fed and hand-pressed burgers, pasta dishes, and sandwiches. To switch up the routine from all of the wine tasting, you also might enjoy an evening at Wolf House Brewing, a downtown brewery that makes its brews right on-site. They also bring the community together through periodic live shows and trivia nights!

Continuing Your Sonoma Adventure

The beauty of a trip to Cloverdale is that the adventure can continue well beyond the town limits. Its position in Sonoma County makes it easy to explore other Sonoma towns, allowing you to extend your trip a few days if you wish. Healdsburg, for example, is just 15 minutes south of Cloverdale, offering you endless opportunities to continue wine tasting at vineyards like Dry Creek and Seghesio Family Vineyards. Even further south, you will hit Sonoma, another vineyard town and home to famous historic landmarks like the Mission San Francisco Solano, California’s last Spanish mission to be built. The opportunities for exploration are practically endless!

A Close-Knit Community Among The Vines

Sometimes all you want is a good glass of wine overlooking a beautiful wine valley, which makes just about any one of California’s wine towns a hit. However, if you are craving something a little bit more personal, where vineyard owners welcome you in and local concerts or fairs invite conversation, you might want to consider venturing up to Cloverdale. This town might not have as much of a following compared to other wine towns in the state, but the community that awaits you here is incomparable. It won’t be long before you start feeling at home!