Where in the world is Geyserville? And what do people do there?

These are questions that I receive a lot when I tell people where I am from, and I'm sure many people ask this when they find out about this town. While it is by no means a bustling city with endless things to do, it is my hometown and I am happy to share the things in Geyserville that have brought joy to me, my family, and countless visitors.

Geyserville is located in Northern California's Sonoma County, about an hour north of San Francisco and an hour from both the cities of Sonoma and Napa. Neighboring cities include Healdsburg to the south and Cloverdale and Asti to the north.

The 2010 Census pinned Geyserville's population at a whopping 862 (actually less than I would have guessed, considering that many wealthy people from out of town buy properties here for their vacation or weekend homes). We like to say that Harry Bosworth is the unofficial Mayor of Geyserville (as the town is too small to have its own city government, and barely has a post office) because he owns or manages so many parts of the town.

Wine tasting

This is absolutely the highlight for many visitors. There are actually a number of popular wineries in Geyserville, including Clos du Bois, Marietta, and Francis Ford Coppola. Not only do these places have great wine, but they are also beautiful to visit and often have lovely landscaped properties on site. Some hotels in the area have cards that you can present at the wineries for discounts. Visit the Geyserville Chamber of Commerce link below to view Geyserville best wineries.

Lodging

The Geyserville Inn is a great option, a pretty standard hotel with a pool and facilities for special events and weddings. Along Geyserville Avenue are also two bed-and-breakfasts that appeal to many visitors, the Hope-Merrill and Hope-Bosworth Inns. Again, the Geyserville Chamber of Commerce link below features more information on available lodging.

Dining

The dining here is actually quite good! My favorites are Rustic, Catelli's, Diavola, and the Hoffman House. Rustic has a well-priced by high-quality menu with a lot of props from Coppola's films around the restaurant - not to mention a beautiful view of the Alexander Valley. Catelli's has been around for longer than I can remember and has changed a lot through the years, but is now a local favorite. Diavola is newer and specializes in upscale pizzas. Hoffman House Café has also changed in its time but is a great place for breakfast and lunch in the wine country. Geyserville Mud is a great place for coffee in the heart of Geyserville as well.

Recreation

The Russian River has been a place of endless fun and relaxation for my family - fishing, tubing, kayaking, treasure-hunting (yes, we've found some interesting things dumped at the river!). A lot of people love to tube or canoe/kayak down the river, and companies have rentals available.

Francis Ford Coppola Winery has a popular public pool. And the Isis Oasis, which is a lodge along Geyserville Avenue, also has an animal sanctuary with a number of exotic animals!

As a child, my family would go to the Lake Sonoma Visitor Center and Fish Hatchery (we enjoyed it so much that my brother got a job there). It's a great place to learn more about the history and wildlife in the area and to view the salmon, steelhead and chinook. Watching the fish jump up and down the fish ladder was so much fun :) And lots of people bring their boats and camping gear to beautiful Lake Sonoma.

Of course, River Rock Casino is a favorite destination for tourists in and out of the area. (Not necessarily my favorite, as it has totally changed the landscape of little Geyserville... but it's a regular casino.)

Geysers

Whenever I tell people about Geyserville, the first thing they ask is, "Are there geysers there?" Yes, there certainly are! Some like to visit the Geysers. It's definitely a mainstay, and a huge part of Geyserville - the Geysers provide about 60% of electricity for the North Coast!