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If spending long days in a bland and boxlike conference room is the plan, don’t come to Healdsburg. This acclaimed Northern California wine region is bursting with fresh-off-the-vine venues.
Healdsburg spurs creativity by immersing people in the sight, smell and taste of vineyards and the wines they produce. They can step into fields of flowers and fresh vegetables, soon to be on tables at award-winning restaurants, and a landscape of rolling hills anchored by grapevines and olive trees.
In Healdsburg, brainstorming sessions settle into gardens, beside crystal-clear pools and on lush lawns. Teambuilding means gliding alongside one another on ebikes atop gentle hills or floating down the Russian River, led by one of the area’s many tour companies.
World-renowned food and drink
In a region known for its fertile ground, exceptional epicurean staples are always nearby. A stroll around Healdsburg’s lively town square with stops at some of the 40 tasting rooms is a great alternative to a mid-afternoon coffee break. And wine isn’t the only liquid on offer for tastings. Visitors can enjoy sweet sips at La Ruche’s new honey tasting room or olive oil tastings at Trattore Farms and Winery. And, although wine is the headliner at MacRostie Winery, iced tea tastings, courtesy of a partnership with the Russian River Tea Company, are also an option. For those who don’t imbibe, bartenders in this town love to concoct inventive new mocktails.
For group dining, Healdsburg’s Michelin-recognized restaurants should be top of your list. First, there’s Michelin Three-Star SingleThread, the No. 2 dining destination in the U.S. and worldwide in Forbes’ 50 Best Restaurants list. Barndiva was built for private parties and has received Michelin’s nod three years straight. Pro tip: After meals with Mediterranean and Japanese influences at The Matheson, groups can end the evening at the restaurant’s rooftop lounge.
Sustainable and personable hotels
Healdsburg’s hotels are packed with intentionality and personality at every level. Groups can settle in at inns that sit steps away from the square, like the 55-room Hotel Healdsburg. Its sister properties are nearby: the 36-room H2 Hotel, easily identified by its undulating green roof, and the Harmon Guest House, a 39-room property that, like its sisters, is full of local art. H2 and Harmon share meeting spaces like Merritt Hall, a top-floor space with downtown views.
The high-end, 20-room Duchamp Hotel Healdsburg is somehow secluded and yet only a three-minute walk from the square. Although its small conference room is well equipped, groups are more likely to gather in its picturesque gardens or poolside pergolas. At 27 North, formerly Hotel Les Mars, new owners have recently renovated the 16 guest rooms and the property is complete with several meeting spaces and private dining rooms in its restaurant.
Ten minutes from the square, two ultra-luxury properties naturally attract meetings. The Montage, with 143 guest rooms and 28,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, is the largest of Healdsburg’s hotels. Its lawns, edged by vineyards, turn every event into atmospheric, soothing environments. Also within walking distance from the square, a residential development called the Mill District is currently in development.
Across the byway, Appellation Healdsburg sits on eight acres shaded by robust olive trees. The boutique resort, with its pools, spa and 10,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space options, is the first of what celebrity chef and creator Charlie Palmer hopes will be a collection.
Part of the nonprofit True West Film Center, three cozy theaters welcome bookings for conferences and events. Or, as a fun evening out, they’ll screen a movie of your choice.
Energize your next gathering in Healdsburg, where sensory experiences are a creative force, and there are plenty of ways to toast achievements.
Getting there
Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport, 10 miles from town, is served by United, Alaska, American and Southwest airlines. (An upside to flying Alaska Airlines? Wine purchases fly free.) Or fly into nearby San Francisco or Oakland.
For more information on planning an event in Healdsburg, California, please contact:
Stay Healdsburg
707-433-6935
