A rowing team practices in a racing shell on a river.

Explore the Top Attractions in Healdsburg, CA

Ceci Cook October 7, 2024

6 Top Attractions & Things to Do in Healdsburg, CA

Healdsburg features over 15 world-class outdoor, cultural, and viticultural attractions within 10 minutes of downtown Healdsburg Plaza, offering Russian River kayaking, historical Zinfandel wine tasting, community art galleries, and scenic redwood parks suitable for families, outdoor enthusiasts, and Wine Country travelers.

Explore Real Estate in Healdsburg, CA

Considering a home near Sonoma County's top lifestyle amenities? Contact local expert Ceci Cook for market guidance.

Attraction Name

Location / Address

Category

Key Activity / Feature

Veterans Memorial Beach

13839 Old Redwood Hwy

Park / Beach

River swimming, lifeguards, shaded picnic lawns

Center for the Arts

334 Center St

Cultural Gallery

Local art exhibits, summer camps, artisan gifts

Seghesio Family Vineyards

700 Grove St

Winery / Tasting Room

Historic Zinfandel tasting, Sangiovese vine blocks

Riverfront Regional Park

7821 Eastside Rd

Regional Park

Lake Benoist trail, redwood grove picnic area

Healdsburg Lifestyle & Visitor Overview

Whether strolling through historic downtown Healdsburg Plaza, tasting fine wine at century-old vineyards, or paddling along the Russian River, Healdsburg provides a dynamic environment for residents and visitors alike. The town combines rich agricultural heritage, world-class culinary options, and accessible outdoor recreation in northern Sonoma County.

For individuals considering a move to the area, Healdsburg offers an inviting sense of community supported by active cultural institutions, pristine regional parks, and proximity to San Francisco Bay Area transport corridors.

Best Things to Do & Attractions in Healdsburg

1. Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach

Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach is a popular public access point on the Russian River. Operating under Sonoma County Regional Parks supervision, the beach features a seasonal swim zone created by a temporary flashboard dam, complete with dedicated lifeguard staffing from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

  • Location: 13839 Old Redwood Hwy, Healdsburg, CA 95448
  • Hours: Sunrise to Sunset daily
  • Amenities: Shaded picnic areas, fitness circuit, restrooms, loaner life vests
  • Distance: 1 mile south of downtown Healdsburg

2. Healdsburg Center for the Arts

Operating for over 26 years, the Healdsburg Center for the Arts serves as a non-profit creative hub in downtown Healdsburg. The center hosts visual art exhibitions, poetry readings, educational workshops, and an annual Young Artist Show highlighting regional elementary students.

  • Location: 334 Center St, Healdsburg, CA 95448
  • Hours: 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM Wednesday through Monday
  • Programs: Youth summer art camps, adult masterclasses, local artisan gift shop

3. Seghesio Family Vineyards

Founded in 1895, Seghesio Family Vineyards is one of Sonoma County's historic winemaking properties. Situated near the entrance to Dry Creek Valley, the estate produces acclaimed Zinfandels and Italian varietals, featuring rare Sangiovese blocks originally planted at Chianti Station.

  • Location: 700 Grove St, Healdsburg, CA 95448
  • Hours: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM Daily (Reservations recommended)
  • Specialty: Old Vine Zinfandel, historic estate tastings
  • Distance: 0.8 miles north of Healdsburg Plaza

4. Riverfront Regional Park

Riverfront Regional Park encompasses over 300 acres along the Russian River, featuring two former gravel quarry lakes repurposed for kayaking, canoeing, and bass fishing. The flat 2-mile Lake Trail loops Lake Benoist, while the Redwood Hill Trail wanders through shaded coast redwood groves.

  • Location: 7821 Eastside Rd, Healdsburg, CA 95448
  • Hours: 7:00 AM to Sunset
  • Fees: $7 vehicle day-use fee
  • Distance: 6 miles south of downtown Healdsburg

5. Russian River Adventures

Operating since 2001, Russian River Adventures offers self-guided canoe excursions down secluded stretches of the Russian River fed by Dry Creek. Excursions utilize stable, inflatable SOAR canoes ideal for navigating mild currents, swimming stops, and wildlife viewing.

  • Location: 33 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg, CA 95448
  • Season: May through October (Weather permitting)
  • Specialty: Full-day dog-friendly river trips

6. Mill Creek Vineyards & Winery

Established in 1965 by the Kreck family, Mill Creek Vineyards & Winery sits 1 mile from Healdsburg Plaza at the southern entry of Dry Creek Valley. Guests enjoy seated outdoor wine tastings overlooking an operational estate wooden waterwheel and estate Bordeaux varietal vineyards.

  • Location: 1401 Westside Rd, Healdsburg, CA 95448
  • Hours: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM Daily
  • Features: Waterwheel garden patio, estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

Explore More Healdsburg Community Guides:

About Ceci Cook

Ceci Cook is a trusted luxury real estate professional with over a decade of local experience serving Healdsburg, Sonoma Wine Country, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Leveraging deep insight into regional neighborhoods, school districts, and market trends, Ceci provides personalized guidance for buyers and sellers across custom estates, vineyard properties, and residential homes.

Contact Ceci Cook for Healdsburg real estate representation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are dogs allowed at Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach?

Leashed dogs are permitted on the grassy lawn and picnic areas at Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach, but are restricted from the sandy beach and active river swim areas.

What is the closest park to downtown Healdsburg Plaza?

Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach is the closest major park to downtown Healdsburg Plaza, situated just 1 mile south along Old Redwood Highway.

Do wineries in Healdsburg require tasting reservations?

While some estate tasting rooms like Seghesio Family Vineyards accept walk-ins when space permits, advance reservations are strongly recommended for weekend tastings throughout Sonoma County.

Source Notes: Attraction addresses, park hours, and facility details verified via Sonoma County Regional Parks and Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce public directories.

Profile photo of Realtor Ceci Cook.

Ceci Cook

Get to Know Me

Ceci Cook has more than a decade of experience, successfully selling real estate in the San Francisco Bay Area, specifically in the Peninsula and South Bay/Silicon Valley. Currently, she lives in Healdsburg, the California wine country serving clients in the North Bay, focused in Sonoma and Napa Counties.
 
Ceci's expertise comes from her working with clients in Silicon Valley in the Dot-com era. Whether they were buying their first home, selling and upgrading to a new home, or buying an investment property.
 
Ceci was always ready to negotiate the best terms on their behalf. Subsequently, she moved to the North Bay to live in the wine country. After moving from the hustle and bustle of the South Bay, she experienced first-hand the process of what many people are trying to do these days - relocate to the countryside to enjoy life at a slower pace.
 
Ceci believes in a life of continual community service and volunteerism. She has been serving on the Sonoma Country Day School Parents’ Board of Directors 2010-2020. She also volunteers in the community whenever the opportunity presents itself. Prior to moving to the wine country, while in the South Bay, she volunteered at the East Palo Alto Senior Center as a member of their Board of Directors. In addition, she served on the Board of Crisis At Home Intervention, a non-profit organization that helped children who were being displaced due to drugs and problems at home.
 
In real estate, Ceci sees her role, first and foremost, as helping you achieve your real estate goals. With a Bachelor of Science in Business Management along with a Diploma in Education (Teaching Credentials), Ceci stands ready to help you with all the challenges that come when you're buying or selling a home.
 

Education

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Commercial Real Estate Analysis and Investment, A post-grad Certificate – Ability to assess the financial viability of real estate development projects. 
  • Menlo College – Bachelor of Science in Business Management, emphasis in Economics and International Business.
  • International Diploma in Education- a 4-yr program to achieve teaching credentials, emphasis in Mathematics and Science from Tonga Teachers College, South Pacific. In addition to the core subjects, this program uniquely afforded an opportunity to learn on a deep level about one of the most rare and dying cultures in the world including the authentic art to perform its different dances, ending in representing the Kingdom of Tonga to many international events, most notably The World Expo ’88 in Brisbane, Australia; Pacific Festival of the Arts in Townsville, Australia 1988; International Youth Village in Tokyo, Japan in 1989, and many more involvements on government events. Looking back in my carrier and life in general, I value this experience so much and decided to include it in my bio, which previously was never been mentioned.

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Contact Details

Ceci Cook | CA DRE# 01159739

(650) 868-9188

[email protected]

109 Mill Street

Healdsburg, CA 95448