With the wonderful weather of Wine Country, it seems like summer is nearly a year-round joy as the fun stretches into fall.  If you are looking for a special and unique way to spend a day in Sonoma County, here are a few ideas from our staff of locals:

Stroll and Shop Downtown Petaluma. Browse the town, go shopping, antiquing, wine tasting or enjoy a book in the park. Whether shopping for the home and family or for gifts, there are boutique clothing shops, hand-crafted jewelry stores, bed and bath shops, fine furniture stores and unique art galleries. And don’t forget to grab an ice cream cone or a craft beer to treat yourself afterwards!

 

Go on a Safari at Safari West. Who knew you could experience an African adventure in the heart of wine country? Spend the day exploring the Sonoma Serengeti on an African safari alongside romping herds of exotic wildlife or relax in a luxury safari tent under the gaze of a graceful giraffe.

 

Learn about a beloved local artist at the Charles Schulz Museum. Housing the largest collection of Peanuts strips in the world, the Museum explores the art and nuances of Schulz’s craft. View original comic strips, learn about the art of cartooning and Schulz’s role in its development, view a re-creation of Schulz’s art studio, and draw your own cartoons in a hands-on education room.  An added bonus is the adjacent ice-skating rink which is a great way to beat the heat on those warm summer days.

 

Soak in Live Music at the Green Music Center. The GMC Summer 2017 lineup features 15 concerts on the stage of Weill Hall + Lawn, featuring some of the biggest names in blues, soul, hip-hop, country, jazz and mariachi. Whether you’re bringing your picnic basket and blanket to sit on the beautifully landscaped lawn, or getting front row seats inside the unparalleled Weill Hall, you’re sure to enjoy your Summer at the Green!

 

Adventure on,

 

 

 

 

Wedding season is in full swing, and here at Nick’s Cove, we’ve had the pleasure of hosting a lot of fun groups.  Choosing an intimate venue such as Nick’s allows the flexibility for some creativity.

A traditional wedding has a quiet ceremony, mingling during the cocktail hour, and plated dinner during the reception. If you’re interested in infusing your wedding with a little more action, there are some ways you can accomplish this.  Here are our top three favorite suggestions:

 

Have games during the cocktail hour and/or reception.
Outdoor games such as bean bag toss (corn hole), horseshoes, lawn bowling, giant Jenga, and bocce ball are increasingly popular. Set up a few stations to keep guests occupied while you’re having your photos taken or when they need a break from dancing.

Create a flash dance.
This can be quite a challenge, but if you are able to pull it off, can be very rewarding. Get a group together that consists of your wedding party and other close family and friends.  Create a dance that is upbeat and catchy and send a video for the group to learn. Your guests will love the surprise and it will become the talk of the evening. Hey, maybe you’ll even become the next YouTube sensation.

Have a photo booth.
Hiring a professional photo booth can be really helpful because the booth attendant usually does a stellar job of encouraging guests to take pictures. You could also use the extra copies to double as your guest book. Have your friends and family attach their silly photos next to their wishes – it will always be entertaining to look through.

I hope this gives you a little inspiration for your big day. Just remember that the day is focused on celebrating your love, so stay true to that and have some fun.  Happy Planning!

 

Cheers,

 

 

 

 

I am always interested in how people find us; what magazine article they read, what social media they saw, what advertisement they saw; was it their friend’s word-of-mouth, or the ultimate: return guests! Today I was in the lodging office talking with a lovely man as he was turning in his keys and settling up his charges. He was very generous with his compliments and his accolades of fine food, excellent customer service, lovely cottages … So, I asked him, “How did you hear about us?” .

And, well, his response was new for me: he belongs to a BMW owners’ club and had read an article in their club member magazine, “Roundel”.  A while back a large group of BMW owners were on a road trip from LA to the Napa Valley with a stop for lunch at Nick’ s Cove and the magazine covered their trip. He enjoyed the article so much he booked a cottage and created his own road trip directly to us! So, BMW, thank you for sending us such lovely guests … with such beautiful cars!