48 hours in Sebastopol,California

Nearby Bodega Bay was the setting for Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller The Birds,and Guglielmo Marconi’s trans-Pacific radio receiver station was housed in Tomales Bay,just up the coast in 1913.

But the fruit trees are nearly all gone,replaced by vineyards on every hillside and patch of land along the Russian River or the Alexander Valley as Pinots,Chardonnays and Cabernets have become more profitable.

Reuters correspondents with local knowledge help visitors to get the most out of a 48-hour visit to the area.

FRIDAY

5 p.m. – After arriving at the Sebastopol Inn tucked behind the historic Gravenstein train station on Sebastopol Avenue (Highway 12),unpack before heading out to dinner.

6 p.m. – Head to GTO’s Seafood House on South Main Street where starters include an oyster shooter — a raw oyster in a shot of vodka with a dollop of cocktail sauce. Main courses vary from fish and chips to jambalaya to a seafood platter with corn flour fried oysters.

SATURDAY

8 a.m. – Breakfast at the Coffee Catz,in the former station building,where you can eat pastries or breakfast burritos among classic rail cars. Besides cafe lattes and espressos,there are specialties like the coffee Coke float featuring Coke,ice cream and a layer of iced coffee.

9 a.m. – Wine tour – The signature wine of the Russian River Valley is Pinot Noir,because it loves the cool valley fogs that roll in from the coast. There are dozens of vineyards to choose from and most are free or charge a nominal tasting fee of $5 which is often refunded if you buy a bottle. A designated driver is recommended,or else you can hire a limo or even take a hot-air balloon tour of Sonoma vineyards.

Some of the wineries in a 20-mile radius from Sebastopol are Hanna,Taft Street,Russian Hill Estate,Joseph Swan,Harvest Moon and the Hop Kiln Winery.

Aim to visit Russian River Vineyards in nearby Forestville around lunchtime where meals are served in the restaurant,Corks,in an 1890s farmhouse. Try the Wine Country Charcuterie Plate,which including various salami and cheeses or soups and salads. The restaurant serves dinner Thursday through Saturday with dishes from the Pacific Rim,California,New Mexico and Thailand.

7:00 p.m. – After a day of tasting,dinner at Mosaic Restaurant & Wine Lounge at 6675 Front St,Forestville is a must for the discerning palate.

Chef/owner Tai Olesky uses fresh ingredients from local gardens,farms and ranches. The house salad highlights organic baby lettuces,apple,toasted almonds,celery heart and local blue cheese from Point Reyes. The cheese also features on the Coffee Encrusted Filet Mignon along with locally grown mushrooms and a chocolate Cabernet demi-glace.

Needless to say,they serve local Sonoma wines.

SUNDAY

9:00 a.m. – After breakfast spend the day enjoying the California outdoors. Rafting or canoeing is another way to see the Russian River,or drive to Bodega Bay,which sits on the San Andreas Fault of earthquake fame running parallel to the coastline.

Long Pacific beaches either side of the town are ideal for strolling or bird-watching.

1:00 p.m. – Taste the lunch menu at the Spud Point Crab Co at 1860 Westshore Road. It is really no more than a shack overlooking the harbor with tables outside. They don’t start serving until 1 p.m. after that day’s catch has been prepared.

Crab rolls and crab cakes are fresh and delicious,but it is the clam chowder that makes the visit worthwhile — as creamy and clammy as anything in New England and with a spicy kick.

A lunchtime alternative is the nearby Tomales Bay Oyster Company,where you can buy fresh,farmed oysters as well as mussels and clams from the cool,clean waters of the bay. You can cook the seafood right there over barbecues where locals come to picnic on Sundays.

3:00 p.m. – Back in Sebastopol,go to Screamin’ Mimi’s at 6902 Sebastopol Ave for ice cream. Each cone or dish is weighed to determine the price,so you can buy as much as you like and there are 300 different varieties and flavors.