We are river people!

Last week, I dragged the kids out of school (and me out of work) for some much needed connection and respite. We hit the Russian river region for the first time and we’re proud to announce that we’re river people! There’s nothing quite like floating down the river and while I love the beach, I actually am not crazy about sand. The water is solar-heated (i.e. cold) which is why most people come during the hot summer months to cool off in the river. But it is absolutely comfortable if you stick the kids in wetsuits like we did. The dams go up sometime in mid-June so the current is more controlled and the water gets deeper for real swimming. We will be back here a couple more times this summer to enjoy the river.

>>>All locations saved on my google map here<<<

Where to stay

• Due to social distancing reasons, we will continue to stay in Airbnbs. We have very specific search criteria since we have a dog. But I also highly recommend staying at a place with river access to one of the many private beaches. Guerneville, Monte Rio, Forestville are all great locations. So many of these places are also dog-friendly! We lucked out that one of our airbnb rentals will actually have kayaks, life jackets and floats we can borrow - be on a lookout with properties like that!

• If you prefer the hotel route, there’s the classic Geyserville inn, ritzy farmhouse inn, hipster autocamp (Airstream trailers!!!) and casa sucaya for larger families. They have bunk bed suites and an outdoor pool!

• I do have a curated airbnb list for family and pooch-friendly properties. Please email me if you would like it.

Where to play

• If you don’t have access to a private beach, our favorite beaches are Monte Rio and Johnson’s. During the summer season, they will both have kayak/canoe/tube rentals on site. Johnson’s specifically also requires reservations to get a socially distanced spot. Highly recommend that for high season as well.

• You can also choose to float/kayak down the river and get shuttled back by one of the adventure companies. We have heard many good things about Burke’s canoes but this time decided just to hang out on specific beach stretches.

• For a bonus the kids will love, make a trip out to Safari West about 30 minutes away where they get up close and personal with wildlife. They have phenomenal guides (ask for Kyra) and as an establishment have done a fantastic job with covid protocols, we felt more than safe there. Reservations are required and minimum age requirement.

• For something expensive and unique, there are hot air balloon rides all over Sonoma county. Up & Away is on my list for some day.

• Other nearby places to visit: Armstrong Redwoods (Currently closed due to fire damage), Sonoma coast state park, Sebastopol, Healdsburg, Bodega Bay and Jenner Beach (visit cafe aquatica while you’re out there!)

• If you would like to go boating, Lake Sonoma Rec Area nearby has rentals.

• We don’t know anything about wineries - SORRY!

• A great hidden spot to stop by on the drive up or down is the Hippie Tree Swing in Tiburon. The kids loved being able to stretch their legs and swing high to amazing views of SF. (Make sure it’s a clear day though!)

Where to eat

• We did most of the cooking but grubhub might deliver to some parts of the Russian river. Safeway is also located in Guerneville which makes for easy grocery shopping.

• Michelin-rated Farmhouse Inn offers outdoor lunch dining and is only 10 minutes outside of town. Advanced reservations required.

• If you’re heading to Healdsburg, lots of cute restaurants and ice creameries there as well. We love Noble Folk Ice Cream & Pie. Ice cream is amazing but the maple pecan pie is out of this world.

• Oh and definitely make a visit to Big Bottom Market’s to see why their biscuits are Oprah’s favorite.

What to bring

• Kids wetsuits if you go in the cooler months. We love our 20F wetsuits(minimum 1.5mm) from Decathlon but here are some Amazon options.

• Life jackets or puddle jumpers for your non-swimmers. The one we have has been discontinued but we have a larger size from Decathlon.

• Water shoes are a must as rocks are super sharp and slippery. Make sure you get them nice and tight. We got ours for cheap at Decathlon but plenty of options available on Amazon.

• Floaties or heavy duty rubber tubes (snow and water use!).. 30”+ are good for the older kids but probably need something smaller but kids under 8. We got ours from Target because they are so cute!! The handles are super helpful too as you can tie rope around them to pull the kids around. They can also be rented at various beaches for $10/day.

• An electric PUMP is a must or you will go blue in the face! This one will hook up to your car.

• If you plan to kayak or canoe, definitely have a dry bag handy for keys, wallet, phone, snacks and water. For easy access to your phone, get a waterproof strapped case as well. This is well-reviewed on Amazon but I got ours at Decathlon.

• Pop-up sun shelters (we have one on sale from Decathlon)

• I personally prefer low-profile beach chairs as they fit inside sun shelters well. We got our Kelty one closeout at REI but this Coleman one is very similar. Some public beaches will have chairs for rent though.

• Our favorite beach bags are BOGG and Ikea’s $0.99 bag for everything else. They even make it in cute colors now!

• Waterproof beach blanket (Ikea has a really sturdy looking one this season!)

• Surf brush to remove dirt and sand is something I always keep in my car. I have this one in green.

• Fine mesh fish nets to catch all the little swimmers

• ***Rock/Shell collection crossbody bag for the kiddos! How did I not know about this sooner??

• And moms - my favorite swimsuits ever are from Boden. The fabric is nice and tight, holds things in, really well made including having side boning to hold up the cups, not too high cut and most of the cups are sewn-in, thank God! My favorite is Kefalonia and Corsica. They come in one-piece, tankini and bikini options.

• and the sunscreen I rave about constantly is the shiseido SPF 50 stick. It goes on clear and protects so well. Pricey but worth it. For the kids, I am experimenting with a new roll-on sunscreen as I hate the messy lotions. Will report back later.

When to go

• It was a little chilly for us to go in May but with wetsuits the kids were totally fine.

• Summer will get crowded and from what i’ve heard September/October is actually the perfect time to visit.

We hope you decide to make a trip out to Russian River and take the kids and doggies with you. This place is amazing and less than two hours drive from the Bay Area.

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