Saturday, July 26
Meet:
10 AM at/near the picnic table to the right of the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau
453 1st St E, Sonoma 95476
453 1st St E, Sonoma 95476
Overview:
The town of Sonoma was founded around a traditional Mexican-style plaza. It is just 45 minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge (without traffic) but a world away from San Francisco.
The Plaza will be our starting point for exploring, and our route will focus on many of the old or historic buildings nearby.
Within a few blocks, you’ll find an incredible range of subjects: an 1860s railroad depot, 1830s army barracks, a California mission, a beautifully weathered horse farm, and more. Some structures have been carefully preserved or restored, while others are slowly decaying while awaiting a plan for their future.
Several of the sites are open to the public—including the Sonoma Barracks, the Toscano Hotel, and Mission San Francisco Solano (entry to the Mission is $3). We won’t be going inside as part of the morning walk, but you’re welcome to explore them on your own after lunch.
Plan:
Optional Early Start – 9:00 AM Sharp
For early birds: meet at 9:00 AM for an extra hour of photography before the main walk. We’ll take a short loop, returning to the start point by 10:00. If you plan to come for the early start, please be sure to let me know.
Main Meetup – 10:00 AM
- Check-in and intros
- Group photo
- Group photo
Walk – 10:10 AM Sharp
- Distance: 1 to 1.6 miles
- Terrain: Mostly flat and paved. Some gravel.
- Terrain: Mostly flat and paved. Some gravel.
Lunch – 12:45 PM
We’ll stop for a picnic lunch at the Plaza. Bring your own or grab something nearby from spots like The Cheese Factory or Mary’s Slice Shack right on the square. Highly recommended: pick up a sandwich on your way into town. e.g. Broadway Market (20511 Broadway, Sonoma)—voted best deli sandwich in Sonoma.
Formal event ends/start to explore on your own – 1:30 PM
After lunch, the formal walk ends—but, if you want to stick around, there is a lot more to see, shoot, and do. I'll point you towards more sites within walking distance or a short drive. There is also live music at Murphy's Irish Pub at 2:30.
Parking and Traffic:
Free three-hour parking is available on the plaza. But I recommend you use the Casa Grande lot, 335 1st St E, Sonoma 95476 or park outside the three-hour zone (two blocks away). Traffic Note: There is a race at the Sonoma Raceway this weekend. Your nav app should route you around if the roads get backed up but please be aware in planning your drive.
Walk leader:
Josh Weinberg is Bay Area photographer, photo educator, and historian. In addition to photo walks, he also developed and led historic walking tours for SF City Guides for 10 years.
If you'd like to learn photography with Josh see his learning page.
Questions:
Message me on Meetup or email josh@weinbergphoto.com.
