California Cheese Trail: How to Plan the Best Trip to Sonoma and Marin

California has an incredible list of hiking trails. We also have some other epic trails to explore — and on this one, all roads lead to cheese. “It’s no stretch to say that California has set the stage for much of America’s artisan cheese landscape,” says James Beard Award-Winning author and cheese educator Laura Werlin.

Here is the best way for cheese snobs (and those who aspire to be) to explore some of the Bay Area’s best cheeses.

Saturday 11 a.m. Visit a milking parlor and loafing barn

750 Chileno Valley Road, Petaluma

Follow the trail tucked between rolling green hills leading to Achadinha (osh-a-deen-ah), a family-run farm that’s been making hard and soft cheeses in Petaluma for three generations. Farm tours and tastings are typically conducted by owner Donna Pachec, who also leads cheese-making classes. Tours run about 90 minutes and include a jaunt up to the milking parlor, as well as a visit to see “the girls,” which is how the Pacheco family refers to their cows. If the girls are feeling social, you may even get to pet them before heading off to sample some cheese.

Tours are offered most Saturdays, and tickets can be purchased in advance on the farm website for $40 per adult or $10-$20 for children. Kids under age 5 are free.

2 p.m. Grab a bite and a drink

2 West Spain Street, Sonoma

The Sonoma Cheese Factory is a one-stop spot for cheeses, smoked meats, and wines. The factory has a cheesemonger, a pitmaster who handles all the barbecue meats and sandwiches, and a sommelier who can pour you the perfect glass to pair with your smoked tri-tip and wedge of gouda.

3:30 p.m. Taste Sonoma’s take on Parmesan

315 Second Street East, Sonoma

Vella Cheese

In the early 1920s, Tom Vella came to Sonoma from Sicily to join his brother in the cheese-making business. Several generations later, Vella Cheese is still a landmark. The retail store is located in front of the manufacturing room, and visitors will find old family photos, numerous cheese awards, and a letter from Cary Grant, who used to purchase Vella cheese regularly. At the center of it all is a cheese case, where experts can guide you through a tasting. While Vella makes a variety of cheeses, the flagship is a Dry Monterey Jack, a California version of Italian Parmesan.

5:00 p.m. Discover your next cheese love

112 Washington Street, Petaluma

Grab a glass of wine and taste some local cheeses at the Petaluma Cheese Shop (part of Barber Winery), where the goal is to make cheeses less intimidating and fun to taste. With that goal in mind, the cheese menu consists of eight kinds of cheese (and cheese accompaniments) that change weekly. “We want to help you discover your new cheese love,” owner Michael Barber says.

7:00 pm Kick back with an original cowgirl

5215 Lakeville Hwy, Petaluma

Silver Penny Farm

Sue Conley, a doyenne of California cheese, stepped away from Cowgirl Creamery several years ago. But before leaving, she purchased a farm, and now, Silver Penny takes visitors back to California farming’s grassroots. “There was, and still is, conflict between agriculturists and environmentalists,” Conley says, “and I hoped to bridge the divide by hosting retreats and seminars on ecological farming.” There are several casitas where guests can crash for the night while learning about agriculture and the environment. Stays include a walking tour of the farm, an introduction to the Sonoma/Marin food shed, as well as a welcome basket of coffee, wine, honey, and cheese.

Sunday 7 a.m. Grab coffee and a bagel

212 Western Ave, Petaluma

The best way to gear up for another day of cheese tasting is with a toasted coconut latte and a freshly milled sourdough bagel from the Bagel Mill, which offers New York-style bagels and stellar cream cheese. For a bit of spice, try the jalapeno spread, or for a sweeter start, slather on the seasonal roasted strawberry. Check out the roasted garlic and za’atar varieties if your travel companions are game — or if you’re looking to ward off a few vampires.

9 a.m. Strike cheese gold

14390 Valley Ford Road, Valley Ford

“If you visit Valley Ford Cheese Company, you might be inclined to think that the term Golden State was invented to describe their cheese,” cheese expert Laura Werlin says. “Such is the color of their flagship Estero Gold Reserve.” Valley Ford Cheese Company opened its first storefront in 2019. The retail space and restaurant now showcase all the company’s cheeses and offer a menu centered around cheese. It changes often, but expect to find roasted potatoes and broccoli with Estero Gold and Hwy1 Fontina cheese sauce; a wedge salad with gorgonzola, bacon, and pickled onions; and a warm French dip sandwich. The company also makes soft-serve ice cream that’s not to be missed.

11 a.m. Become one with the herd and flock

5488 Middle Road, Tomales

Toluma Farms

It took Tamara Hicks and David Jablons several years to restore their rundown farm, but in 2007 Toluma Farms opened its doors and became a sheep and goat dairy. With a strong sense of teamwork, the farm has grown substantially and now produces eight seasonal kinds of cheese including Kenne, a soft bloomy rind goat cheese, and Bossy, a “soft cow cheese in honor of bossy females everywhere who get shit done,” as the company describes on its website.

Tours are offered on the first Sunday of each month. Tickets can be purchased in advance on the farm website and cost $40 per adult or $5 per child; children under 5 are free.

2 p.m. Get a taste of the Alps

5300 Nicasio Valley Road, Nicasio

An hour north of San Francisco lies the family-run Nicasio Cheese Company. It’s an organic farmstead that produces cheeses using traditional recipes from the owner’s ancestral village in Switzerland. Guided cheese tastings are offered twice a week. If you miss the tours, you can still stop by the creamery, which is open daily. Be sure to take home the Foggy Morning and Nicasio Reserve.