Visitors can navigate this forest of towering coast redwoods some 300 feet tall along easy trails by foot, bike or horse. Picnic facilities are available, and there's an outdoor theater that's used for lectures and performances, as well as weddings. The reserve is located just north of Guerneville. Wild rhododendrons erupt into breathtaking pink blossoms April through June at the Kruse Rhododendron State Reserve on the rugged Sonoma County coast. A short loop trail leads through 317 acres of rhododendrons and second-growth redwood, Douglas fir and tan oak.
Coastal parks offer opportunities for whale watching and tidepooling.
Sonoma Coast State Beach is actually a series of beaches separated by rocky bluffs, stretching from Bodega Head to the Russian River . It is one of the largest of California's state beaches, comprising more than ten miles of coastland with beaches, reefs, coves, tidepools, headlands and natural arches. There is a five-mile trail system in the dunes for hiking and horseback riding. For up close and personal transportation, nothing beats a bicycle ride. The most beautiful parts of Sonoma County are revealed along the secluded back roads, perfect for cycling.