Occidental
Occidental is a community of 1,100 people (2010) on the North Coast in the San Francisco Bay Area of California in Sonoma County.
Just to the south of Occidental is the village of Freestone (a total of 26 homes, widely scattered); attractions in Freestone are also listed below.
Get in
[edit]Sonoma County Transit provides bus service to Occidental on its Route 28. Mendocino Transit Authority serves Freestone.
See
[edit]- Bamboo Sourcery Nursery & Gardens, 666 Wagnon Road, Sebastopol (2 miles east of Wild Flour Bread), ☏ +1 707-823-5866, bamboo@bamboosourcery.com. Tu-Sa 9AM-4PM; closed noon-1PM for lunch. A bamboo-exclusive specialty nursery with seven acres of demonstration gardens
- Occidental Arts & Ecology Center, 15290 Coleman Valley Rd, ☏ +1 707-874-1557. The Plant Nursery is open April-October, on weekends, 10AM-5PM. 80 acres; the center is open for tours on the first and third Sunday of the month, April through October.
Do
[edit]- Grove of Old Trees, 17599 Fitzpatrick Ln. Sunrise-sunset daily. The Grove of Old Trees is a healthy, old-growth stand of Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) Accessible only via a narrow, two-lane rural road, the Grove is tucked away in a neighborhood on a road used by neighbors for walking and biking. There are no bathrooms and no running water.
- Occidental Center For The Arts, 3850 Doris Murphy Ct, ☏ +1 (707) 874-9392, info@occidentalcenterforthearts.org. Auditorium for the performing and visual arts
- Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary, 209 Bohemian Hwy, Freestone, ☏ +1 707-823-8231. On a five-acre site adjacent to Salmon Creek, you'll find a traditional Japanese Tea Garden, a Zen Garden, private pagodas, a tree-shaded group picnic area, and the main buildings for cedar enzyme baths, massage and body treatments, formal classes, and individual meditation.
- Sonoma Canopy Tours (Sonoma Zipline Adventures), 6250 Bohemian Highway, toll-free: +1-888-494-7868, info@sonomacanopytours.com. A very different way to see a redwood forest: two different courses, each taking 2½ hours, which include multiple zip lines, sky bridges, a majestic spiral staircase, and a rappel to the forest floor. Open year-round. $99 and $119 for the two tours.
Eat
[edit]- Altamonte General Store, 3703 Main St, ☏ +1 (707) 874-6053. Th-Sa 9AM-6PM, Su-M 9AM-4PM. Despite the "General Store" in its name, this is primarily a farm-to-table food establishment, with a bar, and plenty of space to hang out in, perhaps with one's laptop and a coffee. Breakfast options and soft serve ice cream are among the offerings.
- Barley and Hops Tavern, 3688 Bohemian Highway, ☏ +1 707-874-9037. M-Th 4-9:30PM, F 4-10PM, Sa 11AM-10PM, Su 11AM-9:30PM. 100% from scratch pub grub under $15 and more than 50 craft beers from around the world in a cozy Victorian home, nestled in downtown Occidental.
- Bluegoat (formerly Freestone Artisan Cheese), 380 Bohemian Highway, Freestone (0.2 miles west of Wild Flour Bread), ☏ +1 707-874-6200, bluegoatshot@gmail.com. F-Su 10:30AM-5PM. A wide variety of artisanal cheese, plus wine for sale, plus art
- El Mariachi Cafe, 3595 Bohemian Hwy, ☏ +1 (707) 874-2752, ElMariachiCafe@yahoo.com. M,Tu,Th-Sa 10AM-6PM; Su 10AM-2PM. An very casual Mexican restaurant that looks like it used to be a trailer home. First-rate food.
- Hazel, 3782 Bohemian Hwy, ☏ +1 (707) 874-6003. W-Su 5-9PM. A relative newcomer to Occidental (it opened in 2015), must-orders include roasted chicken and blue cheese pizza. Friday is "pie day".
- Howard Station Cafe (Howard's), 3611 Main St, ☏ +1 707-874-2839. A West County classic, owned by one of the three major Italian families of Occidental. Howard's is the best place for breakfast, with fresh juices, smoothies and specials. Try the corn-meal pancakes and watch the locals come in and out. On a sunny weekend morning don't be surprised to see large groups of cyclist eating before or after a long, hard ride on the ridge line.
- Negri’s Restaurant (Negri's Original Italian Restaurant; Negri’s Italian Dinner & Joe’s Bar), 3700 Bohemian Hwy, ☏ +1 (707) 874-0301. F-Sa 4-8PM, Su 3-8PM. Open since 1943, Negri's features stone fireplace and wood beams , and, on the walls, black-and-white photos of the restaurant’s past. Most menu items are made from scratch, and, in-season, include produce from their ranch, two miles away.
- Union Hotel Occidental, 3731 Main Street, ☏ +1 (707) 874-3555. F-Su 11AM-8PM. Italian.
- Wild Flour Bread, 140 Bohemian Hwy, Freestone, ☏ +1 707-874-2938. F-M 8AM-6:30PM. Brick-oven-baked sourdough breads, scones, and biscotti, and coffee drinks. It's almost always busy, but the line moves quickly (phone orders are not accepted). And if you have a few extra minutes, check out the beautiful garden just off the parking lot.
Buy
[edit]There are a two shops in Occidental worth checking out for vintage clothes and art: the Neon Raspberry Art House and the Cypress Gallery and Bazaar. The Altamonte General Store is primarily about eating and drinking, but they sell kitchenware, linens, cookbooks, ceramics, cookware, garden tools, and gifts.
Drink
[edit]- Bohème Wines Cellar Door, 3625 Main Street, ☏ +1 707-874-3218. Th F noon-6PM, Sa Su noon-5PM. Small-production pinot noirs and chardonnays, vineyard-designated; private tasting and vineyard tour by appointment
- Jasper House tasting room, 12747 El Camino Bodega, Freestone, ☏ +1 707-322 4863, Cole@blackkitecellars.com. A reserve tasting of wines from Black Kite Cellars' current release, from the Anderson Valley and Sonoma Coast AVAs, along with selected library wines. By appointment only. $70 per person for a six-wine tasting.
Sleep
[edit]- Inn at Occidental, 3657 Church Street, ☏ +1 707-874-1047. A B&B with 16 rooms and suites, in downtown Occidental
- Occidental Guest House, 3731 Main Street (check-in), ☏ +1 (707) 874-3555. Three guest homes, each sleeping four or six people.
- Occidental Lodge, 3610 Bohemian Hwy, ☏ +1 707-874-3623. 28-room 1970s motor lodge.