The Bay Area is already well-versed in the food-wine-outdoor activity trifecta that Sonoma has going for it, but the city's attributes are being recognized others: Sonoma has earned a top spot in one of U.S. News & World Report's newly released Best Vacation rankings for 2017-2018.

The news site selected the Northern California city as the "Best Small Town to Visit in the USA," suggesting Sonoma is a better wine destination than Napa. U.S. News & World Report described Sonoma in glowing terms, calling it a county known for "its bucolic charms and array of wineries" but also "Napa's rustic, less-refined and more-relaxed sister."