As you meander back down Canyon Trail, thoughts of a cold beer and lunch will begin to dance in your head. And let’s be honest, you’ve earned it. Thankfully, you have chosen a place where options are aplenty.

Depending on your mood, I’ll give you two great suggestions (I have done both):

Russian River Brewing Company

This brewery is super popular. It’s Zagat rated and a regular on the brewery tour circuit. For this reason, expect a wait on the weekend. We took our chances at the bar and got lucky when a couple in front of us decided to leave. Russian River Brewery is known for it’s triple IPA, Pliny The Younger, which has very limited distribution and is only available for 2 weeks in February. If IPA is your thing, Pliny The Elder, a double IPA, is on tap year round. I was feeling something light so had the STS Pils. Also seasonally brewed, it’s a refreshing classic Pilsner. I then ordered a Sicilian pizza. If thin crispy crust is your jam, then this pizza is off the hook. If you are going to get food here, I’d go with the pizza.

WoodFour Brewing Company:

This brewery is located about 7 miles outside of downtown Santa Rosa in neighboring Sebastopol and is accessible via the Joe Rodota Bike Trail. Out of the two, this one was my favorite – purely due to atmosphere. It has a spacious interior and big, open patio in the sunshine. We tried the Gold Ridge Lager – deemed ‘a true farmer’s beer’. Toiling on a mountain bike trail isn’t exactly the same thing as toiling on a farm, but it was delicious nonetheless. We also tried Same Dif’- WoodFour’s ‘classic barrel-aged sour’. I’m not one for sours typically, but WoodFour is known for it’s sours and this one was pretty darn nice, I’ll admit. All food orders come with chips and salsa or you can upgrade to Nachos. I went all in on the Veggie Burrito because…it’s the weekend and I earned it? I then sat, happy and slumped in a patch of shade in silence for about 15 minutes with my eyes at half mast until it was kindly suggested to me to get up and walk around because I was sleeping with my eyes open in public. Thankfully, WoodFour’s patio backs onto the delightful McKinley Street where, among other great little shops, you can pick up a coffee at Taylor Maid Farms across the street.

Please note that due to fires in the area much of the park is temporarily closed. Please check the California Department of Parks and Recreation website for the latest updates.

Hope you enjoy the ride and see you out there!