Windsor, CA

I've driven right past Windsor every time I've headed north along Highway 101 toward Healdsburg and all those other lovely towns along the winery trail. Since I never took the time to stop off and have a look around, I had no idea how cute Windsor was until I actually ended up staying over night there, which in itself was purely coincidental. 

The town was named after Windsor Castle. The town's first postmaster, Hiram Lewis, came from England and apparently thought that the surrounding landscape was very similar to the grounds of the famous castle back in his homeland.  And he was right about that. Windsor sits right smack in the middle of the beautiful, verdant wine country of the Russian River Valley.   

Now the town consists of orchards, vineyards, farms, and housing developments. What was of interest to me was its Old Downtown. It's not really all that old but was planned and developed several years ago to serve as a focal point for the residents and visitors. I was impressed with the architecture and layout of the downtown. It's very pedestrian friendly, has lots of shops and restaurants, and most importantly plenty of parking. Above most of the stores are apartments/condos. There's also a huge community park - the Town Green - with a playground, several ball fields, and plenty of picnic areas. Come have a look around...

It really does look like an old historic town, doesn't it! So next time you're heading north along the Redwood Highway, be sure to take the exit and make a quick pitstop in Windsor. You won't be disappointed!