.Local Knowledge

'Sonoma County Gazette' columnist Beth Rudometkin grooves on Guerneville

Describe your perfect day in Guerneville?

Waking up to a beautiful sunrise and doing my morning gardening with my yellow Lab, Skye, who is trying to get me to throw the toy one more time. Then we load up the kayaks and the dog, and drive across the river to our family property, where we unload and play fetch in the water with Skye. We lazily trek up river, enjoying the water, wildlife and an occasional paddler who stops to say hello. Once we reach Monkey Island, we beach the kayaks and set up our afternoon picnic. After a brief nap and more fetch, we get back in our kayaks and head home for dinner. After dinner, we watch the Giants win and prepare for sleeping under the stars where it’s nice and cool, and we fall asleep gazing up into the night sky—listening to the crickets, frogs and other creatures out there among the redwood trees.

Where is your favorite place to eat in Guerneville and why?

Anywhere from the Russian River Pub to the Tides in Bodega Bay, and everywhere in between, you will find delicious offerings for breakfast, lunch and dinner, whether you’re in Rio Nido, Guerneville, Monte Rio, Duncans Mills, Occidental, Jenner or Bodega Bay.

Where do you take first-time visitors in Guerneville?

Armstrong Woods State Park, of course! It’s an easy stroll for those who are elderly and an adventurous place for the youth who want to run, climb or enjoy hiking to Bullfrog Pond. Another nice tour for first timers is the Garden-Winery Tour at Korbel.

What do you know about Guerneville that others don’t?

I don’t think there is anything I know about Guerneville that others don’t, as there actually are some residents who are older than me!

If you could change one thing about Guerneville what would it be?

There isn’t just one thing I would like to change about Guerneville, as there are many issues that need to resolved: drug use, homelessness, robberies, lack of sheriff’s deputies, no parking, lack of affordable housing. I guess if I could change just one thing, it would be to go back to yesteryear when we went on evening hayrides, screamed down the Super Slide, rode go-carts and played miniature golf, all while drinking a Mountain Dew and chewing on a wax Coke penny candy and living to tell about it.

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