An intriguing mix of towns and small communities hug the banks of the Russian River as it makes its slow and stately way to the Pacific Ocean.
Rio Nido offers a roadhouse, an English Tudor-style lodge, a public pool, and numerous summer homes and cabins clinging to the hillside in the canyon where Rio Nido Creek|ows into the river.
On the south side of the river, dining options vary from basic burgers to a Michelin-starred restaurant in town of Forestville, where winding Highway 116 becomes known as Front Street for three blocks through Forestville’s “downtown.”
A little to the west along the river’s banks, the hamlet of Monte Rio welcomes visitors with a 1950s-style arch proclaiming “Welcome to Monte Rio Vacation Wonderland.”
Tucked away in the hills above the Russian River watershed, the former lumber town of Cazadero hugs the banks of Austin Creek, under the shade of towering redwoods; a destination bakery, a 100-year-oldgeneral store, and a family-operated sustainable sawmill operation entice visitors.
And on a wide, flat area along the river just four miles inland from the coast, Duncans Mills boasts about a dozen specialty shops offering hand-crafted goods, antiques, art, and other items, plus several restaurants and a tasting room.
