On Guerneville’s Main Street, near the new Charizma Wine Lounge & Deli, one can find the 80-plus-year-old Lark Drugs, with its neon Rexall sign, and King’s Sport Tackle, purveyor of night crawlers since 1953. And therein lies its charm. The town now has plenty of 21st-century amenities (including a hybrid chocolate shop and hemp clothing boutique and an outstanding Thai restaurant), but Guerneville hasn’t lost its throwback quality. The town has a mellow, flannel-shirt feeling, owing partly to the redwoods lining the winding country roads and partly to the Russian River, which draws fishermen and vacationers to canoe, kayak, and swim in its waters. The town’s active gay citizenry hosts 7,000 to 9,000 guests every August for Lazy Bear week (this year August 1 through 6), and a wealth of other events, from wine weekends to reggae festivals to blues jams, have helped endear this spot to social creatures of all stripes. In Guerneville, you can unplug from modernity or revel in its pleasures. You’re free to choose.

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Celebrating 40 years under the same family’s ownership, Johnson’s Beach is the only sandy spot in town where you can kayak, canoe, paddleboat, and swim in the dammed-up river. The resort (there’s a campground and rustic cabins on-site) has a midcentury atmosphere fostered by the cheap beer, the longtime patrons lounging under sun umbrellas, and the steady stream of Sinatra played over the speakers by its 86-year-old proprietor, Clare Harris. The beach is the site of two annual music festivals. Buddy Guy headlined at June’s Russian River Blues Festival, while Boney James will lead off the Russian River Jazz Festival (September 8 and 9). Armstrong Redwoods (above) is a great alternative to the touristy Muir Woods. The state park offers hikes of all difficulties, from a leisurely walk under the canopy of 300-foot trees to the advanced climb of the East Ridge trail, with views of the Pacific.
Johnson’s Beach and resort, 16241 First St., Guerneville, 707-869-2022, www.johnsonsbeach.com, www.russian riverfestivals.com. Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve, 17000 Armstrong Woods Rd., Guerneville, 707-869-2015, www.parks.ca.gov.

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The granddaddy of free winery tours, Korbel has its headquarters in Guerneville. Think beyond mimosas: the company’s award-winning chardonnay champagne should be savored sans OJ. The tasting experience at the nearby Hartford Family Winery is less commercial, and the winery’s so-called high-personality wines—pinot noirs, old-vine zins, and chardonnays sourced from a single vineyard—are more high-end. At Harvest Moon Winery, the vivacious personality of winemaker Randy Pitts rivals those of his wines, which include a dry gewürztraminer and 100 percent Russian River Valley zinfandels. Pitts, an unpretentious Sonoma County native, can often be found chatting in the tasting room, surrounded by rows of bottles from his family’s vineyards. Korbel, 13250 River Rd., Guerneville, 707-824-7000, www.korbel.com. Hartford Family Winery, 8075 Martinelli Rd., Forestville, 707-887-8010, www.hartfordwines.com. Harvest Moon Winery, 2192 Olivet Rd., Santa Rosa, 707-573-8711, www.harvestmoonwinery.com.

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On Main Street, Touch of Greene is both a boutique dedicated to Stevie Nicks–esque gauzy separates and a massage studio built to release big-city tension. In back, on tables layered with plush velvety blankets, massage therapist Cyndee Greene helps heal the hunched shoulders and stressed forearms
of the computer generation. Touch of Greene, 16377B Main St., Guerneville,707-869-3180, www.touchofgreene.com.

About a mile down the road, Five Seasons Resort & Spa’s wet-salt massage (above) gets skin ready for summer. A brisk rubdown with ultrafine sea salt and a choice of essential oils, including soothing lavender and stimulating citrus, will leave you feeling reborn. Five Seasons Resort & Spa, 14880 River Rd., Guerneville, 707-869-8139, www.rivervillageresort.com.

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Among the many rental cottages bordering the river, Fern Grove, walking distance from Johnson’s Beach and Main Street, feels comfortably worn in but never shabby. Since purchasing the complex five years ago, owners Margaret and Mike Kennett have renovated and updated the 20 1920s-era cottages with modern furnishings and amenities like Wi-Fi and spa tubs. The complimentary Continental breakfast features Margaret’s famous English scones (she’s a British expat), served in a warm, communal dining room. Margaret’s vast knowledge of regional wineries is another plus, since the cottages are popular among visitors who arrive each spring for the Russian River Wine Road’s barrel-tasting weekends. Fern Grove Cottages, 16650 Hwy. 116, Guerne­ville, 707-869-8105, www.ferngrove.com.

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To get a feel for Guerneville at its most down-home, hit Pat’s Restaurant. This Main Street institution has been cooking classic diner breakfasts for 67 years. The cook whips up specials like spinach-muenster omelets; the Danishes, bread, and soups are all made on-site; and the waitresses swing by regularly to refresh your coffee. Pat’s Restaurant, 16236 main st., Guerneville, 707-869-9904.

For upscale dining, locals are unanimous in their raves about the Applewood Inn. Chef Brian Anderson serves sophisticated Provençal-inspired cuisine (like sautéed halibut with lobster and fava bean risotto) in a barnlike setting with vaulted ceilings and stone fireplaces. Applewood Inn Restaurant, 13555 Hwy. 116, Guerneville, 800-555-8509, www.applewoodinn.com.