DRONEVIEW7: Sonoma County's recreation hot spot Russian River ready for summer crowds

ByTim Jue KGO logo
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
DRONEVIEW7: See why the Russian River has been a tourist hot spot for 130 years
One peek from DRONEVIEW7 and you'll understand why the Russian River area has become one of the most mesmerizing and scenic parts of Northern California.

GUERNEVILLE (KGO) -- For more 130 years, Sonoma County's Russian River resort area has been an oasis for relaxation and rejuvenation. It's easy to understand why after one peek from DRONEVIEW7.

The area coagulates the beauty of Northern California. Redwood groves line the banks of the famed waterway. Vineyards are interspersed between tiny towns that cater to legions of tourists passing through.

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The river itself spans 110 miles. It lazily meanders from Mendocino County southward to the Pacific Ocean.

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The stretch of the Russian River that jogs through Sonoma County has evolved into a mecca for Bay Area residents looking for an easy escape away from the hustle and bustle of urban life, said Elise VanDyne, the executive director of the Russian River Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Centers.

"Everywhere you go there's something incredibly beautiful all with a unique local feel," she said.

According to the Chamber, the waterway was named after Ivan Aleksandrovich Kuskow of the Russian-American Company, who explored the river in the early 19th century.

Take a peek of the river from DRONEVIEW7 to see why the Russian River has been such a big draw for generations of Bay Area families.