I'd heard about Wingo, a ghost town up near Sonoma, from a friend, and had been anxiously awaiting a time I could try to find it by car. Inspired by the Ford Fiesta Movement, I recently hopped into a Ford Fiesta and headed out of the city on a little Wingo adventure. I obviously have no issues planning an entire day trip around finding a small cluster of abandoned shacks.
The town is literally just a small cluster of houses along Sonoma Creek, a place formerly called “Norfolk.” It was named Wingo by the railroad industry and used as a stop for steamer passengers from San Francisco. My footwear didn't allow for crossing the brush and peering through any windows, but a properly outfitted hiker could investigate more.
The nearby town of Schellville features a great little restaurant, Schellville Grill. The place was full of character, featuring a lovely wall full of Post-It Notes and simple, yet delicious food. Schellville offers lots of small town charm less than an hour from San Francisco.
Bonus: if you still feel like driving beyond Schellville, the rest of wine country awaits just a few miles away.
