(01-18) 04:00 PDT Occidental -- Say "Bohemian Highway," and the rarefied air of Bohemian Grove, that sequestered playground of the rich, the powerful and the male, springs to mind. But this 11 scenic miles of asphalt, slicing through the redwoods between the Sonoma County coast and the Russian River wine trail, is a sinuous road back to the simpler pleasures of big band music on outdoor pavilions, family road trips and back-road wandering.
Spilling quaintly down the mountainsides on either side of the road, Occidental lies 4 miles from Freestone at the southern end and 7 miles from Monte Rio at the north. The town is best known for its family-style Italian restaurants and abundance of nearby nurseries, which most tourists are content to sample as a side trip, but my husband and I chose it as our base for a recent getaway. Not only is it perfectly positioned for exploring the Bohemian Highway and beyond, staying there introduced us to some of Occidental's overlooked pleasures - not the least off which was discovering our own private Bohemian Grove.

Why now?
The off-season brings lower lodging costs and respite from summer's heat and tourist spillover. And with its church spires and bower of red and gold leaves, Occidental could pass for a New England village.
The back story: The Bohemian Highway corridor, buffered from coastal fog and inland heat, was one of the first areas settled in the region - Monte
Rio boasted the first elevator west of the Mississippi. Occidental was the last stop on the North Pacific Coast Railroad on its trip south to the Sausalito ferry.
The railway begat a lumber boom in the late 19th century. Soon the train brought hordes of summer vacationers, and the Union Hotel and Negri's
restaurant opened to serve them multiple-course, family-style Italian dinners. Artists, nature lovers and assimilated counterculture types
prevail today, maintaining organic farms and wineries, specialty nurseries, and quirky shops and restaurants.

Checking in:
We stayed at Negri's Occidental Hotel, which was a pleasant surprise. Tucked into the foot of a forested hillside, it's more a motel than a hotel, but our room was spacious, up to date and quite comfortable.
We had a king-size bed, microwave, coffeemaker, 25-inch cable TV, a hair dryer and Wi-Fi. Warm-weather visitors would appreciate the large pool and the deck, which takes advantage of forest views.
If you want seclusion, personal attention, cozy decor and a sumptuous breakfast - and are willing to pay for it - the Inn at Occidental consistently draws raves. A smattering of vacation rentals is also available.

Spend your day:
Browsing the shops and galleries lining both sides of the highway takes only an hour or so and turns up vintage European clothing,
glassworks, one-of-a-kind toys, garden accessories, antiques, and
furniture and home decor made from reclaimed materials. Allow half a day to venture up Coleman Valley Road west of town. First
stop: Western Hills Nursery, about 1 1/2 miles from town, which specializes in rare plants. More than 40 years ago, it was among the first
to introduce Mediterranean and Australian species suited to Northern California. Even if you have a brown thumb, the mature, 3-acre garden is an arboretum unto itself. Visitors may walk, gawk or meditate as long as they like (be kind and leave a donation).
About half a mile farther, just past 16615 Coleman Valley Road, veer slightly left onto Joy Road and then turn right onto Fitzpatrick Lane.
About 1 1/2 miles later, you'll come to the Grove of Old Trees. This wondrous stand of old-growth redwoods, owned by a Sonoma County land
conservancy, feels absolutely primeval, and you'll spend much of your visit in quiet solitude. A small network of trails scores the 28-acre
grove. Paths are well defined and easy to follow, but there are no signs; consider dropping bread crumbs. The trees were selectively logged at some
point in history, but especially on the south side you'll walk among giants.
Occidental is also home to the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, whose 80 acres of gardens are off-limits unless you attend one of their workshops - except on tours offered during plant sales in April, May and August.
From Occidental, Freestone (home of Osmosis spa and Wild Flour Bread) and Monte Rio (a Russian River resort town) are a few minutes away. The coastal towns of Bodega Bay and Jenner, and the Russian River Valley
wineries, are all within easy reach.

Dining:
Seeking something less challenging than six-course Italian, we found Barley and Hops through dumb luck. Silicon Valley refugee Noah Bolmer opened his tavern in a picturesque clapboard building in July. His passion is beer - draft, bottled, local, imported, seasonal, stouts, ales and porters - but he also offers an imaginative lunch and dinner menu with organic ingredients from local producers. Bolmer calls it "pub grub," but with such standouts as pretzel-encrusted chicken cooked in Belgian beer and chocolate Guinness mousse, it deserves a more high-falutin' name. The most you can spend is $15 (tri-tip in a caramelized onion and wine sauce), and Bolmer intends to keep it that way. He is a gregarious host, eager to teach Wine Country aficionados to love beer.
Howard's Station Cafe is the place for breakfast, conjuring healthful comfort food from fresh ingredients and innovative combinations (coconut
pancakes, tofu rancheros, carrot apple ginger juice, among more traditional choices). But if you want to hew to tradition by eating yourself into a coma, the Union Hotel and Negri's still stand ready to serve.

Don't miss:
Stopping into Wild Flour Bread in Freestone to pick up a loaf of organic sourdough studded with fruits and nuts, goat cheese flat bread, or whipping-cream scones in assorted flavors, all baked in brick ovens.

Don't bother:
Trying to get a gander at the power brokers who convene at Bohemian Grove (actually a short distance off the highway just outside of Monte Rio). Beyond the locked entrance gates and stern warnings, there's not much to see except distant treetops.
Word to the wise: The Union Hotel and Negri's share an authentic, checkered-tablecloth ambience and gut-busting portions, but the Union gets higher marks for its food. It also has a friendly pub and a pizzeria that some rate as the best in the county. If you go Getting there
Occidental is about a 1 1/2-hour drive from San Francisco, taking Highway 101 to Petaluma and following Highway 116 northwest to Bohemian Highway.

Where to stay:
Negri's Occidental Hotel, 3610 Bohemian Highway. (877) 867-6084 or (707) 874-3623, www.occidentalhotel.com. Doubles in winter from $79.95 weeknights, $95.95 weekends (two-night minimum for Saturday stays).

Where to eat:
Barley and Hops, 3688 Bohemian Highway, Occidental. (707) 874-9037,
www.barleynhops.com. Entrees $7.50-$15.
Howard's Cafe, 3611 Main St. (707) 874-2838. Breakfast $3.75-$9.50.

What to do:
Western Hills Nursery, 16250 Coleman Valley Road, Occidental. (707)
874-3731, www.westernhillsnursery.com. Fri.-Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Grove of the Old Trees, 17500 Fitzpatrick Lane, Occidental. (707)
544-7284, www.landpaths.org. Dawn to dusk daily. For more information
Sonoma County Tourism Bureau, (800) 576-6662 or (707) 522-5800,
www.sonomacounty.com.
Bohemian Connection, www.bohemianconnection.com.

Christine Delsol is a former Chronicle travel editor and author of
"Pauline Frommer's Cancún & the Yucatán." Her last story for Travel was
about Cayucos. To comment, visit sfgate.com/travel and follow the links. ----------------------------------------------------------------------
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