Santa Monica or Sonoma?

This is where the two differ most. Santa Monica is built along a very wide stretch of sand with lifeguard towers and the beach path behind it, and the quieter coves of Malibu are a short drive up the coast. The Pacific is cool, though, so many people wade rather than swim, and swimmers do better a little way from the pier.

Sonoma has no beach at all. The Bodega Bay shore is a drive of well over an hour and far too cold and rough for swimming, so in summer the options are a hotel pool or the gravel banks of the Russian River.

The two are close on food but offer different kinds of meal. Santa Monica eats from its Wednesday farmers market, with seasonal Californian cooking, seafood, brunch and good Italian and Japanese places along Main Street and Montana Avenue, and more casual cooking over in Venice.

Sonoma is about wine first. The tasting rooms around the plaza and the wineries of the valley and Carneros come with long lunches built on local cheese, olive oil and oysters. It has fewer restaurants and less variety, but the wine is the reason to come.

Neither is a sightseeing destination, and they differ mainly in where the interest lies. Santa Monica's own sights are modest: the pier with its carousel and the end of Route 66, and the galleries of Bergamot Station. Its real strength is the two Getty museums nearby, the Getty Center's European collections and the Getty Villa's antiquities.

Sonoma has more history within the town itself. Its broad plaza saw the Bear Flag Revolt of 1846, and the last Franciscan mission, the adobe barracks and Vallejo's house all stand within walking distance. Together they make a pleasant half day.

Santa Monica at least has an evening to go out for, with rooftop bars over the ocean, wine bars around the Third Street Promenade, pubs on Main Street and a younger crowd in Venice. It is a place for sunset cocktails rather than clubs. Sonoma winds down after dinner: a few wine bars and saloons on the plaza, then quiet streets well before late evening.

Both are good bases for getting outdoors, but the landscapes are quite different. In Santa Monica the mountains meet the ocean. Trails through Temescal and Topanga canyons climb to views over the bay, the 35km beach path suits cycling and skating, and there are surf lessons, dolphins and winter whale-watching.

Sonoma's outdoors is green and gold valley country. You can walk up to the Sonoma Overlook from the plaza, find redwoods at Sugarloaf Ridge, cycle quiet roads through the vines and watch balloons go up on calm mornings. The best seasons are spring and harvest, as high summer can be hot and smoky.

Sonoma is the better base for days out, above all because San Francisco is about an hour away. Napa, Healdsburg, Petaluma's Victorian river town and Sausalito on the bay are all close as well, though most of these trips lead to another wine town.

Santa Monica offers more variety but longer drives. Santa Barbara and Laguna Beach are each about two hours away, Catalina is a ferry ride out, and the Huntington, Hollywood and downtown are within Los Angeles. Traffic often decides how much of this you actually manage.

Children are far better served in Santa Monica. It has a wide, safe beach for digging, rides and a carousel on the pier, an aquarium of local sea life under it and an easy beachfront path for family bike rides. Theme parks take a long day, and some parents find the visible homelessness downtown uncomfortable.

Sonoma is calm and safe but made for adults who are tasting wine. The plaza playground, the miniature railway and the African wildlife park near Santa Rosa are enough for a day or two at most.

Santa Monica is much easier without a car. The centre, the pier and Main Street are all walkable, the blue buses cover the rest of town, and the E Line runs to downtown Los Angeles. Going further than that, to the Getty or the canyons, usually means a ride-hail or a rental car.

In Sonoma only the plaza is walkable. The wineries, parks and coast are spread across the valley and the buses are of little use, so you will need a car, a hired driver or a tour, which also settles who drives after tasting.

Santa Monica has far more choice. The Promenade has the big chains and flagships, Montana Avenue has upmarket boutiques, Main Street has surf shops, and Abbot Kinney in Venice is known for design-led shops. Sonoma's plaza arcades are pleasant for gifts, kitchenware, olive oil, cheese and wine bought straight from the producers, but there is little fashion.

Both are expensive, and neither will suit a tight budget. In Santa Monica the costs are oceanfront hotels, restaurant bills and parking, although the beach, trails and bike path are free and the buses and light rail are cheap. Sonoma adds tasting fees and the near necessity of a car or driver, so savings come from staying in Santa Rosa or Petaluma and picnicking among the vines.

Santa Monica has a bit more going on locally. The Broad Stage hosts chamber music, dance and theatre, small rooms keep a long-standing folk and acoustic tradition, and there are free summer concerts on the pier. The Philharmonic and the Hollywood Bowl are across the city.

Sonoma's season is mostly summer, with outdoor shows among the ruins at Jack London park and concerts at wineries. The Green Music Center, about half an hour away, brings in touring orchestras, but otherwise there is little on.

Sonoma is the better choice for a restful stay. Hot mineral water at Boyes Hot Springs feeds a historic resort spa that sells day passes, Calistoga's mud baths are over the hills, and the town's slow, quiet days are relaxing in themselves.

In Santa Monica wellness means being active: yoga on the sand, juice bars, morning runs by the ocean and polished hotel spas. There are no springs or baths, so relaxing is mostly up to you.