About

California Cheese Trail – which includes CheeseTrail.org, the  California Cheese Trail map and the California Cheese Trail app – promotes artisan cheesemakers and family farmers.  It’s the only project/website that connects people to the cheesemakers, their tours, cheesemaking classes and cheese events throughout California.

Check the map to design your own tour or pick one of various regions, find a tasting, class or cheese event near you, find cheesemaking supplies, private classes, online cheese sales, FAQ, and the latest blog!

At the bottom of each page, you can also find out where to sign up for the email newsletter, become a Facebook or Twitter fan and download the Cheese Trail App.

Cheese Trail is a non-profit initiative, created and run by Vivien Straus. Fiscal sponsorship is provided by the Marin Economic Forum.

Get the Printed Map

Download the latest California Cheese Trail Map

For Individuals

1. Stop by the Marin Convention & Visitor’s Bureau in San Rafael.

2. Stop by the California Welcome Center at Railroad Square in Santa Rosa (9 4th Street) or at Pier 39 in San Francisco.  Also, check the Visitor Information Center at 900 Market Street, Hallidie Plaza, Lower Level in San Francisco.

3. Get the printed map by mail. Click here to fill in a form — one map per address.

For companies, hotels, wineries, etc.

IF you are picking up a full box, you can stop by the Tomales Bay Foods warehouse at 2080 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:00pm or the Marin Convention & Visitor’s Bureau in San Rafael or Point Reyes. Maps come in boxes of 495. No need to call ahead. OR, if you (or a retailer of cheese near you) gets deliveries from Tomales Bay Foods, they can add the maps onto your order (free of charge). Tomales Bay Foods will only deliver IF you are a current wholesale customer of theirs.

Cheese Trail Founder

Vivien Straus, a longtime organic food and sustainable farming advocate, developed the Cheese Trail idea in 2010.  The map is now in its eighth printing (over 460,000 distributed), has increased the visibility, sales and appreciation of local cheesemakers throughout the country.

Vivien, a woman with a slight addiction to cows, grew up on her family’s dairy in Marshall. She ran away to Hollywood to become an actress until the cows wooed her back. She helped build her brother’s company Straus Family Creamery, serving as VP of Marketing. Later, she served as Public Relations Coordinator and led creamery tours for Cowgirl Creamery. Currently she manages the Straus Home Ranch as well as its vacation rental. Recently she completed a run of her one-woman show (writer and actress), E-i-E-i-OY! In Bed with the Farmer’s Daughter, is a MOTH StorySLAM winner, and is currently working on a new performance piece. 

Cheese Trail Sidekick

Philip Jison, is a cheese enthusiast and a Southern California native. With a background in digital media and business development, he joined The California Cheese Trail in 2018. His goal is to help the world learn more about the people behind cheesemaking in California.

After living in Manila, Philippines and New York City, he currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife Anjelica.