Santa Rosa (California)

Santa Rosa is the largest city in Sonoma County, California, and fifth largest in the San Francisco Bay Area. The city functions as a jumping off point for those that want to visit the wine country in Napa Valley, or driving out to the beautiful coastal highways and parks.

Downtown Santa Rosa, 4th & D

Understand

History

Santa Rosa's history is rich in culture and many different groups have called the area their home. Pomo, Miwok, and Wappo Indians originally populated the area followed by the Spanish in the early 1800s. The first deeded land was held as the Rancho Cabeza de Santa Rosa and was given to Senora Maria Ignacia Lopez de Carrillo by Spanish authorities.

In 1867, the county recognized Santa Rosa as an incorporated city and in 1868 the state officially confirmed the incorporation, making it officially the third incorporated city in Sonoma County, after Petaluma, incorporated in 1858, and Healdsburg, incorporated in 1867.

The city continued to grow when other early population centers declined or stagnated, but by 1900 it had been, or was being, overtaken by many other newer population centers in the San Francisco Bay Area and Southern California. According to a 1905 article in the Press Democrat newspaper reporting on the Battle of the Trains, the city had just over 10,000 people at the time.

The April 18, 1906 San Francisco Earthquake essentially destroyed the entire downtown, but the city's population did not greatly suffer. However, after that period the population growth of Santa Rosa, as with most of the area, was very slow.

In 1943, Alfred Hitchcock filmed his thriller, Shadow of Doubt in Santa Rosa. He would continue to use Santa Rosa, and later Bodega Bay in many of his films. Thanks to this, Santa Rosa became, and continues to be a major hub in the Bay Area for numerous movies.

Get in

By car

Santa Rosa is 55 miles north of San Francisco, via Highway 101. Depending on traffic conditions, this drive is as brisk as an hour and as long as two hours. It is best to avoid the Highways during weekday rush hours, and on the weekend after sporting events. Beautiful and alternative routes exist on Highway 1, and through Sonoma Valley.

By bus

Golden Gate Transit offers bus service out of San Francisco, and around the Bay Area every day of the week. The buses are large and comfortable, but are subject to the same traffic delays despite having access to the carpool lanes up and down Highway 101.

Greyhound offers rides into Santa Rosa from around the Bay Area, including San Francisco, Oakland, and the South Bay area.

• Golden Gate Transit, [phone], from Sonoma and Marin counties.
• Greyhound, [phone], offers transit around the Bay Area.

By plane

• 🌍 Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport. You can also fly Alaska Airlines to Charles M. Schulz Airport nonstop from Seattle, Portland, San Diego, and Los Angeles.  

By boat

Although none of the ferries in the San Francisco Bay Area extend as far as Santa Rosa, they can be used as a connection to the numerous bus services to the North Bay, while providing fantastic views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco skyline.

• Golden Gate Ferries, [phone]. Serving Larkspur and Sausalito. The Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit project will eventually connect Santa Rosa to the Larkspur ferry.
• Blue and Gold Fleet, [phone]. Serving Alameda, Angel Island, Oakland, Sausalito, Tiburon and Vallejo.

By train

Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit, or SMART, connects Santa Rosa with Sonoma County Airport, Rohnert Park, Petaluma, Novato, and San Rafael. The 70-mile train and bike path will eventually connect to the Golden Gate Ferry in Larkspur and provide mass transit between some of the most major cities in the Wine Country. 🌍 Santa Rosa–Railroad Square is the station that serves downtown, located next to the historic station at 7 4th Street.

By thumb

Hitchhiking in the North Bay is an accepted practice, but as always have your wits about you. Travelers will find more luck along the coastal highway, which are teaming with tourist, rather than near Highway 101. If you are looking to escape San Francisco, walking across the Golden Gate to Vista Point, where all traffic will be heading north bound after leaving the scenic spot. Ask nicely, and many of the friendly Bay Area residents will be happy to give you a ride north toward Sonoma County and Santa Rosa.

Get around

Being largely suburban, a personal vehicle remains the most common method of getting around Santa Rosa and the surrounding area. There is, however, the Santa Rosa CityBus, but frequency, operating hours, and coverage leave much to be desired. Sonoma County Transit and Golden Gate Transit also provide service in Santa Rosa, but focus mainly on inter-city travel.

Bicycling in Santa Rosa is a reasonable option. Most destinations are reachable via not-too-busy roads, and notable car-free pathways exist from downtown to and beyond the western city limit. The primary off-street bicycle and pedestrian path system is the Prince Memorial Greenway, extending along the banks of Santa Rosa Creek from City Hall in the heart of downtown, out beyond the city to the west. On the western edge of downtown, near the Marriott Hotel in Railroad Square, this connects to the Joe Rodota Trail, a paved off-street path going to Sebastopol paralleling CA highway 12. Much of the city is relatively flat.

The downtown core is easily walkable, and if one were staying downtown they could conceivably while away a day on foot.

See

Schulz Museum

• 🌍 Charles M. Schulz Museum, 2301 Hardies Ln, ☎ [phone]. Celebrating Mr. Schulz's world-famous creation: the Peanuts comic strip.  
• 6th Street Playhouse, 52 West 6th St, ☎ [phone]. A state-of-the-art professional theatre facility, home of the Santa Rosa Players and the Actors Theatre, located in downtown's historic Railroad Square District. The 2005/2006 season features eight shows: 4 musicals by the Santa Rosa Players and 4 contemporary plays by the Actors Theatre. 
• 🌍 Safari West, 3115 Porter Creek Rd, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. A 400 acre wildlife preserve that is home to over 400 mammals and birds.  
• 🌍 Luther Burbank Home and Gardens (on the corner of Santa Rosa Avenue and Sonoma Avenue, downtown), ☎ [phone]. The historic Burbank home property was given to the City of Santa Rosa by Burbank's widow, Elizabeth, upon her death in 1977. The Luther Burbank Home & Gardens Board and City staff cooperatively oversee and maintain the property. The gardens contain a rose garden, and medicinal garden. The site is open to the public and its programs are staffed by volunteers. Free to visit, but there is an additional cost for docent-led tours.  
• 🌍 Sonoma County Museum, 425 7th St, ☎ [phone]. The Sonoma County Museum is in the former U.S. Post Office and federal building, completed in 1910, one of the oldest surviving federal buildings in the state and a premier example of federal architecture from the era. It is located in downtown Santa Rosa one block west of B Street, north of the downtown shopping mall, the Santa Rosa Plaza. It has a collection of works relating to the artist Cristo and has rotating displays on art, culture, and local history, including such displays as the works of Ansel Adams and the history of mapping the California Coast.  

Do

Snoopy's Home Ice

• Visit some nearby wineries. Santa Rosa sits in the center of the famous Sonoma Wine Country and has nearly 200 wineries to choose from.
• Play golf. With 16 golf courses in the county, you're bound to find one that suits your tastes.
• 🌍 Redwood Empire Ice Arena. This well-known ice rink also known as "Snoopy's Home Ice" features Snoopy and the gang and was once owned by none other than Charles M. Schulz himself. It is located just across Hardies Lane from the Schulz museum.  
• Hike the county and state parks. A few minutes from downtown, two adjacent parks offer short and long hikes in varied terrain, featuring two lakes. Lots of dogs, ducks and geese to see. A nice way to get in a bit of exercise without too much effort. Parks include: (updated Nov 2016)
  • Howarth Park (city). A family park with jungle gym, rope climbing structure, and large picnic area. In the summer, kids love the miniature railroad, pony rides, and small carousel, and refreshments are available at a little stand. Tennis courts and softball diamond can be found somewhat separated from the larger picnic area, and a hiking trail behind them is very little-known. (updated Nov 2016)
  • 🌍 Spring Lake Regional Park, 393 Violetti Rd (Campground and boat launch at South Entrance, 5585 Newanga Ave), ☎ [phone]. 7AM-Sunset. Between Howarth Park and Annadel lies Spring Lake Park, easily accessible from either one. A paved biking and walking trail encircles Spring Lake, and dozens of smaller side paths range from cool and shady lakeside areas to hot and dry gravel trails. The swimming lagoon and dining area were refurbished and reopened in 2015. Parking ̩$7. (updated Jun 2018)
  • 🌍 Annadel State Park. A true treasure of Santa Rosa, Annadel State Park deserves much praise for its incredible scenery and amazing hiking trails. The park is a favorite year-round for hikes of any length, affording stunning views from the peaks. Sonoma County locals will be only too happy to recommend their favorite routes. (updated Nov 2016)
  • 🌍 Sugarloaf Ridge State Park.  

Buy

Shopping Malls

• 🌍 Santa Rosa Plaza, 1071 Santa Rosa Plaza, ☎ [phone]. M-F 10AM-9PM, Sa 10AM-8PM, Su 11AM-6PM. Macy's, Mervyn's, Sears and over 100 stores.  
• 🌍 Coddingtown, 733 Coddingtown Mall, ☎ [phone]. M-F 10AM-9PM, Sa 10AM-8PM, Su 11AM-6PM. This over 40 year old mall features Macy's, JC Penny, Gottschalks, Old Navy and over 100 other stores. The 72 foot tall revolving sign in the parking lot was declared a historical landmark in 1993 by the City of Santa Rosa.  
• 🌍 Montgomery Village, Farmers Lane and Sonoma Avenue. Outdoor shopping center includes several streets of chain and local stores, a mix of boutique and more pedestrian options, as well as several good restaurants.  

Downtown Shopping

Downtown Santa Rosa consists of two main shopping areas, divided by Highway 101:

• The 'main' downtown, centered around 4th St. east of Santa Rosa Plaza mall, primarily from B St. to E St., with less-concentrated options within a several-block radius of that core. Bookstores, newsstands, a music (instrument) store, small specialty shops, jewelry stores, and a number of restaurants are on-offer.
• Railroad Square, centered around 4th St. west of Santa Rosa Plaza mall and the freeway, primarily between Davis and Wilson streets. This growing area includes a number of antique shops, art galleries, and shops focusing on wares from places such as Indonesia and Mexico. A large local outdoors outfitter is on 3rd St.

Eat

• Fourth Street Deli, 300 Mendocino Ave. Sandwiches and salads. Great place to grab lunch to eat at the park across the street. 
• El Patio, 901 4th St. Excellent and inexpensive Mexican food. A fixture for locals since the 1990s. (updated Nov 2016)
• Lepe's, 4323 Montgomery Dr. Delicious Mexican cuisine, fast-food style. Indoor and outdoor seating, close to Spring Lake and Howarth Park. (updated Nov 2016)
• Equus, 101 FountainGrove Parkway. A popular restaurant for local Sonoma County residents, business professionals, and wine lovers alike. 
• Shogun, 2350 Midway Dr (Montgomery Village shopping center). 
• Osake, Patio Ct (near Montgomery Village). Japanese. 
• Thai Taste, Farmers Ln (near the Flamingo Hotel, north of 4th St./Sonoma Hwy.). Good, small Thai restaurant. Patio seating in nice weather. 
• La Vera, 4th St (Downtown, between Santa Rosa Ave. and D St). Excellent pizza. Patio seating in nice weather. 
• Mary's Pizza Shack. Family-friendly Italian restaurant and Sonoma County tradition. Features good-value lunch specials until 5PM. Two locations in Santa Rosa: 535 Summerfield Road (across from Howarth Park on Summerfield Rd. near Montgomery Dr.); and 3084 Marlow Road (Northwest Santa Rosa at Marlow Rd. and Piner Rd). 
• El Charro. Good Mexican food. In shopping center off Farmers Lane between Bennett Valley Rd. and Freeway 12. 
• Oliver's Market. Local semi-gourmet grocery. In addition to standard supermarket options are at taqueria, very good freshly-made sushi, excellent desserts, very good cheese and wine selections, and a salad bar. Tables available to eat there, or take out. The Santa Rosa location is in Rincon Valley, on Montecito Dr. at Middle Rincon Rd. 
• Third Street Aleworks, 3rd St (Downtown, between Santa Rosa Ave. and D St). Popular brewpub with good food. Both bar- and restaurant-style seating available, plus patio seating in good weather and billiards upstairs. Frequently loud. 
• The Warm Puppy, 1667 West Steele Ln (inside the Redwood Empire Ice Arena), ☎ [phone]. This small café with a cozy alpine atmosphere was once the favorite hangout of Charles M. Schulz. The table he routinely sat at as part of his daily activities is perpetually reserved for his presence. 
• 🌍 La Gare, 208 Wilson St (Just north of the intersection of 3rd St and Wilson), ☎ [phone]. French/Swiss cuisine. Local favorite. 
• 🌍 Ca' Bianca Ristorante Italiano (Ca' Bianca), 835 2nd St, ☎ [phone]. Excellent Italian food. Restaurant is in a large converted Victorian house in a quiet neighborhood near downtown, and so can be easily missed. 
• Yao Kiku, 2700 Yulupa Avenue Suite #23, ☎ [phone]. Excellent Japanese food, sushi, and sashimi. Arguably the most authentic Japanese restaurant in the area, as the menu and specials often include items not typically seen in Japanese restaurants in America, such as ume-shiso maki and various natto dishes. 

Drink

• Russian River Brewing Company. 
• The 440 Club. The quintessential dive bar. Jackalope mounted on the wall, local music in the jukebox, and friendly service. Can't beat a Sierra Nevada draught for $2. 

Sleep

Budget

• 🌍 Motel 6 Santa Rosa, 3145 Cleveland Ave, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. 

Mid-range

• 🌍 Best Western Garden Inn, 1500 Santa Rosa Ave, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. 
• Extended Stay America - North, 100 Fountain Grove Parkway, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. 
• Extended Stay America - South, 2600 Corby Ave, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. 
• 🌍 Hilton Sonoma Wine Country, 3555 Round Barn Blvd, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Flamingo Resort Hotel, 277 4th St. 

Splurge

• 🌍 Courtyard Santa Rosa, 175 Railroad St, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. 
• 🌍 Fountain Grove Inn, 101 Fountain Grove Parkway, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. 124 guestrooms decorated in elegant simplicity. Rates between $100 and $200. 
• 🌍 Hotel La Rose, 308 Wilson St (Located in Railroad Square, Northwest of Highway 101 and Highway 12's intersection), ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. This historic stone building was built in 1907 and renovated in 1985. With 48 guestrooms, you'll find amenities like whirlpool tubs or balconies overlooking the rose garden courtyard. Rates range between $100 and $300. 
• 🌍 Vineyard Creek Hotel and Spa, 170 Railroad St, ☎ [phone]. Part of the Hyatt family of hotels, this Mediterranean styled hotel is located in historic Railroad Square and features amenities such as a on-site spa, sauna, bar, and free parking. Rates average $300. 
• 🌍 Vintners Inn, 4350 Barnes Rd. 

Go next

Routes through Santa Rosa

Eureka ← Windsor ←	N  S	→ Rohnert Park → San Francisco
END ← Sebastopol ←	W  E	→ Kenwood → Fairfield
END ←	N  S	→ Rohnert Park → San Rafael