The complete list of museums, gardens, parks, coastline and the annual events worth planning a trip around, filterable by the kind of day you want.
The North Bay's premier performing arts center, Broadway tours, world-class music, comedy, dance, and speaker events in a 1,600-seat main hall. Over 50,000 children served annually through its education programs.
lutherburbankcenter.org →Dedicated to the life and work of Santa Rosa's most famous resident, the creator of Peanuts. Original comic strips, biographical exhibits, a recreation of Schulz's studio, and the beloved Snoopy's Home Ice rink next door.
schulzmuseum.org →The meticulously preserved home and experimental gardens of America's celebrated horticulturist, who developed over 800 new plant varieties. Free to visit and a genuinely peaceful downtown stop.
lutherburbank.org →Built around the restored 1903 Northwestern Pacific Railroad depot, this charming district is lined with antique shops, independent restaurants, and coffee houses, and the starting point for the SMART commuter train.
railroadsquare.net →A 400-acre African wildlife preserve, dubbed the "Sonoma Serengeti", with giraffes, rhinos, zebras, cheetahs, and nearly 900 animals roaming free. Guided jeep tours and glamping tents available.
safariwest.com →Rotating art exhibitions and historical displays exploring Sonoma County's cultural past and present, and conveniently right around the corner from the downtown hotels.
museumsc.org →Ancient coastal redwoods, some over 1,400 years old and 300 feet tall, tower above quiet forest trails near Guerneville. One of the most accessible old-growth redwood groves in Northern California.
parks.ca.gov →The dramatic Sonoma Coast, fresh Dungeness crab, rugged headland hikes, sheltered coves, and the village made famous by Hitchcock's The Birds. The drive alone through the coastal hills is worth the trip.
bodegabay.com →Over 5,000 acres of forests, meadows, and streams with 40+ miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails right on Santa Rosa's eastern edge. Lake Ilsanjo is a popular fishing and picnic destination in the interior.
parks.ca.gov →Santa Rosa's 320-acre backyard, a swimming lagoon with lifeguards, boat rentals, hiking trails, and a hands-on natural history center. Popular on warm weekends with locals and visitors alike.
parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov →In summer, the Russian River comes alive with canoeing, kayaking, swimming, and fishing. The Guerneville stretch is the most popular. Rent a canoe and float downstream through redwood-lined banks.
sonomacounty.com →Drift above the vineyards at sunrise. Sonoma County's ballooning is among the most celebrated in California. Several outfitters launch from Santa Rosa, floating over the Russian River Valley and wine country hills.
sonomacounty.com →The world's most coveted triple IPA returns for two weeks only at Russian River Brewing's Santa Rosa and Windsor brewpubs. Lines form before dawn, open daily 11 AM–10 PM, three pours per guest, bottles available on-site only. A genuine Sonoma County pilgrimage.
Sample wines directly from the barrel at 100+ Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, and Russian River Valley wineries. One of the most anticipated wine events of the year, a rare chance to taste futures before bottling.
Three days of top country music acts at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, one of the North Bay's largest outdoor music festivals, drawing national headliners and thousands of fans each June.
Dozens of balloons rise over Sonoma County in July, accompanied by food vendors, local artisans, and live music. An early-morning spectacle that draws crowds from across Northern California.
Ten days of livestock shows, carnival rides, live music, local food, and community spirit at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. One of the North Bay's most beloved summer traditions since the fairgrounds opened.
A celebration of the tart Gravenstein apple, a Luther Burbank favorite, with live music, cider tastings, farm-to-table food, artisan goods, and the full spirit of Sebastopol's agricultural community.
A full marathon, half marathon, 10K, and 5K through Sonoma County's vineyard-lined back roads. Post-race celebrations include wine from DeLoach Vineyards and a full festival atmosphere at the finish line.
A free all-day music festival across four stages in downtown's historic Railroad Square, with local food, wine, craft beer, family activities, and 20+ artists and artisan vendors. One of Santa Rosa's best free events.
A beloved local tradition since 1975, 150+ wineries, the World Championship Grape Stomp, chef demonstrations, craft beer and cider tasting, and a marketplace celebrating Sonoma's agricultural heritage.
Every museum, park, restaurant, tasting room and hotel in one place, with addresses, hours and directions.
Wine is the reason most people come, and it is rarely the part they talk about afterwards. Santa Rosa is where Charles Schulz drew Peanuts for decades, and the museum built around his work is a short drive north of downtown. Luther Burbank spent fifty years breeding plants on a city block that is now a preserved home and garden. The Museum of Sonoma County holds both art and county history a few minutes' walk from Old Courthouse Square.
Outdoors, the county changes character quickly. Trione-Annadel State Park puts oak woodland and forty miles of trail in the hills at the edge of town. Spring Lake is the local lake loop. An hour west, Armstrong Redwoods holds old-growth coast redwoods, and beyond that the Sonoma Coast runs from Bodega Bay north along bluffs and coves. Safari West, north of the city, keeps a wildlife preserve you can tour and even sleep in.
The attractions directory shows hours, ratings and directions for these places.