A Rainy Day in Santa Rosa: Indoor Things to Do

Stay Santa Rosa · Oct 22, 2026

Winter is the rainy season in Sonoma County, and a wet day can scramble a plan built around vineyards and redwood trails. Santa Rosa handles it better than most wine country towns. It has a museum devoted to the creator of Peanuts, an ice rink he built, a downtown art and history museum and a hands-on children's museum, all within a short drive of each other. The one catch is the calendar: several of these close on Tuesdays, so check the day before you plan around them.

Charles M. Schulz Museum

Charles Schulz lived and worked in Santa Rosa for more than thirty years, and his museum is the city's best rainy-day stop. Expect original strips, a recreation of his studio and a changing line-up of exhibitions. This winter that includes:

• Inking History, through January 10, 2027.
• Blanket Statements: The Philosophies of Linus, through March 10, 2027.
• Why Can't I Have a Normal Dog?, from November 11, 2026, to July 12, 2027.

Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed every Tuesday. Admission: $15 adults, $10 seniors 62 and over, $7 students and youth ages 4 to 18, free for children 3 and under. Tickets are sold on arrival only. The museum is at 2301 Hardies Lane, about ten minutes from downtown, with free parking.

Snoopy's Home Ice

Across the street from the museum, the ice arena Schulz built for the town is the most active way to spend a wet afternoon. Public skating is priced by session type:

• Weekday (1.5 hours): $8 admission, $2 skate rental.
• Night (1.5 hours): $10 admission, $2 skate rental.
• Weekend and holiday (2 hours or more): $14 for ages 12 and over, $12 for children 11 and under, $4 skate rental.

Admission is sold in person only, starting 30 minutes before each session, and session times are posted on the rink's online schedule. The rink is at 1667 West Steele Lane. In November and December it also runs holiday public sessions and shows.

Museum of Sonoma County

Right downtown at 425 7th Street, the Museum of Sonoma County mixes art exhibitions with the history of the county. The Santa Rosa History gallery is ongoing. This season brings the 37th Annual Artistry in Wood show (November 21, 2026, to January 31, 2027) and Golden California: Landscape Masters of the American West (December 12, 2026, to April 11, 2027). The 30th annual Día de los Muertos exhibition closes on November 29.

Hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., so it is closed Monday and Tuesday. Admission: $12 adults, $10 seniors 62 and over, $6 students, free for children 13 and under. EBT cardholders get in free through Museums for All.

Children's Museum of Sonoma County

With younger kids, the Children's Museum at 1835 West Steele Lane, on the same road as the rink, is built for burning off energy indoors. It opens at 9 a.m. most days and closes at 4 p.m., with a later 6 p.m. close on Thursdays. It is closed Tuesdays. Admission is $18 for adults and children, $15 for seniors 62 and over, military and teachers, and free for infants 11 months and younger.

A rainy-day plan from downtown

Put the indoor stops on the north side together, and keep the evening downtown.

1. Morning: the Schulz Museum when it opens, then lunch.
2. Afternoon: a skating session at Snoopy's Home Ice across the street, or the Children's Museum with small kids.
3. Late afternoon: back downtown for the Museum of Sonoma County before its 5 p.m. close (Wednesday to Sunday).
4. Evening: a pint at Russian River Brewing Co. on 4th Street, then dinner from our downtown food guide.

Stay close to the indoor options

On a wet day, the less time spent driving the better. Hotel E is in a historic building right on Old Courthouse Square, with continental breakfast, an evening happy hour to come back to and valet parking. Art House Santa Rosa is a few blocks away on 7th Street. From either one, the Museum of Sonoma County and downtown dinner are on foot, and the Schulz Museum is a short drive.