Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026, and the long weekend that follows is one of the easiest times to visit Santa Rosa. The harvest is in, the holiday season starts downtown, and a few local museums plan special programming around the break. A few places also close on the holiday itself, so a little planning goes a long way. Here is what is open, what is on, and how to shape four days from a downtown base.
What closes on Thanksgiving Day
Plan Thursday around family, a long meal and a walk, because several of the city's main attractions take the day off.
- Charles M. Schulz Museum: closed on Thanksgiving Day.
- Museum of Sonoma County: closed on Thanksgiving Day and on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
- Children's Museum of Sonoma County: closed on Thanksgiving.
Restaurants set their own holiday hours, and many take reservations only for a set Thanksgiving menu. If you want a table on Thursday, call ahead rather than counting on walking in. Our downtown food guide is a good place to start the shortlist.
Friday: Peanuts and the holiday kickoff
The Schulz Museum runs a Family Fun Weekend from 11 a.m. on Friday, November 27, through 5 p.m. on Saturday, November 28. It is a good fit for a day after the big meal, especially with kids along. The museum is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors 62 and over, $7 for students and youth ages 4 to 18, and free for children 3 and under. Tickets are sold on arrival only, with no advance sales.
Two exhibitions are on during the holiday weekend. Inking History runs through January 10, 2027, and Why Can't I Have a Normal Dog? opens on November 11, 2026. The museum is at 2301 Hardies Lane, about ten minutes from downtown, with free parking.
Back downtown, the holiday season traditionally begins the day after Thanksgiving. Downtown Santa Rosa's Winter Lights program opens with a free tree lighting celebration on Old Courthouse Square, with live entertainment, holiday treats, photos with Santa and a skating show starring Snoopy. In 2025 the lighting ran from 4 to 7 p.m. on the Friday after Thanksgiving. The 2026 times had not been posted when we published this guide, so check the Downtown Santa Rosa events calendar before you go.
Saturday: skating and wine country
Across the street from the museum, Snoopy's Home Ice at 1667 West Steele Lane runs holiday public skating sessions through November and December. Weekend and holiday sessions last two hours or more and cost $14 for ages 12 and over, $12 for children 11 and under, plus $4 for skate rental. Admission is sold in person only, starting 30 minutes before each session, and the session times are posted on the rink's online schedule.
If the weather is clear, Saturday is also a good day for wine country. The Russian River Valley, Sonoma Valley, Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley are each roughly 20 to 30 minutes by car from downtown. Book tastings ahead on a holiday weekend, and settle on a driver before you set out. Our wine country guide covers the routes.
Sunday: last chance for Día de los Muertos
The Museum of Sonoma County reopens for the weekend after its two-day closure. Its hours are Wednesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, November 29, is the final day of the 30th annual Día de los Muertos exhibition, which opened on September 5. The 37th Annual Artistry in Wood show also opens on November 21 and runs through January 31, 2027, so one visit covers both.
Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors 62 and over, $6 for students, and free for children 13 and under. The museum is at 425 7th Street, an easy walk from the square, which makes it a relaxed last stop before the drive home.
Good to know
- Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, 2026. The Schulz Museum, the Museum of Sonoma County and the Children's Museum are all closed that day.
- The Museum of Sonoma County is also closed Friday, November 27.
- The Schulz Museum is closed every Tuesday, if you are extending the trip into the following week.
- Downtown Santa Rosa posts the Winter Lights schedule; confirm the 2026 tree lighting time before you plan Friday evening.
Where to stay for the long weekend
Staying downtown means the tree lighting, the museum on 7th Street and dinner are all on foot, with the Schulz Museum and the rink a short drive away. Hotel E is in a historic building right on Old Courthouse Square, with continental breakfast in the morning, an evening happy hour and valet parking for the car. Art House Santa Rosa is a few blocks away on 7th Street. Either one puts you in the middle of the holiday kickoff without needing to move the car.
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