Centrally located in the heart of the county, Santa Rosa is Sonoma’s largest and most diverse city, offering a mix of culture, arts, restaurants, and nightlife, including world class performances at Luther Burbank Center For the Arts.
Into retro? Check in at the Sandman Hotel, a beautifully renovated motor-lodge with a throw-back feel, or the new Astro Motel, a playfully restored, mid-century motor lodge effortlessly blends kitchy detail, modern design, and Sonoma hospitality. The Astro’s owners run the popular restaurant The Spinster Sisters a few blocks away, where guests enjoy farm-fresh “Sonoma County Cuisine” from breakfast through dinner.
Often referred to as “beer city,” Santa Rosa is also home to world-famous Russian River Brewing Company, along with a growing community of smaller craft beer producers in and around Santa Rosa.
Just about seven miles west of town in Sebastopol, artists, farmers and hippies have created an eclectic and innovative hub of local food and drink culture beyond beer and wine.
Sample probiotic elixirs at The Kefiry, artisan gin at Spirit Works Distillery inside The Barlow community marketplace and sustainably caught fish at the new locals hangout, Handline. If you find yourself at The Barlow, circle back to wine tasting at the MacPhail Tasting Lounge.
For another taste of this diverse region, visit Petaluma. Located seventeen miles south of Santa Rosa and surrounded by historic farms, Petaluma’s downtown district is filled with blocks of stunning Victorian homes, antique shops and delicious fare from the surrounding land and sea. Tucked inside the beautifully restored Hotel Petaluma, enjoy oysters and very local wines from “less than 30 miles away” at The Shuckery and don’t skip town without a visit to Della Fattoria for salt-studded loaf of their Meyer-Lemon Rosemary bread.