Location: Santa Rosa
Top Things to do in Santa Rosa
The 10 Best Things to do in Santa Rosa, California (CA)
If you're into wine-tasting, a weekend in Santa Rosa is certain to be satisfying. But this region of magnificent redwoods, rolling hills and ocean vistas has a great mix of other fun pastimes as well. Located right in the center of the Sonoma County wine region, Santa Rosa is home to several vineyards with world-class wines, rich histories and beautiful surroundings. The Matanzas Creek Winery offers June and July visitors a chance to enjoy its aromatic fields of blooming lavender, but its Estate Gardens and spectacular scenery are tourist draws year-round. If golf is your passion, grab your clubs and spend a relaxing afternoon at Fountaingrove or one of the other popular courses. Young and old alike will delight in the Charles M. Schulz Museum, which chronicles the evolution and history of Snoopy and the "Peanuts" gang. With wine or without, a trip to Santa Rosa is one you'll never forget.
Restaurants in Santa Rosa
1. Safari West
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,795 reviews
Escape to Africa by way of Sonoma County…Come discover the Sonoma Serengeti. The classic African safari is a trip of a lifetime for intrepid travelers from around the globe - and, it is closer than you think! The entire Safari West experience is a kid-friendly adventure for families to enjoy together. Our tours are designed to educate guests of all ages and we have found that families are truly inspired as they learn from and share with one another. At Safari West we strive to actively promote conservation and environmental education concepts to our guests, whether they are with us for an hour or a week. The whole experience at Safari West is one of building connections and making discoveries; getting back to basics and enjoying the profound simple pleasures of family and nature that are all too often overlooked. If anything is “not to be missed,” it is that sense of serenity one finds while gazing at graceful giraffe nuzzling her newborn or the surge of raw adventure while witnessing an energetic herd of wildebeest galloping across the horizon. Overnight lodging is also available - the true 'glamping' experience!
Reviewed By SSandFamily - San Carlos, United States
We arrived mid-afternoon and were greeted by a friendly, courteous and professional front office staff. After checking into our unique and comfotable luxury safari tent, one of about 30 on property (each of which is set apart from the others, but all of which are within eyeshot and earshot of the animals), we joined our 2:00 pm tour of the property. Our tour guide, Richard, was accommodating, experienced and entertaining. The tour (both the 45-minute walking portion and the over 2-hour riding portion in an old but customized war surplus jeep), was fantastic! We even saw some fascinating real world activity when one of the scores of guinea fowl roaming on the property flew into the cheetah den. While the ensuing cheetah/guinea fowl action (won by the cheetah) was not for all, we thought it was a rare and unique glimpse into a wildlife window not often expereinced by suburban dwellers. The cheetah/hyena interactions after the cheetah's conquest (they are in adjoining pens separated by a see-through fence) also was fascinating to watch. Aided by the good fortune of an incredibly clear and sunny afternoon, the driving tour was memorable. The time we spent sitting in the seat located above the cab was amazing - what views! After the driving tour, we enjoyed a delicious dinner and drinks served by another courteous staff team. The rubbed chicken served in the buffet was unlike any we had ever had - it was delicious! After dinner and dessert (S'mores and brownies with ice cream), armed with flashlights provided by the staff, we roamed around the walking areas of the property and viewed numerous animals and birds during the night. We saw a lot of green eyes peering back at us from a distance when the animals were flashed briefly with the light. Depending on your perspective, the non-stop mixture of sounds from the frogs, birds and animals on site during the night was either a symphony or a cacophony. If the former, you will be in for a treat. If the latter, bring earplugs! Our morning walk around the propery before breakfast, with tasty and piping hot coffee in hand, was enjoyable, especially our time chatting with one of the keepers who was feeding the porcupines. The continental breakfast, which included homemade peanut butter, honey, lavendar-pear jam, and blackberry jam, was tasty and hit the spot. Our chekout at 11:00 am was efficient. (We were driven to and from our tent before and after our stay in the staff's jeep - very convenient.) Thank you, Safari West Team, for a fabulous experience - well done!
2. Matanzas Creek Winery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 214 reviews
Matanzas Creek Winery is a destination to enjoy the best of both rustic country charm and refined quality. Experience Bennett Valley AVA Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. Come to taste the unique Bennett Valley wines, but stay and relax at our captivating estate grounds for the day. The spacious estate features an eclectic blend of native grasses, delicate olive trees, exotic perennials and our famed lavender fields. Tucked away from the noise but close enough for an afternoon jaunt. Bocci, picnic and self-guided tours.
Reviewed By wtgahg
The Matanzas Creek winery is one of the most impressive wineries we’ve ever been to. The landscaping is amazing, and the number of different outside areas that you can sit in and enjoy wine is wonderful. Additionally, the wines are very very good, and we enjoyed the entire tasting experience. Anyone who visits should also check out the fields of lavender!
3. Luther Burbank Home and Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 224 reviews
Anyone interested in plants will enjoy this site commemorating the work of famed horticulturist Luther Burbank, who introduced over 800 new plant varieties, including the Idaho Potato. The site includes an acre of gardens with many of the naturalist's creations, a beautiful greenhouse he built in 1889, and his Greek Revival home.
Reviewed By nade2019 - Santa Rosa, United States
This place is such a great place for the greatest American style Big Idaho Potato Truck visiting Luther Burbank Home and Gardens! I was laughing so hard, up until I got up close to the ENORMOUS fiberglass vegetable. So interesting facts aka food for thought lol. First this particular vehicle has an national route of 61 cities in a given year. Secondly, I personally met the first female of an 3 woman team, first time this year. One drives and the other 2 work the crowd at every stop. Thirdly, these potatoes they are promoting is gluten free direct from Idaho! Too fun to see something so different from the every day. Check it out! Only here for a limited time.
4. Charles M. Schulz Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,125 reviews
View the largest collection of original Peanuts art work in the world at the Charles M. Schulz Museum. Visitors can laugh at Schulz’s original comic strips, learn about the art of cartooning and Schulz’s role in its development, view a re-creation of Schulz’s art studio, watch animated Peanuts specials and documentaries in the theater, and draw cartoons in the hands-on education room. The Museum features a Peanuts tile mural (made from comic strips), a wrapped Snoopy doghouse, morphing Snoopy, Snoopy labyrinth, Kite-Eating tree, and three exhibition galleries that change every 6 months.
Reviewed By itsmikachu - Dublin, United States
Spent an afternoon here, and it was a lovely experience! As a lifelong fan of the Peanuts gang, I loved reading the abundant comic strips and learning more about Charles Schulz’s life, career, and inspiration. Currently, they are featuring Woodstock and Camp Snoopy exhibitions through March 2020. Would highly recommend if you are a fan of Charlie Brown and the gang!
5. St. Francis Winery and Vineyards
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 457 reviews
100% Certified Sustainable Winery and Vineyards featuring Award-Winning Wines, acclaimed Wine & Food Pairings, breathtaking Private Event settings, and an illustrious Wedding venue. For more than four decades, St. Francis Winery & Vineyards has hand-crafted fruit forward, luscious and full-bodied wines from the superior mountain and valley vineyards in Sonoma County's most prestigious appellations.
Reviewed By aotova - Boston, United States
My husband and I absolutely love St. Francis Winery. We’ve never had a bad experience here - the wines are superb, the grounds are beautiful, and the interaction with staff has always been wonderful. We were impressed after our first visit, but the wine & food pairing during our second visit was so enjoyable we knew we wanted to be members here and haven’t once regretted it since! Highly recommend this stop on any wine country visit.
6. Annadel State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 172 reviews
This park offers a great variety of wildflowers.
Reviewed By 7TerriH - Sacramento, United States
We hiked around the lake. It was a lovely day, and all of the hikers we met along the trail had excellent pandemic etiquette, keeping their distances and wearing masks.
7. Paradise Ridge Winery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 171 reviews
We invite you to come visit our newly reopened Russian River Valley Estate Tasting Room. We are nestled on a 155-acre estate in the heart of Sonoma County wine county, Paradise Ridge offers spectacular natural vistas overlooking our vineyards and the Russian River Valley. Expansive decks and terraces open to panoramic landscapes. Visitors sample handcrafted wines seated on the veranda or in our new tasting lounge. This magical wine country property was discovered in 1977 by Walter Byck & Marijke Byck-Hoenselaars. The winery was founded in 1991 and continues to be family owned & operated. Wander through the outdoor sculpture exhibit in Marijke's Grove, experience the Fountain Grove Winery historical exhibit and taste artisan wines. For those planning a wedding or special event, Paradise offers a romantic & magical setting. Whatever you desire, Paradise Ridge Winery is a wine country experience not to be missed.
Reviewed By jennywt1972 - Liverpool, United Kingdom
A little jem amongst the four wineries we visited ! Our tour guide Reiner was amazing so knowledgeable about the wines , the chocolate pairing and his wit just added to the tour - a definite must if in this area!
8. Spring Lake Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 253 reviews
Reviewed By robertaN2132FI
The park and lake are a great place to walk or jog, sight-see, bird-watch, or just relax. It's very popular among locals and in-the-know visitors.
9. Children's Museum of Sonoma County
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 66 reviews
At the Children's Museum of Sonoma County (CMOSC), children and their loved ones have access to self-directed, interactive experiences that encourage exploration, experimentation, and discovery. Interaction with our unique exhibits and programs unlocks the benefits of education in science, technology engineering and math (STEM) in the most profound way - through the language of PLAY!
Reviewed By Boomerang_Plus - Healdsburg, United States
We explored, learned new things and had a lot of fun!! Our interns met with Lauren and got a chance to tour this awesome Children's Museum. Everything is laid out really well in order to allow maximum creative exploration. There are so many fun stations to visit. We particularly liked the bubbles, helicopter, garden, and light bench. This is a great place to take kids where they will have fun and learn a lot.
10. Howarth Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 94 reviews
Reviewed By princeofpinot
This 138-acre community park is adjacent to Spring Lake Regional Park with parking entrance (free!) on Summerfield Road. The extensive walking trails, both paved and unpaved, are very popular with runners, couples, singles, and women with youngsters in strollers. There are a few dirt bikers seen on weekends mainly. The paved paths offer mild up and down portions but are primarily flat. A four-mile loop is available around the small lake at Howarth Park. The Howarth Park trails hook up with the many trails and larger lake at Spring Lake Regional Park. The two lakes are very calm and scenic and boating, kayaking, paddle boarding and fishing are available. There are multiple picnic areas (some can be reserved for groups), and a small amusement area (check website for hours at different times of the year). This is a safe park that is appealing to all ages and highly recommended. Open sunrise to sunset.
