48 Hours in Sonoma County: Santa Rosa and Sebastopol
Santa Rosa and Sebastopol are in Sonoma County, nestled in the heart of California’s wine country. Sonoma County in general is a haven for foodies, art lovers, and outdoor enthusiasts. My husband Zeke and I recently spent 48 hours exploring Santa Rosa and Sebastopol and were delighted with the easy, quick, and fun getaway. Both of us are Norcal babies and had never truly explored Santa Rosa or Sebastopol.
The second time we visited, we camped at a HipCamp farm (Rainbow’s End) which allowed us to further explore Sebastopol and the dining/shopping options. We brought George, our empty nest puppy, and our then 17 year old, Finn.
How to get there: from the Peninsula, take 101 north through San Francisco up to Santa Rosa. From Redwood City, it’s about 1 hour 45 minutes to the Flamingo without much traffic.
How to return home: head back through Sebastopol towards Bodega Bay and enjoy a stop at Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery in Valley Ford and meander along the coast and back through SF. It will take longer but the drive is beautiful. If you return on a Sunday afternoon or the Monday of a long weekend, expect traffic. (Don’t bother stopping at Hog Island Oysters)
Where to stay: Flamingo Resort and Spa
Where to dine: Spinster Sisters in Santa Rosa, Blue Ridge Kitchen at the Barlow, Bird and the Bottle, Hazel in Occidental, Americana in Santa Rosa
Where to shop (and explore): the Barlow
What to explore: Santa Rosa Creek Trail, Florence Avenue Art Walk, Landpaths Grove of Old Trees, downtown Santa Rosa
Flamingo Resort & Spa: A Mid-Century Oasis
We are all about the renovated mid-century motels throughout California. Some are better than others and one of our favorites is the Flamingo Resort. It’s definitely retro but the rooms are nice, a mix of modern comfort and vintage flair. We didn’t enjoy the pool as it was January, nor did we play on the tennis/pickleball courts adjacent to the property. Now that we know they are there, we are definitely bringing our pickleball gear next time. We will also bring our ebikes so we can further explore the area.
There is a restaurant on the property which was fine but there are plenty of other great places to check out in Santa Rosa and Sebastopol so plan on leaving the property for lunch and dinner.
Santa Rosa Creek and Trail: Secret Santa Rosa
Right across the street from the Flamingo is an entrance to the Santa Rosa Creek Trail. The beginning of the trail looks like the picture above but quickly becomes a semi-paved trail on each side of the creek, and splits at one point into Santa Rosa Creek and Brush Creek. It’s an easy walk/hike and a beautiful meander where you can peek into the backyards of some of the houses on the trail.
The Barlow Outdoor Market
The Barlow, is a 12-acre dog-friendly “outdoor market district in Sebastopol featuring local food, wine, beer, spirits, and crafts made onsite by Sonoma County artisans.” It’s super casual and unpretentious unlike other parts of Northern California’s wine country.
Each time we visit, I have to spend an hour or two relaxing at and wine tasting at Pax. This intimate winery pours their acclaimed biodynamic wines in a rustic-modern setting, and the staff is always friendly and knowledgable. I love that their wines are a bit different and include Syrah, Chenin Blanc, Gamay, and Carignon. Don’t miss the snacks!
Retail Therapy at The Barlow
There are several fun shops at the Barlow including JG Switzer, a “textile and home goods artisan manufacturer.” JG Switzer may appear to be a felted wool product store (products made on site) but they have so much more including beautiful candles, several of which we purchased and enjoy daily. California Sisters used to be one of my favorites but it looks like it’s gone online. There is a new shop called Acorn that I look forward to checking out the next time we are there.
Dining Options
Spinster Sisters (Santa Rosa): Despite the cool weather during our visit to Spinster Sisters in January, we enjoyed sitting outside under the lights in a picnic-like communal setting at our own, private table. We chose their family meal with multiple delicious courses and were not disappointed. The menu is built on seasonal and local ingredients which are abundant year round in Sonoma County.
Blue Ridge Kitchen (Sebastopol at the Barlow): we liked everything here including the desserts (shown above). Food is beautiful with a menu created around locally sourced products and the restaurant is casual with both indoor and outdoor seating. Bonus: non-alcoholic beers for Zeke.
Bird and the Bottle (Santa Rosa): we walked from the Flamingo to this restaurant. It wasn’t a short walk but it’s flat and it’s interesting to see what’s happening along the way. IWe stopped in at a new hotel/residence and got a tour from the manager. Interesting place. The Bird and the Bottle is a funky/cool place with lots of interesting goodies on the menu.
Hazel (Occidental): while we were camping with our dog George in Sebastopol, we dined outside at Hazel and had a lovely experience. The food was good with really good service. There’s both outdoor and indoor seating and reservations are recommended as the place is pretty small. Leave room for dessert.
Americana (Santa Rosa): on our way up to the Flamingo, we had lunch at Americana in downtown Santa Rosa. It’s not a fancy place but we enjoyed the casual and tasty experience. From the restaurant, we walked to the Santa Rosa town square and were surprised that we’d never been there. There are some museums, shops, restaurants, and some beautiful old houses.
Art Walk on Florence Avenue, Sebastopol: A Serendipitous Stroll
We stumbled upon the Sebastopol Art Walk on Florence Avenue. Nearly every house on this street has at least one whimsical sculpture made by local artist Patrick Amiot. Each sculpture is made from recycled materials and are well worth seeing. Street parking is available in the neighborhood. Check out some more of my photos on Instagram.
Taking the Long Way Home
We decided to take the coastal route home and headed towards Bodega Bay with a detour to Landpaths Grove of Old Trees. It’s beautiful and well worth the twisty-turny drive. There are a few parking spaces at the entrance and you can spend as little or as much time as you want there. It’s a small space but absolutely gorgeous.
As we headed down the coast, we stopped in Valley Ford at the Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery. Plan to stop there for lunch and enjoy hot soup, cheeses, and other tasty treats. The outdoor dining area is popular amongst cyclists and is enjoyable regardless of the weather.
We are fortunate to live so close to so many beautiful and intriguing places. Driving back from Sebastopol felt like we are in another state rather than just miles from San Francisco and home.
But our world is small and we saw our neighbors Joelle (pictured above) and her husband Philippe riding back from Mendocino. So random.
Check out all of my travel and dining photos on Instragram.
Share some of your Sonoma County favorites for our next trip in either the comments or by email at pilotingyourlife@gmail.com.
About the Author
Terri Hanson Mead is the multi-award winning author of Piloting Your Life, travel journalist, Managing Partner of Solutions2Projects, LLC, and an advocate for women through all of her platforms including YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and this blog. Terri, the mother of a college sophomore and recent college graduate, is based in Redwood City, CA and in her spare time, loves to travel, cook, play tennis, and fly helicopters around the San Francisco Bay Area, especially under the Golden Gate Bridge. Oh, and she loves a good craft cocktail!
