Welcome to Monte Rio
With a population of around 1,100 residents, Monte Rio is a charming town located in Sonoma County, right along the Russian River and near the Pacific Ocean. While there was plenty of logging in the past, organizations purchased a majority of the Redwood forest to protect the environment. Today, there are lots of trees in the area which keep the area fresh, clean and beautiful to look at.
Lay of the land
Located along the Russian River, not far from the Pacific Ocean, Monte Rio has an enviable location for people who love to relax, get away from it all and enjoy the outdoors. Being near the Sonoma Coast State Park, residents of Monte Rio can be at the ocean and enjoying all it has to offer in a matter of minutes. Speaking of getting places, by hopping on Highway 116, it is possible to get to other small and interesting towns along the way.
While a bit from larger cities, this doesn’t mean that Monte Rio is a mountain town or a town with nothing to do. With near-perfect weather all the time, Monte Rio is a great place to raise a family in a nearly crime-free town with happy and like-minded residents. And, seeing that it has a close proximity to it all, one can choose Monte Rio without fear or trepidation. Whether you want to fish on the river, go kayaking on the ocean or take a hike in the wilderness, Monte Rio has it all.
Transportation
You can’t really function without a car in Monte Rio as bus service is non-existent, but that doesn’t mean you will have to drive far to get anywhere. As mentioned, Highway 116 runs right through the town, and you can be at the ocean in a matter of minutes, and there are small towns on Highway 116 to check out, as well.
Local Highlights
Obviously, when looking at Monte Rio on a map, we can see that it’s right on the Russian River, which means you will always have something fun to check out. At the river, you can fish, hike around, check out the water and even go kayaking. People in the area spend entire days hanging out at the river, and it’s easy to see why. If you are more of an ocean person and you live in Monte Rio, you are in luck as you can head down to the Pacific Ocean.
By hopping on Highway 116 and taking a 20-minute drive, you can reach Sonoma Coast State Park. Here, you can surf, kayak, whale watch or just relax at the beach. If you are into sun and sand or want to get out your medal detector, you won’t find a better place than Sonoma Coast State Park. A slight drive from the park is Jenner, which is a nice little town along the coast that you are sure to enjoy. Either way, if sun and sand are your thing, you can enjoy it to the fullest if you live in Monte Rio as the ocean is not more than 20-minutes away, and it’s a relaxing drive with almost no traffic.
While not a short drive away, at least not short enough to commute to daily, you are not too far from the internationally-known city of San Francisco. By getting on Highway 101 and making the 90-minute drive, you can be in downtown San Francisco and have lots of fun. Again, probably not great for making a daily commute, but it’s easy to take a weekend or overnight trip to this glitzy, exciting city full of amazing restaurants and lots of things to do.
