Welcome to Sonoma
In the heart of wine country, Sonoma is a beloved and well-known town with around 11,000 residents. In the middle of it all, yet a world away, Sonoma is the place to go if you love to relax and drink wine. Situated about 20-minutes from Highway 101, it’s easy to get to Sonoma, but once you are here, you won’t feel like you are near it all.
Lay of the land
In Sonoma, it’s hard to drive more than a few minutes without seeing vineyards and wineries, and residents, along with visitors, love this. With mild winter year-round and a short and powerful rainy season, you can enjoy Sonoma most of the year. It’s greener than most towns in Northern California, partly due to development. But, this makes it a beauty to look at, and it doesn’t hurt that the main watercourse that runs through town is the Sonoma Creek, along with plenty of flora and fauna that rely on the creek.
The town center is beautiful, and people enjoy the historic town plaza, which is a remnant of the town’s Mexican colonial past. There are restaurants for every price range, and there is plenty of shopping. It’s not too built up, and even though there is a lot of tourism and commercial business, the area still has a charm that is unmatched, and for this reason, it’s the center of California’s famous wine country.
Transportation
Since Sonoma is a well-traveled place, it’s easy to get in and out of the town. Located only about 20-minutes east of Highway 101, you can get in and out of Sonoma with ease, and you can head to Santa Rosa or Petaluma to find larger towns. San Francisco is not a place to commute to, but if you wish to drive to downtown, it only takes about an hour. There are even ample public transportation options, but like with the rest of the region, it’s slower than taking a car.
Local Highlights
Without a doubt, if you think about Sonoma, you will think about wineries. There are so many to choose from, and if you ever get bored, you can head to Napa, which is another famous wine-growing region. If you are not into wine, or maybe you had enough for the day, you can eat your heart out as there are roughly 30 restaurants in the main plaza. You can choose from Mexican, Portuguese, Basque, Italian, Himalayan, French and many other food types. It’s truly paradise for anyone who loves to eat a variety of foods.
If you aren’t into wine, it’s not a big deal as Sonoma is a great place to enjoy the outdoors. With near-perfect weather, you can have fun at the beach or many hiking spots that dot the region. Point Reyes Station is a beloved place where tourists and locals alike love to explore the beach and the water. Here, you can get in the water, whale watch or simply relax on the sand. Mount Tamalpais is not too far, and you can hike, bike and take in the sights from this majestic, yet close, mountain.
Finally, if you like to get out and explore the bigger cities in the region, you are in a perfect spot in Sonoma. While many never want to leave this wine paradise, others want to check out cities. San Francisco, Berkeley and Oakland are all about one-hour away by car, and you can even take a bus to get to these cities. Simply put, whether you want to eat at world-class restaurants, head to amazing wineries or check out the local mountains and foothills, you are in the best place if you are in Sonoma.
