Welcome to Windsor
In Sonoma County, situated above Santa Rosa, Windsor is a town of about 27,000 people. Located on Highway 101 in the Russian River Valley, it’s a modern town with lots of big city amenities, and many people love to call Windsor home as it is centrally-located and boasts great weather most of the year.
Lay of the land
Located at the northern end of wine country, Windsor has only been a town since 1992, and residents, along with town leaders, have a vision for the town. They want the town to grow slowly, which is a great thing if you want to buy a house here as you won’t have to deal with unchecked construction. Just south of the Highway 128/Highway 101 junction, Windsor is well-located for people who love to explore lesser-known and smaller towns in the region.
With a Mediterranean climate, residents can enjoy the outdoors almost all the time. There are short and often rainy winters, but it is usually followed by a long and drawn out summer, with temperatures never getting too high, even in the middle of August. Most residents commute to Santa Rosa for work, but this doesn’t mean that Windsor is just an afterthought as there are plenty of restaurants, bars and wineries in the area to check out.
Transportation
The biggest advantage is that you can hop on Highway 101 and get to Santa Rosa in about 10-minutes, and you can get there by bus in about 20. As mentioned, Highway 101 eventually meets Highway 128, and here you can eventually head to Sacramento or many other smaller towns along the way. In these parts of Sonoma County, Highway 101 is not usually crowded, and you can get around with ease as traffic is only heavy at peak times, and it is nothing compared to cities further south. With easy highway access and public transportation options, Windsor is a great town to commute from.
Local Highlights
If you live in Windsor and don’t check out Shiloh Ranch Regional Park, you are making a big mistake. With 850-acres, this park has plenty of trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. With well-supplied bathrooms and a nice picnic area, this is a family-friendly place. It must be noted, if you are not in great shape, this might not be the place for you. Most people find the trails steep, but they offer great views, and it is certainly a place to go if you want to get in shape or maintain your physique.
If you like the outdoors but you are not down for heavy hiking, you can check out the Foothill Regional Park nearby. While there is great hiking, there are also nice tennis courts, pools and places to have a nice picnic. The place is well-maintained, and there is even a basketball court. If you like to fish or hang out near a lake, you will love Foothill Regional Park as there are three lakes where you can catch Bass and Bluegill. This little gem of a park, and it is little at 211-acres, is a great place to relax on a weekend.
Don’t forget, Windsor is in wine country, and there are plenty of wineries, including high-end and more affordable options. Just down the road is Santa Rosa, home to many wineries, and you can easily get to Sonoma or Napa in a short time. Of course, there are enough family-run places in the area that you will never be bored. Coupled with a lot of great restaurants in and around Windsor, and if you are a lover of food and wine, you will not be disappointed.
