Things to Do in Napa Valley and Sonoma County

Home and Gardens
M. Schultz Museum
Napa Valley Wineries
Petrified Forest
Pacific Coast
Fox Tail Golf Club
Business Park

California’s Sonoma County is a spectacular area of the state that offers visitors a mild climate combined with a beautiful natural landscape and a wide range of fun things to do at local wineries, attractions, restaurants and nightlife all year long. When you visit Sonoma County and the Napa Valley area and stay at the Rodeway Inn Winecountry, you’ll find a variety of fun things to do just a few minutes away from our reasonably priced Motel. Enjoy our comfortable, budget accommodations and take advantage of the exciting indoor and outdoor activities, family and kid friendly attractions, shopping, wine tasting, and delicious California cuisine you’ll find in the area.

Luther Burbank Home and Gardens. Home to famed horticulturist, Luther Burbank, this lovingly preserved home and garden in Santa Rosa is where Burbank lived and conducted experiments and observations in plant breeding for more than 50 years. The one-acre park offers free self-guided tours of Burbank’s home, gardens, greenhouse, and grave daily from 8am-dusk. Drop-in guided tours are available Tues-Sun from 10-3:30pm for a small charge. www.lutherburbank.org

City of Rohnert Park. Originally the home of the Coastal Miwok Indians, Rohnert Park was settled in the late 1800s and named after Waldo Emerson Rohnert, owner of the local seed farm. In 1957, the Highway 101 freeway was built, increasing the city’s size from just four residents to more than 2,700. Today, Rohnert Park offers a variety of parks, attractions and shopping to delight visitors of all ages. www.rpcity.org

Century 25 Theaters. Enjoy Hollywood’s latest releases at this theatre that features top films and all stadium seating in its 16 air conditioned theatres. Call (707) 586-0555 for the latest movie listings and show times. [Top]

Charles M. Schultz Museum. The Charles M. Schulz Museum highlights the art of the famous and well-loved cartoonist through a variety of art exhibits, murals, personal artifacts, and a Snoopy-themed labyrinth. Open Mon-Fri (except Tues in winter) 11am-5pm; Sat-Sun 10am-5pm. admission ranges from $5-$8. www.schulzmuseum.org

Safari West Wildlife Preserve. Home to more than 400 animals like zebras, giraffes and tigers, Safari West offers exotic safari tours through African style savannahs and overnight excursions in authentic canvas safari tents in this free-range animal park. Tours run daily at 9am, 1pm and 4pm (Mar. 10 - Nov. 2), 10am and 2pm (Nov. 3 - Mar. 9). www.safariwest.com

Sonoma Valley Wineries. With more than 190 wineries in the area, Sonoma County is known worldwide for its quality wines. The area boasts more than 58,000 acres of vineyards growing a wide range of varietals from Cabernet Sauvignon to Pinot Noir. www.sonoma.com [Top]

Napa Valley Wineries. Napa Valley is California’s most famous wine region, with more than 340 wineries growing varieties like Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Merlot among others. Napa offers a wide variety of tasting opportunities from large winery tasting rooms to samples at local wine shops. www.napavalley.com

Petaluma Adobe. One of the oldest preserved buildings in Northern California, the Petaluma Adobe and Rancho was the largest privately owned Mexican estate north of San Francisco, covering more than 60,000 acres. Originally home to General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, the adobe and grounds have been restored for visitors to enjoy. www.parks.sonoma.net/adobe.html

Mission San Francisco Solano. Founded in July 1823, Mission San Francisco Solano is named for St. Francis Solano, a missionary to the Peruvian Indians known as the "Wonder Worker of the New World." Today, the Mission is part of Sonoma State Historic Park and houses a small museum. http://www.missionsofcalifornia.org/missions/index.html [Top]

Petrified Forest. Discovered in 1870, visitors can take a 20-minute walk through an ancient forest of giant redwood trees that were blown down and turned to stone by a massive volcanic eruption. Peruse the museum for insight into the process of petrification and visit the gift shop to purchase crystals, petrified wood and a variety of books.

Crane Creek Regional Park. This 128-acre park offers a variety of hiking, horseback riding and biking trails through alder, oak and maple trees and other natural surroundings.

Bodega Bay. Perhaps best known as the setting for Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller, “The Birds,” Bodega Bay is a quiet coastal town of 100 residents that offers a café, excellent bird watching, a beautiful coastline, and stunning views of the Pacific. [Top]

Pacific Coast. Sonoma County stretches along the Pacific coast for about 76 miles and offers visitors stunning views and exciting drives along coastal Highway 1, where visitors can enjoy lunch in Bodega Bay and views of the mouth of the Russian River, the Gualala River and the Pacific Ocean.

Russian River. Named for Russian fur trappers who explored the area in the 1800s, Russian River flows 100 miles from Mendocino to its terminus at the Pacific Ocean. The Russian River area is known for the wide range of wineries located along its shores and is a popular spring and summer tourist destination for swimming, boating and fishing.

Sonoma State University. Opened in 1961, Sonoma State University is one of the smallest and most popular universities in California. Sonoma State is a business and liberal arts college that offers over 65 undergraduate and graduate degree programs at its campus in Rohnert Park. www.sonoma.edu [Top]

Fox Tail Golf Club. Fox Tail Golf Club offers 18 holes of challenging golf for players of every skill level. Designed by Bob E. Baldock, Foxtail opened in 1963 and works to maintain a quality golf course while using environmentally friendly maintenance practices that help preserve a healthy environment and wildlife population. www.playfoxtail.com

Sonoma Country Golf Park. Designed by Fred Bliss, the Sonoma Country Golf Park offers two 9-hole courses on sweeping bent grass greens. The park also offers a large BBQ patio, a pro-shop, and a clubhouse featuring food and drinks, a big screen TV and pool tables. www.scgolfpark.com

Scandia Family Fun Center. The whole family will enjoy big fun at this center that offers two, 18-hole miniature golf courses, an arcade with games for all ages, bumper boats, batting cages with computer pitching machines, and an exciting go-cart raceway. Open Sun-Thu 10am-9pm; Fri-Sat 10am-11pm. www.scandiafunland.com [Top]

Foundry Warf Business Park, Petaluma. Foundry Wharf is a three-acre business park that incorporates historic buildings with new construction along the river front in Petaluma. Offering beautiful grounds and water views, a convenient water taxi, a yacht club, and a coffee house, the Foundry Wharf is a popular location for local businesses. www.foundrywharf.com

Stemken Business Park, Santa Rosa. Stemken Business Park is a business park in Santa Rosa that is home to a variety of local companies, from contractors to lighting manufacturers in a variety of spaces starting from 1,000 square feet in size. www.stemkenpark.com [Top]