No matter if you're a first time visitor, return visitor, or you've lived here your whole life, there is always something new to discover. Check out the upcoming events!

A little something about Sonoma County

Sonoma County - a prime location for tourists and residences alike - is the birthplace of the California wine industry, growing grapes since the 1800s. Located just 35 miles north of the San Francisco Bay area, Sonoma remains the ideal getaway for those looking to visit the real wine country. But remember, here in Sonoma, it's not just about wine. Also known for its quaint towns, explore any in Sonoma and you'll feel like everyone knows everyone with people exchanging pleasantries as they stroll along the charming streets.

Sonoma Proper offers a historic plaza with over one hundred shops, tasting rooms and restaurants to discover. Miles of beaches along the coast provide the perfect setting to catch some rays, surf the Pacific or check out the area's vast seal colonies. Numerous redwood forest parks offer great places to hike, bike and explore for the outdoors adventure. Then, after a long day, relax in one of the many luxurious spas the county has to offer.

Sonoma is full of places looking to be discovered and shared, so get started by finding your something about Sonoma right here.

A look into the forecast

Sonoma County offers a ‘Mediterranean’ climate where temperature rarely drops below freezing in the winter. The average annual temperature in Sonoma ranges from 36 to 83 degrees. The hills and vineyards become an emerald green after the rainy winter months and before the dry summer season. A coastal fog and warm breeze bring cool evenings during the warm summer months.

On average, the warmest month, and most popular to visit, is July, while the coolest remains December.

The National Weather Service provides weather details for the San Francisco Bay area: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/mtr/

Who lives here anyways?

In 2010 there were 493,285 Sonoma County residents, with Santa Rosa, the county seat, having the largest population of 163,436 people. The nearby San Francisco County is 47 square miles and has a population of over 845,000, compared to Sonoma County’s 1,576 square miles.

So where is Sonoma again?

Located just 35 miles north of the San Francisco Bay area, Sonoma County has a total land area of 1,576 square miles and boasts 76 miles of Pacific coastline on the west. Over 100 miles of the Russian River wind through Sonoma County bringing the valley's vineyards a great natural resource. The mountain ranges include the Sonoma Mountains nestling Sonoma apart from Napa and the Mayacamas. Sonoma County is a great balance of redwood forests, viticulture and orchards mixed with small business and residential communities. There are 13 wine growing appellations spread across the County creating a variety of wine grapes.

Getting here from across the globe

Sonoma Public Resources

Sonoma Library

The Sonoma Library has 13 branches around Sonoma County. All regional library branches have free wireless Internet as well as public computers. Most Sonoma library branches are open 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday - Saturday. To find a library near you, visit www.sonomalibrary.org.

Sonoma Valley Hospital

The Sonoma Valley Hospital is located at 347 Andrieux Street, Sonoma CA 95476. The Sonoma Valley Hospital provides 24-hour, seven days a week critical care emergency room, acute inpatient care, state-of-the-art diagnostic technology and excellent surgical services.
For emergencies, please dial 9-1-1. For more information, visit www.svh.com.

Other Area Hospitals

Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital & Petaluma Valley Hospital: www.stjosephhealth.org

Healdsburg District Hospital: www.nschd.org

Getting Around

• Sonoma County Transit
• Santa Rosa Transit
• Healdsburg and Petaluma provide their own local bus service Healdsburg
• Petaluma
• Golden Gate Transit connects Santa Rosa and points south including San Francisco
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car
• Hertz Car Rental