Sonoma County Fact Sheet

Wine, Spa and Coastal Destination

Visitors: Seven million visitors in 2007; 84% leisure travelers. Over $1 billion spent in Sonoma County by visitors each year ($2.78 million a day)

Location: Part of the San Francisco Bay Area, in Northern California's celebrated wine country, less than 30 miles north of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge; bordered by Marin, Napa, Lake and Mendocino Counties and the Pacific Ocean and the San Pablo Bay.

Size: 1,575 square miles (comparable to the size of Rhode Island.)
Over 80 miles of coastline along the Pacific Ocean and the San Pablo Bay.
Three Rivers - The Russian, Petaluma and Gualala.

Population: 466,477 (2005 census)

Air Service: Horizon Air to and from Los Angeles and Seattle at the Santa Rosa
Charles M. Schulz Airport. www.flywinecountry.com
Less than a two-hour drive from three international airports: San Francisco, Oakland and Sacramento. Served by shuttles from San Francisco and Oakland.

Climate: Mild, Mediterranean climate year-round. The summer months have warm days and cool nights, ideal for producing some of the world's finest grapes and wines.
• Average high /low in July is 82 F (28 C) / 52 F (12 C)
• Average high/low in January is 50 F (14 C) / 40 F (4 C)

Lodging: Over 8,363 rooms and 2,769 recreational spaces available for overnight guests.
Full service: 2,478
Limited service: 3,844
Bed & breakfast rooms: 546
Vacation rentals: 1,495
Campground and RV spaces: 2,769 
 

 Spas: 40 spas - natural thermal springs and the only Japanese-style cedar enzyme bath in the United States.

 Dining: 500+ restaurants featuring cuisine from every region of the world, and ranging from casual to 5-star. Chefs of wine country cuisine use freshly-harvested, locally-grown produce.

Regions: Coasts & Sea Villages (Annapolis, Bodega, Bodega Bay, Fort Ross, Gualala, Jenner, Stewarts Point, The Sea Ranch, Timber Cove)

Famous sea villages hug the wild Pacific Coast and offer remarkable views, whale watching, fresh seafood and seaside wine tasting.

Rivers & Redwoods (Cazadero, Duncans Mills, Guerneville, Monte Rio, Rio Nido, Russian River Valley)
Defined by the slow, meandering Russian River and majestic redwood trees, the area is full of history, outdoor activities, local color, and unique festivals.

Valleys & Vineyards - West, Central and East (Graton, Forestville, Freestone, Occidental, Sebastopol, Valley Ford; Asti, Cloverdale, Cotati, Fulton, Geyserville, Healdsburg, Penngrove, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Windsor; Boyes Hot Springs, Glen Ellen, Kenwood, Schellville, Sonoma)

Sonoma Country's vineyard-lined valleys offer a wide expanse of wineries, spas, restaurants, museums, galleries - all with easy access to the area's towns and villages.

Wineries: Over 250 wineries, most open for tours and tasting without appointment. Sonoma Country wineries are famous for their excellent wines and relaxed, welcoming ambiance. Also, many tasting rooms are free or apply nominal tasting costs to the purchase of wine.

Other Activities
• 18 golf courses open to the public
• Bike tours
• 120 small farms open to the public; 12 Farmers' Markets
• Culinary schools and classes.
• Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve
• Infineon Raceway with NASCAR, IndyCar, motorcycle and drag racing
• Safari West Wildlife Preserve
• River Rock Casino in Alexander Valley
• The Pacific Coast Air Museum
• Wells Fargo Center for the Arts
• Charles M. Schulz Museum of PEANUTS characters
• 27 California State Historical Landmarks
• 11 California State Parks; 35 regional parks; 20 coastal beaches
• The Russian River; Lake Sonoma