Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Russian River Visitors Center
TOURIST INFORMATION
707-869-4096;
10am-3pm Oct-Apr, to 4pm May-Sep)
At Korbel Cellars.
Santa Rosa
Wine Country's biggest city and the Sonoma County seat, Santa Rosa claims two famous
native sons - a world-renowned cartoonist and a celebrated horticulturalist - whose
legacies include museums and gardens enough to keep you busy for an afternoon. Other-
wise, there ain't much to do, unless you need your car fixed or you're here in July during
the
Sonoma County Fair
(
www.sonomacountyfair.com
), at the fairgrounds on Bennett
Valley Rd. Santa Rosa is mostly known for traffic and suburban sprawl. It generally lacks
charm (except downtown, where redwood trees serve as landscaping and tower over build-
ings), but has reasonably priced accommodations and easy access to Sonoma County and
Valley.
Sights & Activities
The main shopping stretch is 4th St, which abruptly ends at Hwy 101, but re-emerges
across the freeway at historic Railroad Sq. Downtown parking garages (75ยข hour, $8 max)
are cheaper than street parking. East of town, 4th St becomes Hwy 12 into Sonoma Valley.
Luther Burbank Home & Gardens
GARDENS
( 707-524-5445;
www.lutherburbank.org
; cnr Santa Rosa & Sonoma Aves; 8am-dusk)
Pioneering horticulturist Luther Burbank (1849-1926) developed many hybrid plant spe-
cies, including the Shasta daisy, here at his 19th-century, Greek-revival home. The extens-
ive gardens are lovely. The house and adjacent
Carriage Museum
(guided tour adult/child
$7/free; 10am-3:30pm Tue-Sun Apr-Oct)
have displays on Burbank's life and work, you can
take a self-guided cell phone tour for free. Across the street from Burbank's home,
Jul-
liard Park
has a playground.
Charles M Schulz Museum
MUSEUM
