Santa Rosa, California

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Mar 9

Written By Rachael Dressler - Sonoma and Marin County Realtor

Santa Rosa is the 25th largest city in California and the largest city in California’s wine country. This city, located about 55 miles north of San Francisco, is full of various neighborhoods, micro-climates, and activities.

1. History

Present-day Santa Rosa was once home to a large tribe of Pomo known as the Bitakomtara, who were master basket weavers and jewelry makers. The tribe was nearly wiped out when European settlers arrived along with smallpox.
The next permanent settlers in the area were relatives of General Vallejo, Dona Maria Carillo and her family. Santa Rosa was founded in 1833 and was named after Saint Rose of Lima. Santa Rosa became the third officially incorporated city in Sonoma County in 1868.
The entire town of Santa Rosa was virtually destroyed during the 1906 earthquake. After the earthquake, Santa Rosa was slow to rebuild. The city saw some steady growth after World War II.
Luther Burbank, a famous horticulturist, made his home in Santa Rosa for over 50 years. His goal was to increase the world’s food supply. Through plant-breeding, he developed over 800 new varieties of plants. His life and accomplishments are celebrated every year in Santa Rosa during the Luther Burbank Rose Parade and Festival.

3. Santa Rosa’s Neighborhoods

Northeast Santa Rosa

Northeast Santa Rosa has many historic homes with period charm in the Proctor Terrace or McDonald neighborhoods. Rincon Valley is a large area located east of Brush Creek Road with a variety of homes. This area also has an Oliver’s Market! Burbank Gardens is a sweet little neighborhood located walking distance from downtown Santa Rosa.

Southeast Santa Rosa

Bennett Valley makes up a large section of Southeast Santa Rosa. This neighborhood is full of vineyards and rural homes. This neighborhood backs up to Annadel State Park which is great for fishing and mountain bike riding. Kiwanis Springs is another neighborhood in this area located next to Taylor Mountain Regional Park. These areas can feel rural, but are a short trip to downtown or Montgomery Village, where there are great shops and restaurants.

Northwest Santa Rosa

The Coffey Park neighborhood lies in the northwest section of Santa Rosa. It was greatly affected by the fires in 2017. This area also has some fantastic mobile home parks and developments with mid-sized homes and community play areas.

Southwest Santa Rosa

The Roseland area covers most of the southwest section. Roseland is a dense neighborhood made up of medium to small sized single-family homes and townhomes. Just beyond southwest Santa Rosa lies a vast expanse of rural areas, where you may find a home with some acreage.

4. Restaurants, Shopping, Things to do

Visit the historic Railroad Square, which is easily accessible via the SMART train. This area has a slew of antique stores and fun restaurants. Take a look inside Whistlestop Antiques and then grab some delicious Thai food at Khoom Lanna.

If you have small children, the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County is a great place to visit. It has tons of creative exhibits both inside and outside and is geared for kiddos ten years old and younger. Another great spot for the whole family is Howarth Park. It has miles of hiking trails, tennis courts, a lake with fishing and boating opportunities, numerous picnic areas, giant play structures, as well as a mini-train and carousel. It’s pretty amazing.

Santa Rosa has a lot of fabulous restaurants to try. Perch and Plow serves up truly unique cocktails and dinner with a fabulous view of the historic Courthouse Square. My family’s all-time favorite restaurant is Rosso Pizzeria. The pizza and salads here are so delicious that we make the trek all the way from Petaluma to eat here regularly.