Thanksgiving Family Getaway in Santa Rosa

By Mary Charlebois Freelance Writer

This Thanksgiving, take your family on a getaway to Santa Rosa, California - one of the most family-friendly cities in America.

Santa Rosa is an ideal destination for families of all ages. It offers easy access to various activities, including redwood forests, wineries, breweries, museums, playgrounds, and affordable lodging and dining options.

Santa Rosa is a small city with fewer than two million residents. It serves as the county seat of Sonoma County. The town was founded in 1833. Despite enduring earthquakes, wildfires, and droughts, Santa Rosa has always bounced back stronger and better than before.

Santa Rosa, Charlie Brown’s hometown, is a regional destination for friends and families of all ages, located an hour from the San Francisco Bay Area.

Charles M Schultz Museum

The Charles M Schulz Museum is a must-visit destination, whether you are a fan of the Peanuts comic strip or not. The museum is a vibrant and colorful space filled with art, laughter, inspiration, and knowledge. The permanent and changing exhibits showcase the evolution of Schulz’s cast of characters throughout his career. They are both captivating and informative.

The love for Peanuts is universal, and the museum displays examples of this love worldwide. Schulz’s office/studio, which has been moved from his nearby home to the museum, is just as he left it on his last day of work there, including the discarded paper on his desk.

The Education Room is accessible to everyone. An instructor will guide you in drawing the Peanuts gang.

Don’t miss the theater, where daily documentaries and animated films are shown. The museum ticket includes admission to the theater. You can also enjoy the outdoors in the shady areas for daydreaming, picnicking, and relaxation.

Snoopy’s Home Ice

When you exit the museum, walk towards the east to reach Snoopy’s Home Ice, also known as Redwood Empire Ice Arena.

This arena was created by Charles Schulz and is a toptier venue for figure skating, ice hockey, and ice shows. You can enjoy skating sessions, take lessons, and rent skates all year round. Additionally, the arena is home to local hockey teams who play and practice on Snoopy’s ice.

While at the ice rink, visit Warm Puppy Café for hot chocolate or a light bite. You’ll see the table reserved for Charles Schultz, where he ate lunch every day until his passing.

Children’s Museum of Sonoma County

Head west to find the ‘Fun For Everyone Museum’ from the current location (museum). The Children’s Museum of Sonoma County is an interactive experience encouraging touching and active participation. Visitors are not required to maintain silence, making it a great place to have fun with friends and family.

One of the most remarkable features of the museum is its gardens and playgrounds, which are home to food and ornamental plants. The exhibitions provide an opportunity for everyone to learn about the origin and growth of food.

Armstrong Redwoods

Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve is a breathtaking ancient forest home to the largest and oldest living things on earth. Walking among these towering trees in silence while listening to the sounds of the forest is a peaceful and uplifting experience that can soothe the heart and calm the mind.

If you’re visiting the reserve, be sure to pack a picnic basket, binoculars, and a camera to take in all the beauty. Take some time to sit and forest-bathe, enjoying the refreshing fragrance of the redwoods and the sounds of nature. You can also explore the reserve by hiking along the twenty miles of well-maintained trails, some accessible to all.

Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve is also an excellent place for picnicking, with plenty of picnic tables and restrooms available.

Frances Ford Coppola Winery

“Take your place in the sun” is the warm greeting you’ll receive upon arriving at Francis Ford Coppola Winery. Designed to cater to multiple generations, the winery offers a variety of experiences that make it the perfect place to spend a leisurely day. Enjoy the beautiful weather by renting a cabana and lounging by the pool. Delicious food and beverages are available for purchase, either poolside or inside the restaurant.

Adults can enjoy wine tasting and make purchases. At the same time, movie enthusiasts can feast their eyes on automobiles, costumes, and props from some of Coppola’s films. Additionally, plenty of wine and movie-related merchandise options are available to satisfy any shopaholic.

Luther Burbank Gardens

Luther Burbank, one of Santa Rosa’s beloved citizens, left a remarkable legacy in his hometown. He had a global impact by developing plants that could produce more food for a growing nation and a hungry world.

The Luther Burbank Home and Gardens, situated at the heart of Santa Rosa, allow visitors to freely explore, smell, admire, and photograph the beautiful plants and flowers he developed and bred. It’s astonishing to learn how Burbank contributed to our diets by creating the Burbank Potato, now the world’s most commonly cultivated potato. He also developed numerous fruits, vegetables, and flowers, which you can see in his exquisite gardens. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for the enchanting fairy houses while taking the self-guided tour.

To learn more about Burbank and his work, visit the gift shop to inquire about docent-led tours. You can also find the perfect gift for your gardening enthusiast friend or purchase seeds of Burbank’s creations.

Farmers Market

If you happen to be in Santa Rosa, California, on a Wednesday night, you’ll be in for a treat. The downtown redwood grove hosts a massive market filled with local farmers’ produce, local delicacies, art, crafts, and imported goods.

You can grab a dish or two from any of the vendors and head over to the town square to enjoy the delicious bounty of Sonoma County, including beer and wine made in the region. While you’re there, you can also be entertained by local artists and performers.

Hunt For The Peanuts Gang

In Santa Rosa, there is a surprise waiting for you and your group where you least expect it: a member of the Peanuts gang is eager to take a photo with you. Peanuts on Parade is an initiative that features five-foot-tall fiberglass figures of Peanuts characters. These statues can be found in various locations, such as airports, train stations, parks, shops, and malls. Local artists decorated the figures and sold them to raise funds for art scholarships.

There are about seventy of these camera-ready figures located in Santa Rosa. Try to take as many photos with them as possible, and then use the Peanuts on Parade locator to check them off your list.

Safari West

Safari West, also known as the Sonoma Serengeti, is a wildlife sanctuary outside Santa Rosa. The preserve spans over 400 acres of woodlands and rolling hills in Sonoma County, where 900 animals from 90 species freely roam around.

Safari West is a protected area where many animals are studied and bred. It’s home to many wildlife, including hooved animals like giraffes and antelopes, carnivores like cheetahs, and beautiful birds like flamingos and ibis.

Visitors to Safari West can stay in the luxury glamping safari tents to fully explore the sanctuary. After a day of jeep touring in small groups, guests can return to their glamping en-suite safari tent for rest and relaxation before heading to the dining room for dinner.

Eat and Drink

Santa Rosa offers diverse dining options, from farm-totable cuisine to food trucks, complemented by award-winning wines from local vineyards. Find everything from food trucks to five-star at this EAT page.

Where To Stay

Santa Rosa offers a range of lodging options for families, including affordable hotels, cozy bed and breakfasts, and luxurious resorts with stunning views. Find your family’s perfect Thanksgiving accommodations at this STAY page.

Getting There

The Golden Gate Bridge is located 50 miles south of Santa Rosa. The region’s airport, STS (Charles M Schulz Sonoma County Airport), provides direct service to and from major cities such as Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Orange County, Portland, Phoenix, Reno, San Diego, and Seattle. You can rent a car at the airport, and the train station is just a mile away. Local and regional buses are available right outside the terminal, including airport shuttles to San Francisco and Oakland. The small airport is easy to navigate, with very few crowds, making it an excellent option for group travel.

If you arrive at SFO or OAK, you can take the Sonoma County Airporter to STS. It’s convenient to pick up your rental car without driving through city traffic. These buses are safe and comfortable, with Wi-Fi and luggage storage available.

Why Take The Family To

Santa Rosa For Thanksgiving? Santa Rosa, California, is the perfect Thanksgiving destination for families. With its family-friendly activities, affordable lodging, and dining options, it’s a city you will all be thankful for.

There’s more to learn about Santa Rosa; go to Visit Santa Rosa.