Features of Sonoma County

What can you expect from Sonoma County?

A great place for families:
Sonoma County puts a lot of emphasis on creating an environment that enhances the family, beginning with a commitment to improve the academic scores of their students. The Academic Performance Index (API) Growth report, which measures each school’s academic success, is made annually. Three-quarters of Sonoma County schools improved their API standing over last year, leading to a 20-point gain over 2003-04. In addition, the county as a whole has delivered higher than the state average scores for six continuous years.

Sonoma County is also a safe place to live with a better than average National crime rating. The local law enforcement teams work together with a community-oriented policy and philosophy, which emphasizes community involvement, interaction with schools and taking a proactive approach to addressing neighborhood issues.

The County is also home to many parks, including Annadel State Park (5000 acres), Austin Creek Recreation Area (5000+ acres), Fort Ross Sate Historic Park, Jack London State Park, Lake Sonoma Recreation Area (18,000 acres), Salt Point Park (5500 acres), and the County’s newest park, Tolay Lake Ranch. It’s all here in Sonoma County along with many more enjoyable recreation sites—from undeveloped wilderness to fancy city parks—waiting for you to explore!

Economic opportunities abound:
Sonoma County has one of the most diverse economies in the U.S. The agriculture industry is substantial (our vineyards account for some 3 billion dollars each year alone) and a healthy tourist industry contributes another 1 billion to the local economy. Sonoma County is also home to many electronics, communications and other technology-driven companies that contribute to the health and success of the local economy.

Premier Wine & Dining Region:
Did you know that Sonoma County has well over 170 wineries? The county has more planted acreage in premium grapes than any other county in the country, even more than our world-renowned neighbor next door, Napa Valley. All varietals grow in the County’s wide ranging terrains in regions that include Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Alexander Valley, Sonoma Valley, Valley of the Moon and the Carneros Valley (shared with Napa).
In Sonoma County you will find dining in any style, upscale or casual. Fresh fruits and vegetables grown locally are featured on many of the menus and the cuisines are as diverse as the County itself. You will find amazing seafood and steakhouses, all-organic fare to the simple variety of many fast food restaurants.

In the North County you can spend a leisurely day walking and shopping the streets of Healdsburg and stop in at Willi’s Seafood bar for some tapas, where you can enjoy a lovely outside table or indoor dining. West County is home to a friendly and elegant neighborhood restaurant, GTO, known for its New Orleans-style flair. If you want a trendy experience, go to Central County and try Latitude’s in Rohnert Park and enjoy the very cool waterfall in the bar. The Sonoma Coast is always a great place to slow down your pace, so take a drive over to Bodega Bay and have some fish and chips at Lucas Wharf where you can ask for a bay view. And once you’ve completed your wine tour of Sonoma Valley, try dining at an eclectic, French inspired eatery, Girl in the Fig in downtown Sonoma.
Incredible Climate:

Sonoma County has so many microclimates that it’s hard to describe them all. Days out at Bodega Bay are often fogged in with temperatures warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Petaluma, Rohnert Park and Sebastopol get the costal influence and the days reflect this weather pattern. The Northern valleys are surrounded by large mountains that protect this region from the cold in the winter and heat of the summer. The county typically has two seasons, one wet and one dry. Rain fall ranges from 70 inches to 25 inches in the drier valleys. It rarely rains here between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Location, Location, Location:
The hub of Sonoma County is the friendly city of Sebastopol that is located just about one hour north of San Francisco where state designated scenic highways Gravenstein Highway 116 and Luther Burbank Memorial Highway 12 cross. The town is 10 minutes from Highway 101, the main transportation corridor through the North Bay. Sebastopol is two hours west of the State Capitol of Sacramento, 10 minutes west of Santa Rosa and 20 minutes from Sonoma County's Charles Schulz Airport. The Pacific coast is a leisurely and scenic 20 minute drive away and beautiful farm land and vineyards surround this unique city.

Here’s a partial list of some of the other beautiful cities in the county, ranging from bustling cities to small towns to sleepy coastal villages:

The Arts:
The Arts Council of Sonoma County is passionate about the arts. Their mission statement is “Promoting the Power of Art” and they accomplish this goal by partnering with the artistic community to provide information, program, services, funding and assistance to artists and art lovers alike. A great example of the partnerships they forge is ARTrails, an event they have hosted for the past twenty years. It’s a two weekend event where you have an opportunity to tour the country sides, meet over 140 artists personally and view and purchase their creations. I have the good fortune of working and living in this gorgeous, world-class wine region and look forward to the opportunity of bringing this region to life for you.

Please contact me by phone at: (707) 696-7325

Or email me at: timothy@timothyhedges.com

Sincerely,

Timothy Hedges
Confidence. Trust. Results