Safari West also provides unique overnight accommodations to allow you to more fully enjoy the safari experience. Tours are small and intimate and are led by experienced safari guides who take you around the vast acreage on a 2-3 hour tour. Located 75 miles north of San Francisco and just a few miles from downtown Santa Rosa in the beautiful hills and valleys of Sonoma County, Safari West is America’s very own African adventure, an experience that transports you across hundreds of acres of rolling savanna and steep, rocky terrain mirroring the untamed lands of Africa.Īnimals that would normally span the entire African continent are found here in one place roaming a natural environment with the freedom to maintain many of their wild instincts and behaviors.įeaturing over 900 animals, including ones that are highly endangered and rarely seen in the wild, Safari West is a world-renowned preserve dedicated to the protection and conservation of some of earth’s most majestic, graceful and exotic creatures. The Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve includes a visitor center, large outdoor amphitheater, self-guided nature trails, and plenty of areas to enjoy a relaxing picnic.Īnother absolute gem in Sonoma County is Safari West, a unique African safari adventure. There are a few trees that are over 2000 years old and tower above 350 feet! The ancient coast redwoods live to be between 5 years old, grow to a diameter of 12-16 feet, and stand from 200-250 tall. Sonoma County boasts its very own forest featuring these tallest living trees on the planet. You don’t have to visit the famous Redwood Forest near Crescent City to appreciate the magnificence of the redwoods. Image courtesy Michael Schweppe, CC licensing Sonoma is a charming town with a wealth of history, historical architecture, great shops and restaurants.įor more information and to plan your trip, visit their website: Sonoma County Now also part of the Sonoma State Historic Park, it features a museum with original historical items, including the original Bear Flag made in the Sonoma Barracks in 1846. It then passed through numerous hands for U.S. Fortunately foot traffic was low that day so they didn’t hold up too many tourists.Ĭonstructed in 1836, the Sonoma Barracks is a two-story, wide-balconied, adobe building that was used to house Mexican soldiers. We spent several minutes in front of the shops indulging their curiosity. Our kids also wanted me to point out another discovery they made in Sonoma: If you have some budding entomologists in your family like we do, Sonoma has its own insect specimens that will rivet their interest. Why was that memorable? Because it was laden with prickly pear fruit and, in demonstrating to them what not to do, mommy was silly enough to pick one and then spent the next hour walking around town picking microscopic pricklies out of her fingers! Our 5 year old son wanted me to include the cool prickly pear bush by the old Spanish mission. Remembering our visit to the Spanish mission in Santa Barbara last year, our 5 year old son immediately asked, “Is this another spinach house?” (Translation: “Spanish house”) Confused adjectives aside, our kids enjoy exploring historical sites with us and it’s always exciting to see them learn and draw connections. Construction began in 1823 and the mission is now part of the Sonoma State Historic Park. It was also the northernmost and last of the missions to be established in Alta California. The historic Mission San Francisco Solano was the only mission built under the Mexican era after Mexico gained its independence from Spain. We enjoyed ditching the car and exploring the plaza by foot, popping in and out of stores, sampling chocolates, cheese and olives. Throughout the plaza are tons of neat historical buildings… A National Historic Landmark, Sonoma’s plaza hosts several community festivals throughout the year, drawing in tourists from all over the world. The plaza features shopping and dining with over 30 restaurants featuring numerous world cuisines. The tourist center of Sonoma is its famous plaza, the largest in California and 8 acres in size. Sonoma is a beautiful and historic town with a rich history. Here are 5 activities we recommend along with our recommendation for a great family-friendly place to stay! Our family took a trip to Sonoma County three weeks ago to enjoy several of its family-friendly activities. But Sonoma County offers a great deal beyond its wine-related activities. In fact it’s the #1 wine country destination in the U.S. And that’s an accurate image because it’s wine country. When most people think of Sonoma County they think of wine.
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