While Hotel Availability is Limited Following the Recent Wildfires, Santa Rosa’s Restaurants, Wineries, Tasting Rooms and Shops Are Welcoming Visitors Back to the Town
SANTA ROSA, Calif. (October 25, 2017) – The widely-covered wildfires that affected some neighborhoods and businesses in Santa Rosa left 90 percent of the town untouched and awaiting the return of visitors, which support a local tourism economy that employs one in 10 residents. While hotel inventory is down due to the loss of two hotels, as well as hotels housing evacuees and first responders, our restaurants, wineries, breweries, shops, galleries and tour operators are open for business.
“Now is when we need our drive-market visitors more than ever,” says Brad Calkins, executive director of Visit Santa Rosa. “Tourism employs 10 percent of our workforce here in Santa Rosa and this is typically our busy season. Visitors are vital to sustaining the large majority of businesses that were undamaged and supporting jobs that will help our community fully recover.”
People considering a visit to Santa Rosa will have plenty to enjoy. The restaurants, tasting rooms and shops in both the Historic Railroad Square and walkable downtown Courthouse Square were untouched by fire. For beer lovers, Russian River Brewing Co., Third Street Aleworks, Cooperage Brewing Company, Plow Brewing Company, and the new Beer Baron are busy serving local brews. Hundreds of Sonoma County wineries are open, including Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate and Balletto Vineyards; and on October 21, Paradise Ridge Winery, which lost several buildings on their winery estate, reopened their Kenwood tasting room.
“We’re definitely open for business and need visitors now, but it’s not quite business as usual. We ask that people coming to Santa Rosa bring kindness and a sensitivity about what we’ve just experienced,” said Calkins.
Area attractions, such as the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Safari West wild animal park, were undamaged and will reopen in the coming weeks. Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa’s premier live entertainment venue, was damaged but not destroyed; President and CEO Rick Nowlin assured fans on Facebook that he will keep the public apprised of their projected reopening date.
About Visit Santa Rosa
Located 55 miles north of San Francisco, Santa Rosa, California is the happening hub for all there is to see, do, eat, drink, hike, bike and explore in Sonoma County. Santa Rosa is the biggest city in Sonoma Wine Country, but the vibe is as welcoming as a small town. Central to Sonoma County’s 400+ wineries, Santa Rosa is also just 30 minutes from the stunning coast and even closer to California’s majestic redwood trees. Home to an impressive array of world-class restaurants and breweries, some of the best bicycling routes in the U.S., the Charles M. Schulz Museum, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts – and so much more – Santa Rosa has a little something for everyone.
Visit Santa Rosa is a partnership with the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber, providing assistance to visitors and groups seeking information about lodging, dining and entertainment opportunities in Santa Rosa. It also operates an Official California Welcome Center and helps to bring major events to Santa Rosa, such as the Amgen Tour of California. For more information, call (800) 404-7673 or (707) 577-8674 or visitsantarosa.com.
