For the best in California’s wine bounty, most make a beeline for the Napa and Sonoma valleys. But what many miss on the way is the little city smack dab between San Francisco and the famed wine regions — Santa Rosa. Often overlooked, here’s why Santa Rosa is wine country’s best-kept secret. Whether you’re headed north, south, east, or west, Santa Rosa — about an hour north of San Francisco — sits pretty much in the center of it all. From Santa Rosa, it’s 35 minutes north to the sophistication of Calistoga in the northern stretch of the Napa Valley, or just 20 minutes north to ever-hip Healdsburg in northern Sonoma County. Drive 40 minutes southeast to bustling downtown Sonoma, and stop in the quaint wine towns of Kenwood or Glen Ellen along the way. Fifteen minutes west of Santa Rosa is charming Sebastopol, and 30 minutes farther you’ll hit coastal Bodega Bay. SFO isn’t the only option for flights into wine country. The Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport (STS) offers nonstop flights on Alaska Airlines and Allegiant Air.

Plus, statues of Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang meet you when you arrive. The airport offers direct flights on Alaska from Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego, and from Las Vegas and Phoenix-Mesa on Allegiant Air. There’s a reason the airport’s slogan is “For less stress, fly STS!” The average hotel rate is under $200, compared with $300+ in neighboring wine-country towns. So stay for a bit, and explore the region. Some favorite hotels include family-friendly Flamingo Conference Resort and Spa with its standout pool, the historic Hotel La Rose, the modern wood and stone Fountaingrove Inn and the high-end, full service Hyatt Vineyard Creek. You’ll find the best deals by traveling during the week. Many hotels offer complimentary tasting passes at local wineries. There’s more than just wine to sip here: Santa Rosa is a beer city in the heart of wine country. The San Francisco Chronicle says “a boomlet in new taprooms, brew pubs and bottle shops is making Sonoma County a world-class destination for great suds.”

Notable Santa Rosa breweries include Russian River Brewing (the birthplace of cultish Pliny the Elder), newest kid on the block Plow Brewing, Cooperage Brewing Co. with its ever-changing menu and Bear Republic in downtown Healdsburg which is celebrating 20 years. Though quaint with a small-town feel, Santa Rosa is larger and more expansive than other cities and towns in wine country, so there’s more to keep the kids entertained.the best wine with chicken Let’s start with Snoopy. 2009 best wine listThe Charles M. Schulz Museum is an ode to the Charlie Brown and Snoopy creator who called Santa Rosa home. wine gift sets free shippingYou’ll find 70+ Peanuts statues hanging out in Santa Rosa. How many can you find? You can also take a spin on Snoopy’s Home Ice skating arena and have a hot chocolate afterward at the adorable Warm Puppy Cafe.

Safari West is an African-wildlife preserve in the middle of wine country, complete with giraffes, zebras, cheetahs and even a Cape buffalo. Pet bunnies, taste cheese and see demonstrations on a self-guided tour to visit one of the 100 agricultural members of the Farm Trail. Howarth Park is three miles from downtown Santa Rosa, offers playground structures, miles of hiking trails, and an amusement area featuring a miniature train ride, carousel, animal farms and pony rides. Folks travel from all over the world to see Northern California’s thousand-year-old towering trees. A crown jewel of the area (besides what you pour in your glass) is Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. Thirty minutes west of Santa Rosa, this 800-acre park preserves coastal redwoods — the tallest living things on the planet. These trees grow to a diameter of 16 feet and stand 250 feet tall; some even survive to over 2,000 years old and tower above 350 feet. For a different perspective, Sonoma Canopy Tours offers zip-lining through the redwood forests a bit closer to Santa Rosa.

We saved the best for last. Sure, you can drive up and down the Napa and Sonoma valleys for the best in wine country’s liquid bounty — but you don’t have to. The glass is already more than half full in Santa Rosa (who knew?!), with many up-and-coming and award-winning wineries. Explore the historic and growing population of vineyards and wineries in the area. Favorite Santa Rosa wineries include: Don’t miss the Wine & Food Affair on Nov. 5-6 — the best way to taste around the area. The weekend features wine and food pairings in the Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River valleys.May I choose the wineries I wish to visit? Yes, our goal is to customize a tour to your personal choices. Together Wine Country Chauffeur and you will choreograph a tour with your personal winery choices. May I arrange a tour which fits my wine interests to a certain varietal or theme such as Zinfandel or wineries with art displayed? Yes, it is our intention to provide a tour which meets your tastes, and we will make every effort to match your varietal, special interest, and location choices with available winery locations.

It is our experience that a six hour day of wine touring and tasting go by much too quickly for our clients. Therefore we do not typically schedule stops at restaurants for lengthy sit down luncheon. We are happy to provide you with choices of local quality delicatessens for your lunch to expedite your nutrition requirements, and then get you to the next winery. I would like to learn more about how grapes become wines. Is it possible to actually talk to a wine maker, and have a wine production and barrel room tour? Yes with sufficient notice we can deliver you to a winery which will give a tour focused on wine making information. Please Note: these types of tours and tastings require more than the usual 45 minute stop, therefore lowering the number of wineries visited. Will my tour include small family owned wineries in additional to well known national brand wineries? Each tour is planned around our client's wishes and we can make itineraries which include only family or national brands or both.