Bennett Valley (named after a resident in the area James Bennett - who lived here in the 1860's) is a mostly residential part of Santa Rosa spread out southeast of downtown with prominent roads in this neighborhood being Bennett Valley Road, Bethards Drive, Tachevah Drive and Yulupa. Located only about a 10 minute drive from downtown Santa Rosa. If there was a 'heart' to this neighborhood it would be where two shopping centers are located across … [Read more...]
Santa Rosa, CA – Shopping
Coddingtown is one of two primary malls in Santa Rosa and is the city's oldest mall. It continues to undergo a number of select remodels over the years with parts of the mall torn down and then rebuilt from the ground up. Originally founded by Hugh Codding in 1962 as an open-air mall it was later enclosed in 1979. The name Codding is a long time prominent family in town - Hugh Codding developed a number of shopping centers in town as well as … [Read more...]
Santa Rosa, CA – Parks
The following are the most popular community, neighborhood or state parks found either within Santa Rosa or among the surrounding area. Nearly all of the ones located outside of the city limits listed below are within a 10-30 minute drive of downtown Santa Rosa (unless otherwise noted). Camping - for information about camping please visit the Sonoma County Parks Website here. Annadel State Park is located east of Santa Rosa off … [Read more...]
Santa Rosa, CA – Asian Markets
The following are various local Asia (Asian) markets or other niche markets in Santa Rosa. Aroon Thai Market is located at 2770 Cleveland Ave in Santa Rosa - about 3/4 of a mile north of the Coddingtown Mall. This market is owned by Vilaiwan - Jackie Bentall, a Thai chef and former owner of Lotus Thai Restaurant in Healdsburg. She is very friendly, is usually here handling the check counter; sometimes her son is here also helping … [Read more...]
Santa Rosa, CA – Specialty Farms
Note: Much of Sonoma County typically is not a good place to grow stone fruits or melons – exception to this are the Crane Melons which need certain micro climates. Any fruit or vegetable that requires a lot of heat will typically not do well in most of Sonoma County – especially West county and near Santa Rosa/Petaluma. Leafy green things you can eat – grow best in the mild growing conditions of this country. Some farms, ranches, and orchards … [Read more...]
Santa Rosa, CA – Farmers Markets
Numerous farmer's markets are located throughout Sonoma County. Unlike in the southern part of the state where year round farmer's markets are the norm, seasonal farmers markets far outnumber the year round ones up here. Seasonal smaller markets tends to have live music while the year round (often larger markets) do not always use music to liven up your shopping experiences. We have visited all of the farmers' markets in Santa Rosa and Sonoma … [Read more...]
Santa Rosa, CA – Annual Events
This is only a partial listing of events. Music, arts, wine and food. Common themes. In addition to the annual events listed below, a number of seasonal events are held in Santa Rosa throughout the year. Looking no further then downtown, the weekly Wednesday night market is held from early June to early September. Vendors fill and pedestrians fills some of the space at Old Railroad Square and part of 4th Street is closed to vehicular traffic. … [Read more...]
Santa Rosa, CA – Hotels
The following list is only a partial one, but it provides a sampling of the wide range of places to stay in Santa Rosa. While some hotels are spread out around town, there are two main concentrations of hotels, the most being along Santa Rosa Avenue and then others along Cleveland/Hopper Ave. Most of the hotels in Santa Rosa are located fairly close to the 101 freeway. America's Best Value Inn & Suites is rated 2 stars and is … [Read more...]
Nepal – Travel Facts
All foreign nationals except citizens of India need visas. Single entry visas are issued for up to 30 days. However, they can be extended for up to 3 months. Trekking permits on the other hand are needed if you plan on hiking in the Himalayas. These permits can be obtained from immigration offices in Katmandu. The time zone is GMT/UTC plus five hours and 45 minutes. Electricity is 220 volts. Weights and measures are in the metric system. The … [Read more...]
Nepal – What to Bring
Besides the medication and medical kit there is quite a bit that the trekker can bring. If you are going to hire a porter, put what you can into your bag and worry less about the weight. If you are going to carry your own pack you must prioritize what is really important to you on backpacking trips, and consider weight as a factor. If you are not planning on backpacking this list will still help you in your packing. Some of these items may be … [Read more...]