Soon after pulling into the entrance of Safari West we hopped into a waiting 1952 Dodge Power Wagon Jeep and we were greeted by a young fellow in the driver's seat named Billy. Billy was born and raised in South Africa. His father was a bush pilot and Billy grew up around wild animals all of his life. He would be our driver and guide for the 2.5-hour tour. His background and insights into the animals and their behaviors was invaluable. The … [Read more...]
Hopland, CA
The small scenic town of Hopland (population around 800) is situated about two hours (1 hour 45 minutes on a good day) north of San Francisco along the 101 Freeway or about 45 minutes north of Santa Rosa. Hopland is in Mendocino County and located on the western side of the Russian River. The 101 is a freeway the entire way from San Francisco until several miles south of Hopland where it turns into a 2 lane road. Reminiscent of parts of the 5 … [Read more...]
Hopland, CA – Wine Tasting
Tiny Hopland contains a number of tasting rooms which deliver down to earth experiences for visitors - focusing on wines from Mendocino County. Although there are many wineries in Mendocino County including a number of tasting rooms in Hopland, this area does not have the recognition that perhaps Napa and Sonoma County have obtained over the decades. For the consumer, that is not a bad thing. Mendocino County is producing some stellar wines (the … [Read more...]
Monterey, CA – Historical
Monterey is rich in California heritage - many of these old buildings are well preserved. Most of these historical sites are within a short walk of the downtown area - and about a 15-20 minute walk from Fisherman's Wharf. Many of these sites are related to the government's influence in Monterey. Monterey used to be the capital of Alta California. An excellent history resource regarding Monterey is: www.montereyhistory.org Colton … [Read more...]
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, or as locals call it, "The City", is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. How many cities have a population of just over 750,000 and have the instant name recognition that San Francisco has? What other city can lay claim to have founded the United Nations, introduced the topless dancer, and the hippie movement? How many cities are known world wide for its cultural diversity and cultural acceptance? Where else can you … [Read more...]
San Francisco, CA – Napa Wine Tasting
Ever wanted to visit the Napa Valley and see the most famous wine tasting region in the United States? How about neighboring more low key Sonoma with its small personalized wineries in Dry Creek and the Alexander Valley? Look no further than our concierge services. We have an extremely unique point of view into the Napa Valley from a winery perspective as Dave has personally visited and tasted with more than 1,000 wineries/producers in Napa … [Read more...]
Santa Rosa, CA – Weather
Sonoma County has many many micro climates, not only relating to temperature, but also with precipitation. For example Santa Rosa averages a little over 30 inches of rain a year, but if you travel 10 to 20 miles away, rainfall averages can be much higher. Cazadero, in western Sonoma County one year received 117 inches of rain! Sometimes for several years in a row Cazadero receives well over 50 inches of rain each year. Santa Rosa tends to have … [Read more...]
Santa Rosa, CA – Radio Stations
The following is a list of radio stations originating in Sonoma County area, which can be heard in Santa Rosa. However, most of these stations do originate out of Santa Rosa. We make our best effort to keep this list updated - however radio stations change faster then the wind changes directions at times. With few exceptions, do NOT become attached to your 'favorite' Sonoma County radio station - chances are it will change format fairly … [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 – 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...]