Santa Rosa is more interesting than charming. The town hasn't gone too out of its way to make concessions for tourists (despite noble marketing attempts to clinch visitors) so it has a grittier, more industrial feel than, say, Healdsburg to the north or Glen Ellen to the south. But though it's without the sheltered feel inherent to most other wine country towns, there are still reasons to visit. Foremost among them is the Luther Burbank home (see below). Railroad Square has antique and vintage stores galore, and the fact that the entire town is hopelessly smitten with Charles Schulz is particularly endearing; statues of his "Peanuts" characters are everywhere you look. Besides, it's Sonoma's county seat.
Tip: Park in the Santa Rosa Plaza mall lot for free; most other local parking is metered, and since the mall serves as the city's 4th Street thoroughfare, you'll be close to everything on this walking tour.
Start: Railroad Square, 4th & Davis sts.
Time: 3-4 hours
1. Railroad Square
This district commemorates the time in Santa Rosa's history when it served as a major depot for the Northwestern Pacific Railroad. This once-thriving early-1900s commercial center got all but obliterated by the Great Depression and the encroachment of auto transport. But a revitalization effort is well underway; with it comes the transformation of old warehouses, agency buildings and hotels into antique shops, galleries and restaurants. Bordered by 6th, Davis, 3rd and Wilson sts. tel. 707/578-8478. www.railroadsquare.net.
2. Whistlestop Antiques
A massive, pleasantly messy antique bonanza. Nowhere is the old adage truer: one man's junk is another's treasure. Sift through 36 dealers' merchandise and find your personal nugget of gold. 130 4th St. tel. 707/542-9474. Mon-Sat 10am-5:30pm, Sun 11am-5pm.
3. Flying Goat Coffee
Stop in at this chic little café for exotic blends or spicy Aztec hot chocolate 10 4th St. tel. 707/575-1202. $, or opt for:
4. A'Roma Roasters
This is a dark, community-oriented coffeehouse selling fair-trade, organic, sustainably farmed java. 95 5th St. tel. 707/576-7765. $.
5. Santa Rosa Convention & Visitors Bureau & California Welcome Center
A few steps away from either coffee shop is the CVB, housed in a restored 1905 train depot that was a filming location for Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt. The CVB is an excellent resource for local maps, tourist advice and just plain friendliness. If you have time for more than just this walking tour, ask for the free pamphlets outlining the Cherry Street or the St. Rose walking tour. 9 4th St. tel. 800/404-ROSE. www.visitsantarosa.com. Daily 9am- 5pm.
6. Mi Arte Es Su Arte
This store (Spanish for "My art is your art") is a fascinating gallery with Latin American masks, paintings, jewelry and home décor items, all acquired in accordance with fair-trade policies. 109 4th St. tel. 707/542-4566. www.mi-arte-es-su-arte.com. Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 11am-4pm.
7. Gado Gado International
Visiting this emporium is like stepping into an exotic wonderland. Its furnishings, textiles and folk art from southeast Asia and western Africa are apt to inspire you to visit your travel agent again as soon as you get back home. 129 4th St. tel. 707/525-8244. www.gadogadointernational.com. Daily 11am-6pm.
Exit Railroad Square by going through the shopping mall, which ejects you in downtown proper. Make a left on Mendocino Ave. and walk through:
8. Old Courthouse Square
This square is a community gathering place with stately redwoods, psychedelically painted benches and the:
9. Empire Building
Built in 1906 and topped with a Neoclassical clock tower and weathervane. A common sight in the square is local rogues playing hacky sack beside the whale-and-dolphin sculpted fountain. 4th St. and Mendocino Ave.
Keep walking down Mendocino Ave., which becomes Santa Rosa Ave. and you'll pass the:
10. Roxy Stadium 14
This movie theater (85 Santa Rosa Ave. tel. 707/522-0330) to your right, and to your left, 1970s-style:
11. City Hall (90 Santa Rosa Ave. tel. 707/543-3085). Cross the channelized:
12. Santa Rosa Creek
This creek is a 22-mile-long Russian River tributary.
13. Luther Burbank Home & Gardens
Cross the street to get to this inspiring estate, starkly white against its urban background. Massachusetts-born Burbank, the famous botanist and horticulturalist, lived and worked here until he died in 1926. He moved into the Greek Revival-style house in 1884 and, over his career, developed more than 800 plant types including the nectarine, the plumcot, the Shasta daisy and the Burbank potato, a variety of which you eat every time you order McDonald's fries. Here, explanatory signs along brick pathways help visitors understand the breadth of Burbank's Darwin-inspired crossbreeding experiments. View his 1889 greenhouse, tri-point Memorial Garden and, if you've come at the right time (see below), his private residence. The Carriage House Museum houses exhibits demonstrating how Burbank's work continues to be relevant, and a gift shop selling seeds, books and plant-related art. Santa Rosa Ave. at Sonoma Ave. tel. 707/524-5445. www.lutherburbank.org. Free self-guided garden tours daily 8am-7pm Apr-Oct, 8am-5pm Nov-Mar. Public tours Tues-Sun 10am-3:30pm (Apr-Oct). $4, seniors 65+ and teens 12-18 $3, kids 11 and under free. Audio tours ($3) Tues-Sun 10am-3pm (Apr-Oct). Carriage House Museum & gift shop Tues-Sun 10am-4pm (Apr-Oct).
14. Charles M. Schulz Museum
Charles "Sparky" Schulz is part of Santa Rosa's heart and soul. Though not a native son (he was born and raised in Minneapolis), the fact that he chose Santa Rosa as his home is a source of much civic pride and gratefulness; Charlie Brown is practically the town's logo. In his honor, town residents opened this museum in 2002, less than 2 years after he died. An introductory video, narrated by Schulz's wife Jean, reveals the local rituals that were a part of the cartoonist's daily life, including his involvement with the Redwood Empire Ice Arena adjacent to the museum. Rotating exhibits complement permanent ones, which include a faithful recreation of Schulz's studio (with his original drawing board, books and photos), the "Morphing Snoopy Sculpture," an immense artwork portraying Snoopy's many personas, and an mural that, at first glance, looks like that ubiquitous image of Lucy holding the football for Charlie Brown. Look closer, however, and you'll see that the image is actually made of 3,588 comic images printed on small ceramic tiles. There's also a 2,400-square-foot gift shop in which you can buy just about any "Peanuts"-themed product you can think up. Outside, a Snoopy-shaped contemplative labyrinth adds dimension. 2301 Hardies Ln. tel. 707/579-4452. www.schulzmuseum.org. Sept 25-May 28: Mon, Wed-Fri 12pm-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm. May 29-Sept 24: Daily 11am-5pm (Sat-Sun opens at 10am). $8, seniors & kids $5.