A park with turtles? Really?!…read more I was walking at a nearby park and remembered this neighborhood park has turtles. When we drove over, we noticed friendly ducks relaxing on the grass, kids playing on the playground, and lots of turtles sticking their heads up to catch a breath. The water in the pond does look very murky so not sure if it gets cleaned. The pond has a fence around it that is about 3 1/2 feet tall so kids can't accidentally walk into the water. It's a fun park with a partially fenced area for little kids and an adjoining area for bigger kids. There is lots of grass, a gazebo, picnic tables, benches, bocce ball court, short rock climbing wall and even a neat zipline. Our friends held a birthday party here last year and the kids had a blast.

First time this past weekend, my kids loved it. It was booming and had so much to do!read more

Embrace the redwoods, lakes, the river, and shaded paths all within one park…read more Hands down my favorite regional park in Sonoma County. Come here to escape the chaos of the city. Where the water and trees welcome you with serenity. Come walk the dog, ride your horse, bring your kayak, bring your fishing pole, bring a blanket, have a BBQ in the group picnic area and more. A safe place for children but please always watch them around any body of water. Just on the outskirts of Santa Rosa, Riverfront welcomes you with all of its glory. The trails around the lake a extra wide and flat. Easy for a wheelchair to go round. This is one of my regular spots to escape and intake the beauty of nature. I highly recommend just buying a parking pass to support the parks. If you visit a regional park once a month, it pays for itself.

Treat yourself to an easy 2-mile walk along the lake formed by former quarry. Relatively level,…read moreunless you take one of the detour trails near the entrance. A few benches along the route enable a rest if you're out of shape offer nice views of the lake. Dogs on leash OK -- just pick up after your pet (I only wish equestrians on the trail had the same courtesy, so watch your step!). There's also a picnic area at the trail head, and bathrooms are nearby. There is a day fee for parking, but if you're a local, pick up an annual pass -- it will pay for itself in a few visits.

Local regional park with baseball, volleyball, par course, four tennis courts (no pickleball…read moreallowed), soccer fields, kids play structure, dog park and hiking trails. We came birding here recently and saw a hawk and woodpecker perched up in a tree. They also had sheep and goat grazing in a temporary fenced-off area to keep the dry grass down. I love this eco-friendly method of managing vegetation. There were about a dozen dogs happily playing in the dog park when I was there. It was fun to watch how they interact with each other. There were a few growls but responsible dog parents were there to quickly call their dogs back. There are several picnic tables sprinkled throughout the park. You can reserve areas for special events. I have attended a wedding and a friend hosted a retirement party here. The Gravenstein Apple Fair has been held at this location for many decades as well. There are a few parking lots to choose from. You can park inside the park for free if you are a Sonoma County Regional Park member. Annual pass is currently $69. Seniors get a discounted rate.

We came out here for a day trip and we had a very nice time…read more Parking: 4/5 There is several places to park throughout the park and in different areas depending on what you are there to do. However, on a busy day some of the areas such as the playground parking can get crowded. Keep in mind there there is also a $7 fee for entry. (Pretty standard for regional parks like this though.) Trails: 4/5 We enjoyed the trails very much. There is a lot of space to explore and all the trails circle back to the parking areas. There were several spots that were very muddy, but we were able to pass most of them and keep our shoes fairly clean by walking on the side of the trail. However, there was one section of one trail that was too bad that we had to turn around. Aside from that, it was very nice everywhere else. Playground 5/5 They had a large playground and a toddler playground. Our kids (13 and 9) loved the large playground. They also had many picnic benches here and throughout the park to enjoy. We also loved that most of them were shaded. Amenities 5/5 There were many other things at this park such as sport fields, dog parks, a nice little zen type garden and park bathrooms. If you are looking for a nice place to picnic and spend some quality time outdoors, this park is a great place to come explore and enjoy for a few hours!

Great playground but no bathrooms. Two play areas one for younger and one for older kids.read more

Such a lovely upgrade! Great park! Only downfall I can think of is there's no restroom.read more

I had never heard of this grove of redwoods even when I was growing up in the area. It is located…read morea couple miles west of the town of Occidental. We were afraid we would lose cell service but luckily it worked the entire way so we were guided by Waze. The road is quite narrow and windy so best to take it slow in case you run across other cars or bicyclists. There are residences along this road too so another reason to take a slow pace. The parking lot is small but we fortunately got a spot as we waited for the other members of our party to arrive. It had been raining all weekend so perhaps there were not as many visitors as normal. We noticed several friendly dogs on leash as we walked along the well-kept trails. The redwoods are truly majestic and there are many picture perfect spots along the path. We took some beautiful photos of the redwoods with fern in the foreground. It's a nice and easy trail and a peaceful spot to have a picnic. I think they must have controlled burns here because in certain areas, there were redwoods that had blackened trunks. Some of these trees are over 1,000 years old. Take Coleman Valley Road to Fitzpatrick Lane. There is a small parking lot and I've read not to park on the side of the road if the parking lot is full as they do give out tickets.

We came across this beautiful find through a friend's recommendation. This past weekend we happen…read moreto be staying in Occidental. So we picked up lunch , at Howard's Inn, and took the short 10 minute drive to this lovely Grove. The road to Grove the scenic and beautiful but ...the parking is minimal -- so make sure you get there early and bring a picnic lunch, beautiful views and moments for lovely photos. A perk we always look into are dog friendly adventures ...and the Grove was a welcomed destination for the entire family. ‍‍‍ If you're looking for a dog friendly day, the Grove is definitely a must stop. We will be back.

This venue is such a hidden gem! What a fabulous place to have a day time wedding, I have never had…read morea better time photographing a wedding than being at Griffith Woods! It was so serene, lots of photographic areas for portraits. The owners are so nice and the land is very well maintained. I hope to come back here for more weddings it truly was one I will never forget - WHERE WE WANDER PHOTOGRAPHY TO

What a lovely wooded venue! Tucked into the redwood forest of Santa Rosa, this is a magical place…read moreto host a wedding. Not only do the trees provide some wonderful shade for hot summer nights, but they give a feeling of privacy too. I had the pleasure of photographing my couple's recent wedding here, and loved it! The ceremony amphitheater is quite lovely and even better is the flat reception space. If you are looking for a local wedding spot in the woods, then look no further!

This is a hidden gym that I have driven by many times. You…read morefollow the entrance sign all the way past the townhome to a small parking lot near the top for visitors. There is a pamphlet with guided tour instructions. The areas are very well marked with the names of the trees and flowers. There is an honor system to purchase a variety of plants at reasonable prices. I believe docent led tours are available on Wednesdays. It is a very beautiful and quiet oasis to visit.

This is a true local gem of Sebastopol and worth checking out for anyone interested in California…read morehistory or botanical arts. Luther Burbank is well known in this area and around the world for his work with plants and the creation of new hybrids. You can see some of that work here. When you turn into this place you might be confused as you are passing some housing, but you are in the right spot, keep heading down the 10mph road, follow the signs to the little parking lot in the back. This community that surrounds the farm is part of the vision of Burbank's widow, Elizabeth, who wanted some of the 15 acres of farm to be used as housing for seniors or those with disabilities. Today, only 3 acres of farm remain along with the caretaker's cottage and barn, the latter of which was reconstructed by volunteers from old photographs in the 1990s. When you park and walk past the barn take the path that goes to the right towards the cottage. There, grab a brochure (from the mailbox) that guides you through the names of the plants corresponding to the numbers through out the farm. Also, sign the guest book. The farm is a peaceful spot where you can spend an hour exploring or bring a picnic lunch and take advantage of one of the many picnic tables or benches that are scattered throughout the property. You can see many of the hybrid plants that Burbank worked on including thornless and white blackberries, grafted apples, spineless cactus and many different kinds of daises, which is Sebastopol's official city flower. This space is not to be confused with Burbank's Home and Garden in Santa Rosa. He didn't live here, only conducted experiments! But he did often stay they night in the cottage when he didn't want to trek back to Santa Rosa, and hour and a half in those days. Great spot to relax, take in some sweet smelling air, or just get a great history lesson. FYI: The cemetery borders the farm land without a fence between them, another place to take in some more Sebastopol/Sonoma County history.

Review is during Winter and I'm not sure if it's greatly improved in Summer. We were looking for a…read morefun body of water for the kids to enjoy, they can spend an hour easily throwing rocks and sticks into water. The parking lot has about 40 spaces and porta potties, the entire round trip is 3.9 miles. We did about half and turned around so not sure if there was an amazing payoff at the end but we checked and it looks like a smal rock beach where you can chill and hang near the river. Most of the trail you are walking pretty far from the water and there isn't much excitement along the way. At some point it got monotonous so we tried getting closer to the water, these smaller trails are overgrown and the water during Winter is still and smells. I don't know if conditions improve in Summer but I definitely wouldn't go swimming in that water, just stick to the river at the end. Would not recommend coming here in Winter, there are other places nearby that are better.

Sunset Beach is a fun place to post up and enjoy the Russian River. You'll be in a prime position…read moreto see (and possibly help) people go by on their tubing adventures. Sunset Beach is unique because it has a shallow area and a lagoon-like area which is fun for families to float around in safely without fear of being caught in the current. However, just across the lagoon you'll find great access to a medium-fast current perfect for older children and adults who want to float in tubes, then walk back to do it all over again! Hot Tip: Expect lots of company throughout the afternoon because Sunset Beach is the ending point for tubers catching the Russian River Shuttle back to their vehicles. Extra Hot Tip: Please avoid the rope swing. It looks so fun, but ends in tragedy for at least a few people each year, including 2025.

What a beautiful park with things to do for everyone! Play structure with lots of variety for young…read moreand big kids, train, carousel and horse rides! Felt like we didn't have enough time with all the things to do and will be back. If making a trip with kids to Sonoma make this a stop for sure!

This is a great park for families. There is a nice play area that has many different activities for…read moreall ages. They have po ore rides, a train ride and a carousel. That also rent out paddle boats and canoes. There are many hiking trails that hook up with a spring lake and Andel park so you can walk as far as you want. It's a great place for birthday parties as well. Many tables. Parking is rough sometimes on a busy weekend.

I was quite surprised to see that I had never reviewed this spectacular Redwood State Park. Being…read morehere is magical, especially when you think the thousands of years the trees have been here. If only they could share their stories. The visitor center is quite helpful in suggesting various hikes, especially when you give them the distance and elevation that you are interested in. They also give you a paper map as often there's no signal in this park for Wi-Fi. Unfortunately, the trail to the waterfall was closed and hopefully will be open upon our return. The hike we did today was a little over 5 miles with about 750 feet of climbing. We were happy we brought snacks! My only comment would be that the signage was not sufficient. I know that mostly volunteers make up the staff and perhaps it's not a priority yet we managed to find our way back without too many problems.

A state park with a good amount of redwood trees albeit mostly smaller/younger ones due to a good…read moreamount of logging done in this area to help build California in the 20th century. It is near the Russian River just outside of Guerneville. Redwood vibes similar to some parts of the Santa Cruz range or Marin Hills, but nothing that compares to the big redwoods in Northern California like near Humbolt Co or Crescent City, those are next level. There's a fee to park inside the park. Think it was about $10. It gets busy during the weekends and spaces can be super limited if you come after 11am. We were with a toddler, so we stayed on the main flat trails that go through redwood groves. It is very shady and well trafficked trails. There are a few loops you can join together, and the circumference may be a 2-3 mile hike. But you can do however long you want it to be. Now the trails that elevate into the hills are much more involved. It can elevate to a 1300 foot gain which is pretty strenuous. I haven't tried those yet but it is on my list to try. But even the easy trails that one day, was still beautiful and relaxing. To majestic red bark trees with healthy ferns all on the ground cover, fallen trees to climb on, large rocks to hop on was just a nice jaunt especially with young kids. We brought a light lunch and refreshments and were able to run into a small area with picnic benches. Perfect way to end a few hours steeped in nature, without having to be totally in the wild. Great intro for those that aren't too versed (yet) and to get them exposed to nature, ecosystems and wildlife. Connect with the world amongst which you live with but rarely see. Weekend mission accomplished!