Santa Rosa, California

Santa Rosa is not only a wonderful place for growing grapes but also for growing families looking to get some distance from San Francisco. 12 months of mild weather provides the perfect climate for enjoying the amazing parks and trails and excellent public schools make the area popular with families.

Wine country doesn’t come without some drawbacks. Anything within a ninety-minute drive of San Francisco is going to cost a pretty penny for housing. Being surrounded by beautiful vineyards and state parks makes this issue even worse. Wine country has also been hit hard by recent wildfires, which makes it a beacon for climate risk, but that hasn't suppressed pricing any.

Located in the heart of wine country USA, Santa Rosa locals enjoy a life centered around that classy commodity and the weather that goes along with it. Nights out for the upper crust are usually spent enjoying a nice glass of wine and a locally sourced gourmet meal. Santa Rosa is also only an hour or so from San Francisco and Oakland for those looking for some bigger city vibes, and only 45 minutes from the beaches if you favor a more traditional Cali experience. Raising kids here, while expensive, is pretty heavenly. Lots of sports they can play year-round, great public schools, and big cities not too far if you want them to get some culture.

If you're interested in seeing all that happens here check out the calendar of events.

We highly recommend visiting Santa Rosa and staying in the community in a VRBO rather than a hotel to get a feel for what it's like to live among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our partnership with Expedia as well.

If you're looking to break into the wine industry Santa Rosa should be at the top of your list, tech and healthcare are also high volume options. Commuting to San Francisco happens but that drive is rough. We'd highly recommend you only consider that if you're working from home most/all days.