Sonoma Transportation
Tips for Getting To & Around Sonoma County
Many people fly into a local airport and travel to Sonoma County for a few days. How do you get from the airport to Sonoma County? How do you get around once you arrive? Find the answers to these and several other questions here.
These are the topics covered on this page. Click on a link to jump ahead to the topic that interests you the most.
What Airport Should I Fly Into?
There are three airport options for those flying into Sonoma County for wine tasting. They are San Francisco International Airport (SFO), Oakland Airport (OAK) or Sonoma County Airport (STS).
San Francisco International
SFO is the most affordable airport for those traveling to Sonoma County for wine tasting. The airport has hundreds of flights every day and serves most major airlines.
This airport is about 20 minutes south of the city of San Francisco. The drive from here to southern Sonoma County is about an hour. The drive from SFO to Healdsburg, or northern Sonoma County, is about an hour and a half. This is the best Sonoma transportation option for those flying into the area.
Oakland International Airport
The other option for flying into the area is to fly through Oakland International Airport. This airport is a little smaller and has fewer flights. However, sometimes you can get a cheaper flight by flying through Oakland instead.
Oakland is a little further if you are heading to Sonoma County. It will take an additional 30 to 45 minutes to reach Sonoma County -- this depends on traffic. If you fly into Oakland, try to arrive at times outside of rush hour -- this will make the drive more pleasant and take less time.
Sonoma County Airport
The Sonoma County Airport is in the town of Santa Rosa. This is a really small airport. Alaska Airlines is the only airline that currently services this airport.
Alaska has a handful of flights each day. Their non-stop flights are from Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. However, they recently announced they are expanding their service to offer non-stop flights from San Diego. At the same time, they are adding another non-stop from Los Angeles.
Flights to and from all three airports are available on Orbitz.com.
Sonoma Transportation from the Airports
Once you arrive, you have a few options for Sonoma transportation from each airport.
Sonoma Transportation: Car Rentals
The most popular Sonoma transportation option is a rental car. You can pick up a car rental at any of the three airports. I recommend booking a car in advance -- especially if you are flying into Sonoma County Airport. The rental agencies at that airport will stay open until all passengers with reservations arrive. That way you can ensure you can get a car on arrival.
Rental agencies at SFO and OAK are open all the time. However, it's best to rent in advance so you can get the car you need for your trip.
Sonoma Transportation: Shuttle Services
Using a shuttle service is another Sonoma transportation option. The Sonoma Airport Express has stops at all three airports. However, it is a bus with limited service.
The other stops are in Rohnert Park, Petaluma and San Rafael. This is a good option if someone is picking you up, but does not get you all the way north to wine country.
A better option is the Napa Airporter. This shuttle service picks up at both SFO and OAK airports. It then makes a stop in the town of Sonoma. They have both a shared van or a town car service. Find rates and the full service area for the Napa Airporter.
Getting Around Sonoma County
It is easy to get around Sonoma County. There are several Sonoma transportation options from driving on your own to hiring a driver to take you from winery to winery. Here are your options.
By Car
Driving can be a great way to see some of the sights along the way. It also gives you complete control of your day.
You can go at your own pace. You can stop at as many wineries as you want. It also makes it easy to head from one end of a region to the other.
If you do decide to drive on your own, the Frommer's Napa & Sonoma Day by Day guide is the perfect companion. It has some great itineraries and a full fold out map of the area.
It also includes some additional information on different wineries. Taking a guide along with you allows you to be more flexible throughout the day. Plus -- you can learn a little more about the region during your stay.
Find pricing and other details for the Frommers Day by Day guide.
When driving in wine country, make sure you have a designated driver.
By Bike
On a beautiful day in Sonoma County, nothing beats a bike ride from winery to winery. You will see many people using this option during your visit.
Many wineries are grouped together, so you don't have to bike too far to get a taste of the wines from the region. You can bring your own, rent one once you arrive or take a group bike tour.
If you are heading up to Dry Creek Valley, then the Sip N' Cycle bike ride is a great tour option. This tour lasts about five and a half hours. This tour starts and ends in Healdsburg. The tour goes at a moderate pace with many stops along the way for wine tasting.
You can also find a Sip N' Cycle tour option for Carneros, which is in the southern part of Sonoma Valley. Each one includes a picnic lunch, a tour guide and a ride through beautiful wine county.
Find prices and availability for the Sip N' Cycle tours.
By Guided Tour
If you are interested in a guided tour -- but not ready to ride on a bike all day -- then you can choose from one of the other great tours options. There are guided tours for just Sonoma County, you can take a guided tour that includes stops in both Sonoma and Napa counties and you can even join one that is customizable.
Find out more about the Sonoma County wine tasting tour options.
By Private Driver
To take the hassle out of driving, you can also hire a private driver. If you like the idea of someone else driving, but don't really like tour groups -- then this is the option for you!
This will still take a little planning on your part. Most drivers will ask you for your list of wineries when you hop in the car. This way you can see the wineries you enjoy.
If you only have a few, the driver usually suggests some to you. Be careful with this though, as they are usually getting a 'finders' fee for bringing you by certain wineries.
Find out more about hiring a private driver for the day.
By Taxi
Another Sonoma transportation option is by taxi. Sonoma County has a number of taxis that will take you to a winery or pick you up. Talk to the winery and they will help you contact a taxi if you need this service once you are at the winery.
Day Trips from San Francisco
All four wine regions are easy day trips from San Francisco. You can either drive or take a one day tour from the city.
From San Francisco, it takes about 30 minutes to get to Sonoma Valley. It will take a little longer -- about an hour -- to get to the northern wine regions of Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley.
Wineries begin to open their doors around 10am, so you also do not have to leave San Francisco early. You can enjoy a nice brunch and then head up for the day.
There are a number of guided tours to Sonoma -- and Napa -- from San Francisco. The majority of these are just one day trips, so you leave in the morning and are back in the early evening. Learn more about the one day wine tasting trips from San Francisco.
Visit San-Francisco-Tourism-Tips.com to learn more about what there is to see and do in San Francisco.
In addition to the Sonoma transportation tips page, here are some additional pages you might enjoy:
Sonoma County Wineries: Learn more about what to expect from your visit to wine country. This page includes a wealth of information and tips to help you when you are traveling on your own. Learn more about booking a tour of a winery, the hours, how to select the right wines from the tasting menu and more.
Dry Creek Valley: If you love Zinfandel wines, then you will want to consider a visit to Dry Creek Valley. This northern Sonoma County wine region is one of my favorites. It is a little smaller and most of the wineries are family owned. Learn more about Dry Creek Valley, its wineries and its popular red wines.
Sonoma Valley: This is a popular stop for those coming for the day. It is the closest wine region to San Francisco. It is also has a wide selection of wines. Learn more about Sonoma Valley and how it came to be the home of the California wine industry.
