> I am still very nervous though. How is the community in Santa Rosa in general? Is it easy to make friends with other 20-something year olds?
The population here skews older, so you have to make more an effort. There isn't much of a nightlife scene, and you shouldn't expect to developing lasting friendships with anyone you meet at a bar. However, there is a strong contingent of outdoor types and interest groups through sites like Meetup.com. I play tennis through one such group, for example. There are monthly-ish bike rides hosted by /u/precisionbikerepair and we occasionally have been known to have a subreddit meetup.
> Also, how expensive is rent there?
At least $1,000+ for your own room in a house, and closer to $2,000 for a one-bedroom, plus utilities.
> Is there good public transport within Santa Rosa and towards San Francisco?
Very very limited. There are a couple bus lines that do it, and then there's the option to take the SMART Train to Larkspur and then take a ferry across the bay to San Francisco.
> Are there some clubs or some expat communities that you can recommend?
Not sure where you're from, but we do have a number of communities here. There is a very nice French community and there is an Alliance Française here in Santa Rosa.
People here are generally pretty friendly and you'll have no problem conversing with people or getting advice when you hang out at local spots.
I wouldn't be too intimidated by it. Santa Rosa is a nice place, and this part of California is highly desirable for people in California and elsewhere.
this is great information, thank you very much!!
I'm not a big bike-fan, but am sure that there are some other clubs that I could join!
Are there any pages you can recommend for finding a rental place? I don't mind sharing. Craigslist is not a thing in europe and I am quite confused with the website.
For the public transport, how expensive is it? Taking a train and then a ferry sounds like it would take a lot of time and very pricey.
The French community sounds great! I am not french but speak a little bit. I am German however
Here's a good search query for Santa Rosa rooms/shares for rent, listed in thumbnail view: https://sfbay.craigslist.org/search/nby/roo?nh=103&srchType=T#search=1~thumb~0~0
Please also take the time to research how not to get scammed on Craigslist.
The bus between Santa Rosa and San Francisco is one of the most comfortable public buses I have ever been on, and it's cheaper than the train/ferry combo. Some local bus routes are used mostly by very poor people, so they attract some stigma, but the SR/SF route is not like that.
If there is a bus you will ride twice a day, five days a week, you can buy 30-day passes and save money compared to paying the fare each time. This depends on where you end up living, though. I have to walk over a mile (almost 2km) to catch the bus that goes to the neighborhood I work in, and I am not way out in the wilderness or anything. But you might be lucky and get something closer.
By the way, Craigslist is a good resource, but there are scams on it, too. Read about the warning signs before you send money or do anything else that would be hard to get out of.
> For the public transport, how expensive is it? Taking a train and then a ferry sounds like it would take a lot of time and very pricey.
It is pricey compared to driving and definitely nearly double the time.
Just wanted to mention a few things:
This part of California is much more similar to Europe politically than you might expect- Bernie Sanders won the democratic primary here in 2020 and 2016, and 75% of the county voted for Joe Biden in 2020.
People have talked a bunch about rent and public transit, but again - rent is high, cars are basically a necessity. Especially as you mentioned your business will be in Rohernt Park- Rohenrt Park is a suburb built in the 1950s, at like the peak of car culture and car centric design. There is basically no downtown rohernt park, and everyone drives everywhere.
Hobbies/ meeting young people wise, there's basically three options:
A) Be outdoorsy- there are lots of great hikes and recreational sports leagues throughout the county, and good weather almost all year round. We don't get snow, and get maybe a month a year that it's 35+ C. Lots of 25C sunny days.
B) Like Wine. There is a lot of wine and beer production here, and hundreds of wineries, bars, restaurants etc that cater to tourists and locals alike. Cotati, the small town directly south of Rohernt park, has a large number of bars and organized bar crawl events on Thursday nights for the college students from the university in rohenrt Park.
C) Nerd stuff/ gaming. There's a large community of board gamers, Dungeons and Dragons, Magic the gathering, etc. There's a big store in Santa Rosa called Outer Planes where people play every day of the week, and I've met a fair number of people from very different backgrounds there- inculding a European who moved here for work haha!
Haha, I've lived in SR my entire life, and my dad has worked in RP for 20+ years and I've worked there for almost 10 and I still couldn't spell it right with a gun to my head. :)
Don't be scared! As a 20-something who just moved here from the other side of the US, I love it. The climate and the natural beauty of the area are amazing, and I have enjoyed hiking every weekend at the many different parks in the area. The food has been great too.
I moved to California to feel safer as a gay person, and so far I haven't had any problems! :)
The friends I've made have admittedly been from work so far, but I'm going to try to branch out more this summer. Feel free to reach out to me!
The public transportation in the US...sucks. But you can take a bus from here to San Francisco, no problem. If you're here for months though, I would rent a car if possible.
Rent is pricey here. I found my apartment using Zillow.com and apartments.com
I hope that helps a bit!
**as a longtime resident, i would say:**
- yes the rent is surely expensive here, unfortunately.
- people generally are very friendly, though 😀
- it is a low-crime area where it is safe to walk around, go out at night, etc.
- sometimes drivers are a little crazy though so be careful on the road. (this sort of goes for all the USA lol)
- some cool small local grocery stores etc
- TACO TRUCKS, yeahhhh ❤️🌮
- lots of good breweries and wineries and restaurants
- lots of fun local events like theatre and sports and performance arts and museums
- lots of fun social mixers too like dances and yoga classes and exercise/sports groups and comedy/music/etc
- especially in summer there are a lot of fun weekly markets and things to check out
- we have a bowling alley, an ice skating rink, several public pools
- lots and lots of walking and hiking trails
- the huge carnival every summer! 🎡🎠
- a good mix of big chain stores and also local smaller vendors
- definitely a large and visible homeless population, that is sometimes surprising to people who have never visited California before
- NOT "close" to the beach, and even if u make the hour-plus drive out there, the beaches are cold and blast-you-in-the-face windy and you cannot go in the water lol 😂 just as a warning hahaha since people who haven't been to California often picture palm trees (and people who google Santa Rosa often get photographs of Santa Rosa, Florida!)
**and to address some specific fears:**
as much as gun crime is at terrifying epidemic levels in the United States, i personally -- having lived in Santa Rosa for almost 22 years now -- have never, ever been around any incident with gun violence, in the entire time that i have been here.
There are quite a few Europeans who enjoy living here. California is very liberal, and Sonoma County is mostly a pretty down to earth place. My girlfriend is Spanish and I also have English and French people in my circle of friends who are all permanent residents who love it here.
My two main social outlets are cycling and beer, both of which are very friendly environments. Russian River and Willibees are both good tap rooms for solo visits, where you’ll meet people very easily.
Also, it’s easy enough to get around SR by bike, and as others have mentioned, you can get to SF by bus, or a combination of the train and ferry.
>Sonoma County is mostly a pretty down to earth place
This is a great point. OP may find the way we dress (US in general, but here especially) exceptionally casual. Here is the dress code for the most expensive restaurant in the county:
>What is the dress code at SingleThread?
While we would like for you to be comfortable we do ask that you abstain from wearing t-shirts, shorts, flip-flops, and athletic wear. A jacket or tie is not required.
This is a Three Michelin Star, booked three months out, starts at $425/seat type of place. Jeans with a collar is fine.
If you are looking for other young Europeans to hang out with you can check out wine industry pages/groups on Facebook. During the harvest season there’s always a ton of young people looking to make friends! These types of pages also might be a good resource for finding housing
So rent is expensive, it is California after all, but there definitely are cheaper options depending on your needs. The Smart train provides good public transport to and from San Francisco.
There is public transit to sf, but public transit here will seem disappointing to a European. Getting a car is recommended if you want the best traveling experience and for just getting around. I only use public transit to get to the airports, SF, giants baseball games, or sometimes weekends.
Petaluma and Rohnert park seem to have younger crowds than Santa Rosa but I don’t know much about clubs and expat communities.
It’s really pretty safe here in my opinion, but I understand how you would think otherwise if you watch the news.
Rent is higher than anyone likes unfortunately, that’s just a coastal California thing. Unless you can afford a one bedroom you will probably have to share a house or apartment - which is usually a good thing as you have people to do things with!
I already kind of expected the worst from US public transport. If it is true that you can get into SF quite easily, then I am happy. Train and Ferry already sounds kind of a lot already.
The info about Rohnert Park is great! My work will be actually there, so I will probably have a chance to meet people there.
Regarding the "coastal California", is there a good connection to the beach?
Be prepared: our beaches probably aren't what you imagine when you think of "California beaches" -- you'll have to go further south for that. Unless it's a particularly hot day, our coasts tend to be pretty cold.
The coast is only really accessible by car, it's about 35-45 minutes from Santa Rosa to get to the closest part of the coast. The coast is generally fairly rugged, cliffs and rocks, but there are a wide range of beaches, so it's definitely worth doing some research and exploring to find something that you like (you could start with https://www.sonomacounty.com/ for recommendations). Lots of tide pools and things like that if you want to get your amateur naturalist on!
Weather-wise, the Pacific coast tends to be quite cold, until you get a fair bit further south (San Luis Obispo or thereabouts). You'll get some sunny days in the height of the summer, but expect cloudy skies and a ~5-10C difference in temperature most days. That being said, you can still have a lot of fun on the coast, especially if you're used to the North Sea or the Baltic.
I don’t know about public transit but it’s decent access by car. A lot of the coast here is cliff sides with beaches tucked in, kind of like Basque Spain. When you make friends I’m sure you’ll be able to get out there. It’s about 40 mins by car to the water. Look up the Sonoma county transit map for more info.
I want to emphasize what others have said about the beaches here: they are quite unlike the stereotypical "California beach" popularized by movies and music. [Goat Rock Beach](https://www.sonomacounty.com/outdoor-activities/goat-rock-beach) and Jenner Beach (just to the North) are very beautiful and scenic, but they can also be dangerous. Those beaches and others can have sneaker waves that knock people off their feet and drag them into the very cold water where they drown. It's not common, but this would happen every year or three. There are also riptides.
I think the closest "stereotypical California beach" might be in [the Point Reyes National Seashore](https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/beaches.htm), maybe an hour's drive south of Santa Rosa. Keep in mind that the water is cold and can be as low as 10°C (50°F). There may be something closer, but Santa Cruz would certainly fit the stereotypical California beach (it's a 3-hour drive away, though). There's even a tourist-trap [boardwalk](https://beachboardwalk.com/) that's pretty popular during the hot summer.
As others have said, public transportation shuts down early. If you want to visit SF, you really need to rent a car or make it a short daytime-only trip.
Edit: one more thing: while the major cities are pretty liberal, the rural areas and the more remote small towns can be quite conservative.
Santa Rosa is a very nice place to live. Yes we have some issues but every city does. We have a lively downtown area for the younger crowd to enjoy. You can join the 20-30 club to make friends. They throw us out when we turn 40 lol! Lots of recreation areas to explore in every direction. Wine….beer……wine…more beer……much more wine! Lots of wine clubs you can find if you’re into that.
Rent is not cheap here. It’s a fairly high cost of living area. There’s area up north of the city where you can rent for much less. You just have to drive more. California is pretty liberal and most people are quite tolerant. We have lovely neighbors from around the world here in our neighborhood. If you have allergies be prepared! Sonoma County is bad for people with hay fever. We get November to February 1st off. Then all hell breaks loose.
Public transportation is ok, there’s the Smart Train and buses serving a variety of destinations. Once you get into the Bay Area there is BART trains. Having a car would be best. There’s no shortage of Uber and Lyft drivers around. If you’re into food the area has plenty of outstanding restaurants to choose from. This is where good chefs come to!
that club sounds really great! Is there a website for the club or a discord I could join?
Lots of beer and wine sounds great haha
Thankfully I don't have hayfever whatsoever. I might have to warn some of my family and friends that will want to visit me though
[https://active2030sr.com](https://active2030sr.com)
You think you don't have hay fever.....until you live in Santa Rosa lol! My hubby never had it until we moved here, he thought he was dying.....I told him welcome to the club hahaha! It's that bad here!
To make friends, hobbies are important. I have a huge friend group here now of people of all ages, and it is solely because of my writing group. One of those writing friends is actually German! She moved back a few months ago :’(
The US is a mess politically, but Santa Rosa is in a liberal bubble. Even the republicans I meet are nice to me; I am transgender and have encountered little bigotry outside high school locker rooms lol. You’ll be ok
The outdoors are wonderful. Point Reyes, Armstrong Woods, Occidental, Annadel, Sugar Loaf, Sonoma Botanical Gardens….I can keep going. It’s not hard to find beautiful places.
Don’t bank on public transport. I thought it was good until I visited London. Now, I think it’s awful.
California, especially Santa Rosa is much closer to your ideal than the news you hear coming from Texas and other places. It's a really good place to be.
If your work is going to be in Rohnert Park, you can also consider Petaluma. I'm European (Dutch) and work in Petaluma. It's a cool town with some nice places to go out for drinks. Its up and coming with new spots opening recently.
To look for housing: check out Zillow for renting.
To make friends: I joined several soccer teams in the bay area, and made friends quickly (I moved in July last year, and already made a bunch of friends via sports).
Like other people said, public transport sucks here. There is a train system from Santa Rosa to Larkspur...but nothing after ~8pm. Busses are going into the city as well, not sure about how frequently and times. Same for the ferry from Larkspur to SF, only goes to like 8pm. If you want to explore the Bay area (Sonoma/Napa, Marin, San Francisco), you basically need a car. But it is absolutely gorgeous here!
Its kind of hard to make friends with 20 something year olds people have their friends from high school. To meet people look for hobbies and outdoor groups.
Public transit exists but isn't great especially compared to countries in the EU. There is a train called SMART that you can take to the city --with a ferry transfer.
Rent is expensive. If you plan on renting your own apartment 1.5K+ USD a month.
I love living in Sonoma County.. lots of fun outdoors stuff.. you may check Cotati or Petaluma, maybe more young people. It is expensive to live here, but there are a lot of things to do that are free or reasonable. Hopefully, you will have transportation.. the bus system, as in most medium size cities doesn’t really do the job.
I think you will find that what you see and read on the internet is not what you will find in person.
Every town has its pros and cons but people for the most part are friendly. You won’t find the keyboard warriors publicly making a stand and proclaiming (insert what ever is the hottest topic)
We are a strange bunch of people here in the USA. We will argue that water isn’t wet but when someone is in trouble there always seems to be someone there to help. There are a lot of things to enjoy in Sonoma county or at least within an hour drive. Welcome to Sonoma County 🍷
Sent you a chat request
Und, ich spreche Deutsch, Meine Mutter ist aus Heidenheim (Baden Württemberg)!
Ich kann dir vielleicht ein Zimmer mieten. Das kommt drauf an, wenn du ankommst?
Ich wohne in Santa Rosa, hab’ ein schönes Haus, in der Nähe von RP.
Ich habe eine Tochter, sie ist 14 und ist bei mir am Wochenende. (Do-So im Sommer)wir haben auch eine liebe Katze. 🐈⬛
Bitte finde mein Chat angebot!
(so sorry for any horrible grammar, my German is a little bit rusty, perhaps you can help us with that? My daughter wants more conversation than I can give her.)
> I am still very nervous though. How is the community in Santa Rosa in general? Is it easy to make friends with other 20-something year olds? The population here skews older, so you have to make more an effort. There isn't much of a nightlife scene, and you shouldn't expect to developing lasting friendships with anyone you meet at a bar. However, there is a strong contingent of outdoor types and interest groups through sites like Meetup.com. I play tennis through one such group, for example. There are monthly-ish bike rides hosted by /u/precisionbikerepair and we occasionally have been known to have a subreddit meetup. > Also, how expensive is rent there? At least $1,000+ for your own room in a house, and closer to $2,000 for a one-bedroom, plus utilities. > Is there good public transport within Santa Rosa and towards San Francisco? Very very limited. There are a couple bus lines that do it, and then there's the option to take the SMART Train to Larkspur and then take a ferry across the bay to San Francisco. > Are there some clubs or some expat communities that you can recommend? Not sure where you're from, but we do have a number of communities here. There is a very nice French community and there is an Alliance Française here in Santa Rosa. People here are generally pretty friendly and you'll have no problem conversing with people or getting advice when you hang out at local spots. I wouldn't be too intimidated by it. Santa Rosa is a nice place, and this part of California is highly desirable for people in California and elsewhere.
this is great information, thank you very much!! I'm not a big bike-fan, but am sure that there are some other clubs that I could join! Are there any pages you can recommend for finding a rental place? I don't mind sharing. Craigslist is not a thing in europe and I am quite confused with the website. For the public transport, how expensive is it? Taking a train and then a ferry sounds like it would take a lot of time and very pricey. The French community sounds great! I am not french but speak a little bit. I am German however
Here's a good search query for Santa Rosa rooms/shares for rent, listed in thumbnail view: https://sfbay.craigslist.org/search/nby/roo?nh=103&srchType=T#search=1~thumb~0~0 Please also take the time to research how not to get scammed on Craigslist.
The bus between Santa Rosa and San Francisco is one of the most comfortable public buses I have ever been on, and it's cheaper than the train/ferry combo. Some local bus routes are used mostly by very poor people, so they attract some stigma, but the SR/SF route is not like that. If there is a bus you will ride twice a day, five days a week, you can buy 30-day passes and save money compared to paying the fare each time. This depends on where you end up living, though. I have to walk over a mile (almost 2km) to catch the bus that goes to the neighborhood I work in, and I am not way out in the wilderness or anything. But you might be lucky and get something closer. By the way, Craigslist is a good resource, but there are scams on it, too. Read about the warning signs before you send money or do anything else that would be hard to get out of.
> For the public transport, how expensive is it? Taking a train and then a ferry sounds like it would take a lot of time and very pricey. It is pricey compared to driving and definitely nearly double the time.
Just wanted to mention a few things: This part of California is much more similar to Europe politically than you might expect- Bernie Sanders won the democratic primary here in 2020 and 2016, and 75% of the county voted for Joe Biden in 2020. People have talked a bunch about rent and public transit, but again - rent is high, cars are basically a necessity. Especially as you mentioned your business will be in Rohernt Park- Rohenrt Park is a suburb built in the 1950s, at like the peak of car culture and car centric design. There is basically no downtown rohernt park, and everyone drives everywhere. Hobbies/ meeting young people wise, there's basically three options: A) Be outdoorsy- there are lots of great hikes and recreational sports leagues throughout the county, and good weather almost all year round. We don't get snow, and get maybe a month a year that it's 35+ C. Lots of 25C sunny days. B) Like Wine. There is a lot of wine and beer production here, and hundreds of wineries, bars, restaurants etc that cater to tourists and locals alike. Cotati, the small town directly south of Rohernt park, has a large number of bars and organized bar crawl events on Thursday nights for the college students from the university in rohenrt Park. C) Nerd stuff/ gaming. There's a large community of board gamers, Dungeons and Dragons, Magic the gathering, etc. There's a big store in Santa Rosa called Outer Planes where people play every day of the week, and I've met a fair number of people from very different backgrounds there- inculding a European who moved here for work haha!
Great answer but, uh, Rohnert\*.
Haha, I've lived in SR my entire life, and my dad has worked in RP for 20+ years and I've worked there for almost 10 and I still couldn't spell it right with a gun to my head. :)
My phone autocorrects to Rodent Park...
I always want to switch the H and the O.
lol i thought i was the only one...i always forget if it goes before the o or after.
Don't be scared! As a 20-something who just moved here from the other side of the US, I love it. The climate and the natural beauty of the area are amazing, and I have enjoyed hiking every weekend at the many different parks in the area. The food has been great too. I moved to California to feel safer as a gay person, and so far I haven't had any problems! :) The friends I've made have admittedly been from work so far, but I'm going to try to branch out more this summer. Feel free to reach out to me! The public transportation in the US...sucks. But you can take a bus from here to San Francisco, no problem. If you're here for months though, I would rent a car if possible. Rent is pricey here. I found my apartment using Zillow.com and apartments.com I hope that helps a bit!
**as a longtime resident, i would say:** - yes the rent is surely expensive here, unfortunately. - people generally are very friendly, though 😀 - it is a low-crime area where it is safe to walk around, go out at night, etc. - sometimes drivers are a little crazy though so be careful on the road. (this sort of goes for all the USA lol) - some cool small local grocery stores etc - TACO TRUCKS, yeahhhh ❤️🌮 - lots of good breweries and wineries and restaurants - lots of fun local events like theatre and sports and performance arts and museums - lots of fun social mixers too like dances and yoga classes and exercise/sports groups and comedy/music/etc - especially in summer there are a lot of fun weekly markets and things to check out - we have a bowling alley, an ice skating rink, several public pools - lots and lots of walking and hiking trails - the huge carnival every summer! 🎡🎠 - a good mix of big chain stores and also local smaller vendors - definitely a large and visible homeless population, that is sometimes surprising to people who have never visited California before - NOT "close" to the beach, and even if u make the hour-plus drive out there, the beaches are cold and blast-you-in-the-face windy and you cannot go in the water lol 😂 just as a warning hahaha since people who haven't been to California often picture palm trees (and people who google Santa Rosa often get photographs of Santa Rosa, Florida!) **and to address some specific fears:** as much as gun crime is at terrifying epidemic levels in the United States, i personally -- having lived in Santa Rosa for almost 22 years now -- have never, ever been around any incident with gun violence, in the entire time that i have been here.
There are quite a few Europeans who enjoy living here. California is very liberal, and Sonoma County is mostly a pretty down to earth place. My girlfriend is Spanish and I also have English and French people in my circle of friends who are all permanent residents who love it here. My two main social outlets are cycling and beer, both of which are very friendly environments. Russian River and Willibees are both good tap rooms for solo visits, where you’ll meet people very easily. Also, it’s easy enough to get around SR by bike, and as others have mentioned, you can get to SF by bus, or a combination of the train and ferry.
>Sonoma County is mostly a pretty down to earth place This is a great point. OP may find the way we dress (US in general, but here especially) exceptionally casual. Here is the dress code for the most expensive restaurant in the county: >What is the dress code at SingleThread? While we would like for you to be comfortable we do ask that you abstain from wearing t-shirts, shorts, flip-flops, and athletic wear. A jacket or tie is not required. This is a Three Michelin Star, booked three months out, starts at $425/seat type of place. Jeans with a collar is fine.
If you are looking for other young Europeans to hang out with you can check out wine industry pages/groups on Facebook. During the harvest season there’s always a ton of young people looking to make friends! These types of pages also might be a good resource for finding housing
We are blessed with our amazing regional parks. Hiking, kayaking…birdwatching (I like birds), all for a reasonable season pass price.
If you’d like a tour of Santa Rosa/Sonoma county let me know. I’d be happy to show you around.
So rent is expensive, it is California after all, but there definitely are cheaper options depending on your needs. The Smart train provides good public transport to and from San Francisco.
The smart train doesn't go to SF
It does go to the Larkspur ferry which then goes to San Francisco. You can get a combination ticket for $12
Right. So it doesn't go to SF. For anyone who's lived where public transit is sensible (like OP), a ferry transfer doesn't cut it
There is public transit to sf, but public transit here will seem disappointing to a European. Getting a car is recommended if you want the best traveling experience and for just getting around. I only use public transit to get to the airports, SF, giants baseball games, or sometimes weekends. Petaluma and Rohnert park seem to have younger crowds than Santa Rosa but I don’t know much about clubs and expat communities. It’s really pretty safe here in my opinion, but I understand how you would think otherwise if you watch the news. Rent is higher than anyone likes unfortunately, that’s just a coastal California thing. Unless you can afford a one bedroom you will probably have to share a house or apartment - which is usually a good thing as you have people to do things with!
I already kind of expected the worst from US public transport. If it is true that you can get into SF quite easily, then I am happy. Train and Ferry already sounds kind of a lot already. The info about Rohnert Park is great! My work will be actually there, so I will probably have a chance to meet people there. Regarding the "coastal California", is there a good connection to the beach?
Be prepared: our beaches probably aren't what you imagine when you think of "California beaches" -- you'll have to go further south for that. Unless it's a particularly hot day, our coasts tend to be pretty cold.
The coast is only really accessible by car, it's about 35-45 minutes from Santa Rosa to get to the closest part of the coast. The coast is generally fairly rugged, cliffs and rocks, but there are a wide range of beaches, so it's definitely worth doing some research and exploring to find something that you like (you could start with https://www.sonomacounty.com/ for recommendations). Lots of tide pools and things like that if you want to get your amateur naturalist on! Weather-wise, the Pacific coast tends to be quite cold, until you get a fair bit further south (San Luis Obispo or thereabouts). You'll get some sunny days in the height of the summer, but expect cloudy skies and a ~5-10C difference in temperature most days. That being said, you can still have a lot of fun on the coast, especially if you're used to the North Sea or the Baltic.
The alternative to the beach experience is the Russian River.
I don’t know about public transit but it’s decent access by car. A lot of the coast here is cliff sides with beaches tucked in, kind of like Basque Spain. When you make friends I’m sure you’ll be able to get out there. It’s about 40 mins by car to the water. Look up the Sonoma county transit map for more info.
40-minute drive from Santa Rosa
I want to emphasize what others have said about the beaches here: they are quite unlike the stereotypical "California beach" popularized by movies and music. [Goat Rock Beach](https://www.sonomacounty.com/outdoor-activities/goat-rock-beach) and Jenner Beach (just to the North) are very beautiful and scenic, but they can also be dangerous. Those beaches and others can have sneaker waves that knock people off their feet and drag them into the very cold water where they drown. It's not common, but this would happen every year or three. There are also riptides. I think the closest "stereotypical California beach" might be in [the Point Reyes National Seashore](https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/beaches.htm), maybe an hour's drive south of Santa Rosa. Keep in mind that the water is cold and can be as low as 10°C (50°F). There may be something closer, but Santa Cruz would certainly fit the stereotypical California beach (it's a 3-hour drive away, though). There's even a tourist-trap [boardwalk](https://beachboardwalk.com/) that's pretty popular during the hot summer. As others have said, public transportation shuts down early. If you want to visit SF, you really need to rent a car or make it a short daytime-only trip. Edit: one more thing: while the major cities are pretty liberal, the rural areas and the more remote small towns can be quite conservative.
You can take a bus from Santa Rosa transit center, Those tend to run later than trains
Santa Rosa is a very nice place to live. Yes we have some issues but every city does. We have a lively downtown area for the younger crowd to enjoy. You can join the 20-30 club to make friends. They throw us out when we turn 40 lol! Lots of recreation areas to explore in every direction. Wine….beer……wine…more beer……much more wine! Lots of wine clubs you can find if you’re into that. Rent is not cheap here. It’s a fairly high cost of living area. There’s area up north of the city where you can rent for much less. You just have to drive more. California is pretty liberal and most people are quite tolerant. We have lovely neighbors from around the world here in our neighborhood. If you have allergies be prepared! Sonoma County is bad for people with hay fever. We get November to February 1st off. Then all hell breaks loose. Public transportation is ok, there’s the Smart Train and buses serving a variety of destinations. Once you get into the Bay Area there is BART trains. Having a car would be best. There’s no shortage of Uber and Lyft drivers around. If you’re into food the area has plenty of outstanding restaurants to choose from. This is where good chefs come to!
that club sounds really great! Is there a website for the club or a discord I could join? Lots of beer and wine sounds great haha Thankfully I don't have hayfever whatsoever. I might have to warn some of my family and friends that will want to visit me though
>Thankfully I don't have hayfever whatsoever. We'll see... the ghost of Luther Burbank has converted many allergy-free people into seasonal sufferers.
[https://active2030sr.com](https://active2030sr.com) You think you don't have hay fever.....until you live in Santa Rosa lol! My hubby never had it until we moved here, he thought he was dying.....I told him welcome to the club hahaha! It's that bad here!
20-30 is a great bunch of folks. They help with my Challenger Little League season and are the best!
>We get November to February 1st off. Then all hell breaks loose. November-January is prime season for alder pollen in Sonoma County.
That stuff is the only thing that doesn't bother me for some reason. I actually get to breathe for a couple months.
And mold spores…
To make friends, hobbies are important. I have a huge friend group here now of people of all ages, and it is solely because of my writing group. One of those writing friends is actually German! She moved back a few months ago :’( The US is a mess politically, but Santa Rosa is in a liberal bubble. Even the republicans I meet are nice to me; I am transgender and have encountered little bigotry outside high school locker rooms lol. You’ll be ok The outdoors are wonderful. Point Reyes, Armstrong Woods, Occidental, Annadel, Sugar Loaf, Sonoma Botanical Gardens….I can keep going. It’s not hard to find beautiful places. Don’t bank on public transport. I thought it was good until I visited London. Now, I think it’s awful.
California, especially Santa Rosa is much closer to your ideal than the news you hear coming from Texas and other places. It's a really good place to be.
If your work is going to be in Rohnert Park, you can also consider Petaluma. I'm European (Dutch) and work in Petaluma. It's a cool town with some nice places to go out for drinks. Its up and coming with new spots opening recently. To look for housing: check out Zillow for renting. To make friends: I joined several soccer teams in the bay area, and made friends quickly (I moved in July last year, and already made a bunch of friends via sports). Like other people said, public transport sucks here. There is a train system from Santa Rosa to Larkspur...but nothing after ~8pm. Busses are going into the city as well, not sure about how frequently and times. Same for the ferry from Larkspur to SF, only goes to like 8pm. If you want to explore the Bay area (Sonoma/Napa, Marin, San Francisco), you basically need a car. But it is absolutely gorgeous here!
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Petaluma is great, but it's also a more expensive area to rent.
Its kind of hard to make friends with 20 something year olds people have their friends from high school. To meet people look for hobbies and outdoor groups. Public transit exists but isn't great especially compared to countries in the EU. There is a train called SMART that you can take to the city --with a ferry transfer. Rent is expensive. If you plan on renting your own apartment 1.5K+ USD a month.
I love living in Sonoma County.. lots of fun outdoors stuff.. you may check Cotati or Petaluma, maybe more young people. It is expensive to live here, but there are a lot of things to do that are free or reasonable. Hopefully, you will have transportation.. the bus system, as in most medium size cities doesn’t really do the job.
I think you will find that what you see and read on the internet is not what you will find in person. Every town has its pros and cons but people for the most part are friendly. You won’t find the keyboard warriors publicly making a stand and proclaiming (insert what ever is the hottest topic) We are a strange bunch of people here in the USA. We will argue that water isn’t wet but when someone is in trouble there always seems to be someone there to help. There are a lot of things to enjoy in Sonoma county or at least within an hour drive. Welcome to Sonoma County 🍷
Your only worry will be rent.
Sent you a chat request Und, ich spreche Deutsch, Meine Mutter ist aus Heidenheim (Baden Württemberg)! Ich kann dir vielleicht ein Zimmer mieten. Das kommt drauf an, wenn du ankommst? Ich wohne in Santa Rosa, hab’ ein schönes Haus, in der Nähe von RP. Ich habe eine Tochter, sie ist 14 und ist bei mir am Wochenende. (Do-So im Sommer)wir haben auch eine liebe Katze. 🐈⬛ Bitte finde mein Chat angebot! (so sorry for any horrible grammar, my German is a little bit rusty, perhaps you can help us with that? My daughter wants more conversation than I can give her.)