15 Fun Things to do With Kids in Sonoma County This Summer
Sonoma County, Marin's neighbor to the north, has so much to offer for families, especially during the summer. From parks and beaches to farms and unique attractions — not to mention the world renowned Wine Country — there's so much to do in Sonoma County that you'll probably have to make several trips this summer.
Santa Rosa
Snoopy's Home Ice and the Charles M. Schulz Museum
Santa Rosa is home to Snoopy's Home Ice, an ice skating rink founded by Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz in 1969. It's a great place to strap on some skates and cool off on a warm summer day. Their Puppy Practice sessions and Toddlers on Ice program are perfect for beginners, and the cozy Warm Puppy Cafe offers a place to relax, have a bite to eat, or try one of their six different kinds of hot cocoa. It's a great place for a birthday party, too!
Right across the street is the Charles M. Schulz Museum, which features rotating exhibitions that explore Schulz's famous Peanuts characters and creations. Kids can get creative in the museum's Education Room and there's a theater showing classic Peanuts animated specials and more. Tip: Make sure to visit Snoopy's Gallery & Gift Shop adjacent to the ice rink to browse a huge selection of Peanuts swag.
Children's Museum of Sonoma County
This hands-on museum offers a large array of interactive exhibits both indoors and out for kids ages 10 and under. Get creative with art, explore science and technology, participate in unstructured imaginative play in the Wild Zone, and much more! The Children's Museum of Sonoma County offers a variety of fun events throughout the year, too.
Safari West
Wouldn't it be great if you could take the family on an African safari without ever leaving the Bay Area? At Safari West near Santa Rosa, you can do just that! This 400-acre preserve offers guided tours where you can get up-close-and-personal with giraffes, zebras, cheetahs, rhinos, exotic birds, monkeys, water buffalo, and antelopes of all kinds. Bonus: you can stay overnight in one of their luxury "glamping" tent cabins!
Howarth Park
Santa Rosa's sprawling Howarth Park not only offers the requisite park play structures, but a train, carousel, animal barn, bounce house, and more! There's even a boathouse where you can rent a sailboat, canoe, or paddleboat to take out on the park's Lake Ralphine.
Spring Lake Water Park
Cool off at the Spring Lake Regional Park this summer at the Spring Lake Water Park, which returns for another season of aquatic fun! Spring Lake's swimming lagoon has been transformed into an aquatic playground with the addition of a collection of floating slides, climbing walls, trampolines, bounce islands, and more. Kids and grownups alike will have a blast.
Pacific Coast Air Museum
This aviation museum at the Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport has an awesome collection of historic aircraft for families to explore. They even have open-cockpit days where you can climb aboard select planes and helicopters! On the first Thursday of the month April–October, the museum offers their famous Hot Dog Thursdays where admission to the museum plus a hot dog, chips, and a soft drink cost only $10.
Sebastopol
U-Pick Organic Fruit
Rural Sebastopol is home to the best u-pick experiences in the North Bay! Visit Boring Farm throughout late spring and summer for delicious organic raspberries, including thornless varieties that are easy for little ones to pick. Summertime also means a trip to Duckworth Family Farm and their incredible u-pick blueberry experience — don't miss the homemade blueberry ice cream and baked treats. In August, pick your own organic Honeycrisp apples at Gold Ridge Organic Farms and sample some of their heirloom apples or amazing olive oil while you're there.
The Gravenstein Apple Fair
Good food, good music, and good vibes await you and your family at the Gravenstein Apple Fair, Sebastopol's annual celebration of all things apple. This year's fair, the 53rd, takes place on Saturday and Sunday, August 8 and 9, 2026 at Sebastopol's Ragle Ranch Regional Park. Sample best local food and drink, enjoy live music from top regional artists, participate in ag-inspired fun for the whole family, and much more. Get tickets here!
Sonoma and the Valley of the Moon
Sonoma TrainTown
All aboard! This miniature railroad has been delighting Bay Area families since way back in the '50s. Ride the rails on a miniature steam or diesel locomotive. Along the way you'll stop and visit and mini Old West town and petting zoo! TrainTown also offers a carousel, ferris wheel, and other kid-friendly carnival rides.
Sonoma Plaza
The town of Sonoma is a fantastic Wine Country destination for either a family outing or a weekend getaway. One of our favorite things to do there is stake out a place in Sonoma’s historic downtown Plaza, have a picnic and kids can enjoy the two playgrounds. Explore the historic Mexican barracks and Mission San Francisco Solano of the adjacent Sonoma State Historic Park; the park often hosts family programs like living history days and campfire sing alongs..
Morton's Warm Springs
Families have been swimming and playing at Morton's Warm Springs for over 70 years. Located outside the town of Kenwood, Morton's offers two natural mineral pools, a creek, a baby pool, a spacious lawn, picnic sites, sports areas, and a fantastic organic cafe. It's a perfect place to swim and spend a day in the sun! The also offer memberships for summer-long fun.
Jack London State Historic Park
Famed writer Jack London built his sprawling Beauty Ranch near the town of Glen Ellen. Today it's Jack London State Historic Park, one of our favorite places to visit in the Bay Area. Hike to the pond, visit the Pig Palace and the ruins of London's Wolf House mansion, and explore the cottage where the writer worked and died exactly 100 years ago. The park also offers a calendar of special events including guided hikes and concerts.
Sonoma Botanical Garden, Spirit Guides
Stroll the path and experience these brightly colored, richly patterned sculptures by artists Jacobo and María Ángeles. Inspired by the Zapotec calendar, the 8 larger-than-life sculptures on view depict imaginary hybrid animals that serve as spirit guides and astrological embodiments of human character. They are pretty spectacular to see in person. The Spirit Guides exhibition is now on display until September 7, 2026.
Guerneville and the Russian River
Johnson's Beach
Spending the day at this old-school beach along the Russian River is like taking a step back in time. Food and drink are available for sale, and you can rent paddle boats, kayaks, and canoes. Stake out a spot on the beach, rent a beach umbrella and some inner tubes, and hang out and play all day!
Armstrong Redwoods
When you want to walk among the redwoods, skip the summer crowds and parking hassle at Marin's Muir Woods and head north to Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Preserve. This park outside Guerneville boasts plenty of towering centuries-old Coast Redwoods and easy hiking trails, as well as a visitor and nature center. Admission is free!
