El Verano

El Verano is served by a number of different airports:

• San Francisco International Airport (SFO ^IATA) is the largest and is 56 miles away. From SFO you'll either rent a car or a limo to take to El Verano. If you are staying in Santa Rosa, you can take Groome Transportation which can drop you off at several locations in Sonoma County. Avoid a cab - it's over $250 from SFO to El Verano and it's cheaper just to rent a car for the 1½-hour drive.
• Oakland International Airport (OAK ^IATA) is the second busiest hub in the Bay Area. Certain flights from Europe and many from across the United States and Hawaii use OAK. It's little under 1½ hours from Sonoma Valley. Traveling from this airport you'll either rent a car, a limo, or take Groome Transportation if you're staying in Santa Rosa. Cabs will be super expensive, so best avoid them.
• Sacramento International Airport (SMF ^IATA) is about 1½ hours away from El Verano. Some international US-based carriers fly here and many regional. To get to El Verano from SMF you'll have to rent a car.
• Sonoma County Airport (STS ^IATA) is named after Snoopy creator Charles M. Schulz. It's about 45 minutes north of Sonoma Valley and is the closest airport. It is served by Alaska Airlines and California-based private flights. From here you can stay in Santa Rosa or head directly to El Verano. If staying in Santa Rosa, take a cab - but, you'll most likely need a rental car to get around the area. So rent a car and head to your destination.

From San Francisco you can take a Greyhound to Santa Rosa. That is the closest stop to El Verano. From there, you will have to rent a car or a bike.

Having a car is pretty critical to controlling your own trip to El Verano and the surrounding Sonoma Valley. You can also rent a private car or a limo. But, for your own fun... it's nice to have a car. Highway 121 brings you into Sonoma Valley. Highway 12 is the primary route that runs through the town of Sonoma, into El Verano, and north and west to Santa Rosa. Do note, Highway 12 is also called "Sonoma Highway" and Highway 121 is also called "Arnold Drive". El Verano is located between Ramon Street and Thomas Avenue when heading south to north; east to west it is from Sonoma Highway to Carriger Road.

• From San Francisco

Go north over the Golden Gate Bridge (Highway 1) and follow Highway 101 north. Go east on Highway 37. Go north on Highway 121. Go north on Highway 12. When you pass Ramon Street you have entered El Verano.

• From East Bay

Go north on 580 towards Point Richmond. From Point Richmond take the Richmond Bridge. Head north on Highway 101. Go east on Highway 47. Go north on Highway 121. Head north on Highway 12.

• From Santa Rosa

Go south on Highway 101. Go south on Highway 12.

• From Sacramento

Go west on Highway 80. Go west on Highway 12. Go north on Highway 29. Go west on Highway 12.

There are no bicycle rental companies in El Verano, but you can rent bikes in Sonoma which is a quick car or cab ride away.

• Wine Country Cyclery 262 West Napa St. +1 707-996-6800
• Sonoma Valley Bike Tours 520 Broadway +1-877-308-2453

Sonoma County Transit connects El Verano to the surrounding towns in the county. Their website has information about how to purchase passes and taking your bicycle on to buses.

Two taxi companies service El Verano:

• Vern's Taxi Service , 254 1st Street East, +1 707-938-8885. This was the only taxi service in Sonoma until 2013.
• Sonoma Taxi, +1 707-889-1266. A Sherpa-owned and -operated taxi service.

• 🌍 Picazo Cafe, 19100 Arnold Dr, ☏ +1 707-931-4377, schavez@picazocafe.com. 6AM-4PM. Owned by the Chavez family, this is a diner that serves breakfast and lunch. Bagels, breakfast sandwiches and special omelets are available in the morning and the afternoon brings fresh sandwiches and house-made grilled burger varieties served with fries. They serve local beer and wine. A local favorite. $3-10. (updated Jul 2019)

• 🌍 Juanita Juanita, 19114 Arnold Dr, ☏ +1 707-935-3981. Woman-owned Mexican restaurant with a quirky retro feel. Good food but it's more expensive than other Mexican restaurants in town. $11-25 - Cash only. (updated Jul 2019)
• 🌍 Las Diablitas Taco Shop, 18976 Sonoma Hwy, ☏ +1 707-933-6330. Tu-Sa 11AM-10PM; Su M 5-10PM. Indoor and outdoor seating, limited parking, great food. (updated Jul 2019)

• 🌍 Shige Sushi and Izakaya, 19161 Sonoma Hwy (in Maxwell Village), ☏ +1 707-933-9331, info@shisorestaurant.com. Tu-Su 5-9PM. The only sushi restaurant in Sonoma Valley, the restaurant also offers izakaya (pub) fare like meat skewers and chicken curry as well as a very wide range of sushi (don't miss the specials board, a bit hidden at the far end of the sushi bar). The restaurant opened in 2019, but it's a successor to a much smaller restaurant in Cotati.) (updated Jul 2019)

• 🌍 Park Point, 19111 Sonoma Highway (in Maxwell Village), ☏ +1 707-996-3111, ellie@parkpointhealthclub.com. M-F 5:30AM-10PM, Su 7AM-7PM. The most popular workout facility in town, Park Point offers discounted passes for visitors in need of a workout. They have all the standards, including classes like yoga and zumba, a pool, and tennis courts. 

• Hairitage Salon, 18770 Sonoma Hwy, ☏ +1 707-996-3641. 10AM-6:30PM. 

• 🌍 Sonoma Nails, 18997 California 12, ☏ +1 707-933-8681, Sonomanails@mail.com. Varies. Decent Vietnamese nail salon available for mani/pedi needs. Appointments are suggested, as this is the most popular nail salon in Sonoma Valley. $10-50.