Orange crate art was a place to start / Orange crate art was a world apart / Home for two with view of Sonoma / Where there's aroma and heart / __Memories of her orange crate art - From "Orange Crate Art" by Brian Wilson
If you're a fan of wine, you probably already know a bit about Sonoma, California. It is an hour north of San Francisco, and it is home to 10,648 residents, as of the 2010 U.S. Census. But perhaps most importantly, it's Wine Country! Of course, it's not all wineries and fun here; there are also some rental houses and apartments that are worth checking out.
Looking for a Rental in Sonoma
If you're looking for a home for rent in this city, you will be pleasantly surprised with the housing prices. There are people who might assume living so close to so many wineries would cost a fortune. If this describes you, your day is about to be made. The rental prices here are only a tad bit higher than the average in California. Even the price to buy a home in Sonoma is just a little more than the state's average. So your dream to get a home in Wine Country on a modest budget is perfectly within the realm of possibility.
Keep in mind when looking for apartments for rent in Sonoma that a lot of that available housing is seasonal, so your best bet is to hunt for a home during the off-season from November until March. Come prepared to put down a deposit and show proof of income if you have your sights set on the duplexes for rent and other housing types here.
Sonoma Neighborhoods
Sonoma has several neighborhoods to choose from. These are a few of the largest and most popular ones available in the city.
Fairville / Schellville: This area makes up a lot of Sonoma and is among the most expensive neighborhoods to live in. But if you want a single-family home or mobile home, it's the place to be. This area also boasts the wetlands on Skaggs Island, as well as lots of wineries that include Gundlach Bundschu Winery and Viansa Winery.
El Verano / Temelec: If you seek a rural neighborhood with plenty of houses to choose from, this area won't disappoint. It is home to Lake Josephine and Fern Lake, and it's just south of Jack London State Historic Park.
Verano / Mission Highlands: Whether you're in search of detached homes, apartments or townhouses for rent, you will get what you need in this area on the northeastern edge of Sonoma. And if you like wine, you'll be happy with the presence of Ravenswood Winery, Hanzell Vineyards and Buena Vista Winery.
Living in Sonoma
One of the most popular things to do in this city is take tours of the dozens of wineries here. Of course, once you have lived here for a while, you will probably have visited every winery possible and might be looking for other things to do -- unless, you really like wine that much. Otherwise, there are lots of parks and green spaces to admire. Take a hike along Arroyo Seco Creek and take some pictures of Quarryhill Botanic Garden.
You can also spend the day watching races at Sonoma Raceway, exploring Mission San Francisco Solano, checking out historic buildings in Sonoma Plaza or shopping at Cornerstone Sonoma. Basically, you can't go wrong making Sonoma your new home.