Sonoma Fairgrounds/Santa Rosa

Getting There

(View interactive map)

Directions	This site is about 2 hours north of San Jose and about an hour north of downtown San Francisco. From the south Take 101 north to Santa Rosa. Take the Highway 12 exit towards Sonoma (east). From Hwy 12, take the first exit you come to (the South E Street exit). Go straight through the light at the bottom of the offramp, onto Bennett Street. *** You will almost immediately pass, on your right, the fairgrounds racetrack followed by the huge pink Grace Pavilion. Promptly after the Pavilion, turn into the fairgrounds driveway and go past the Pavilion to the Lyttle Cow Palace arena to unload. To get to the main parking lot after unloading, drive back out past the pink Pavilion, turn right back onto Bennett, and continue up to the next intersection where you will see the parking area on your right. From the north Take 80 southwest to Vallejo, then 37 west to Novato, then 101 north. Follow the instructions above from ***
Distance	Via 280/19th St/Golden Gate Bridge: 107.3 miles Via 880/Richmond-San Rafael Bridge: 109 miles
Driving time to, 5 AM	Via 280/19th St/Golden Gate Bridge: 1 hr, 50 mins. Via 880/Richmond-San Rafael Bridge: 1 hr, 45 mins.
Driving time from, 5 PM	Via 280/19th St/Golden Gate Bridge: over 2 hrs Via 880/Richmond-San Rafael Bridge: 1 hr, 45 mins to 2 hrs
Slow bits	Via 280/19th St/Golden Gate Bridge: 19th Ave. 35-45 MPH and about 500 stop lights. 55 MPH between Golden Gate Bridge and San Rafael. 19th Ave. is beautiful before 7 AM! Going south late in the day, there is often a backup to the toll plaza all the way across the bridge and as far back as Sausalito or even further. Via 880/Richmond-San Rafael Bridge: 55 MPH between San Rafael and Berkeley. 880 all the way often has miserably heavy traffic late in the day that seldom moves at the speed limit.
Notes	Via 280/19th St/Golden Gate Bridge: Going south over bridge, pay $3 toll. Via 880/Richmond-San Rafael Bridge: Going north over bridge, pay $2 toll.

Site Description

Overview	Lighted, covered arena on a packed dirt surface with room for two rings. One side has roll-down metal doors to protect from sun, wind, rain.
Parking	Limited parking is available next to the arena; most of the parking is across a major street or slightly down the road, so most people will need to drive there after unloading.
Restrooms	Under same arena cover right next to rings. Very convenient.
Dog romping	Large lawn area near arena; some debris.
Shade/Shelter	Crating area is adjacent to the ring area under the same cover. Might be limited space so don't plan on sprawling.
Camping	You can park your RV or tent overnight adjacent to the arena, with ($18/night) or without ($12/night) hookups.
Food	Sometimes the refreshment stand in the same building is open.
Notes	If temperatures hit the dew point--it'll rain inside the building as moisture condenses on the metal roof & drips down.