The only negatives that I know of are it can get very hot there. We went to the annual Art and Wine festival held in July several times and it was 103!
Lots of tourists on the weekends but you can work around that. My son in law is from St. Helena and they travel all the back roads to get around.

We have former neighbors who moved to Healdsburg and love it.

Being a financial planner, you've researched real estate costs in California vs. Oregon vs. Washington, I assume.

I'm California-born and love my beautiful state, but frankly I don't know how people can afford to move here. You mention homes in your current neighborhood sell for 600K, but that isn't going to buy you much anywhere near the ocean in California. (I live in a beach town in L.A. County where an architecturally interesting but not historic 3bed/2bath house would cost you $2+ million. Heck, you can buy mine for $1.25 million without the interesting architecture, but then where would I go?)

And have you researched property taxes? For property purchased for 600K, the first property tax bill would be close to $7,000 (depending on local add-ons) and increases every year thereafter.

Anyway, good luck with your research. My sister-in-law's research caused her to sell her house in the S.F. Bay area and move to Portland. I would've picked Santa Fe.

Good luck on your quest. I live in SF, and absolutely love Sonoma. From your description of what you are looking for, it sounds perfect. Also, not sure how much time you spent there, but you will find the people are incredibly friendly and welcoming. (Must be all the wine! :)

Just wanted to note, although someone mentioned that it can get quite hot there in the summer, it does not get really humid, it's a dry heat.

The location is fantastic, you are within driving distance (less than an hour) to the ocean, about an hour from San Francisco, you are also in driving distance from Lake Tahoe (scenic, relaxing, and skiing if you're into that), plus, Yosemite is several hours away for a getaway.

Sonoma also has some wonderful spas and hot springs for both body and mind relaxation.

You asked for negatives. Except for a bit of touristy traffic (mostly in the summer/fall on weekends), I honestly can't think of a single thing. It's a beautiful area, close to so many things, warm, wonderful people, great food and wine, gorgeous scenery (it always reminds me of Europe when I travel the back winding roads through the vineyards), and perfect weather.

Best of luck to you and your husband. Hope you find exactly what you are looking for, and that you will be eternally happy in your choice.

Andiamo

One thing to consider about living in Sonoma, which is by no means a deal-breaker, but is distance to the nearest airport (would love to hear what residents have to add to this). I have colleagues that live in Petaluma and was shocked to hear that it takes them 1.5 hours to get to SFO without traffic. If they are going around rush hour, they allow 3 hours! I was shocked. That to me, is a disadvantage.

Santa Rosa has an airport, but I'm not sure of the types of flights out of there (my assumption is that there are a lot of inter-California flights). If you are going to be going to Boston to visit family you will most likely have to fly out of SFO or Oakland.

My parents have a house in Geyserville, so I'm familiar with the drive to and from SF. I have never done the drive to either the Oakland Airport or SFO, so I don't really know the actual driving time. It's just something to know about, but again, it's not a deal breaker. The area is really lovely and wonderful. Good Luck!

Sadly for us, commercial flights no longer fly out of Santa Rosa - it's now private planes only.

I think Mendocino would be too remote for you - the nearest hospital is in Fort Bragg 10 miles to the north and it's not really a critical care facility.

May I suggest beautiful Ojai? Located about 15 miles inland from Ventura (south of Santa Barbara) it has the art/historical/community vibe you are seeking. To me, it combines small town ambience with convenience to two big cities - Santa Barbara and L.A. I would definitely choose Ojai over Sonoma!

Ojai is spectacular, I have been there twice. But coming from New England, we really are seeking a "4-season" climate, and I think the area north of SFO suits us a little better in that regard.

The airport drive time does not bother me that much. We know from our visits about the traffic and drive times, and when retired, would be able to plan/adjust much easier.

Our main concern is quality of life - again, the things the tour books can never really quantify - to us that means a vibrant community, friendly people, lots going on, good health care and a nearby hospital, a good library, good weather so that we can enjoy the outdoors, low crime, not being in an "oasis" with nothing else around you, not having to drive out of town to attend to ongoing needs - ie., hardware store, grocery store, etc. (where do people in this area shop for clothes, however??).

I am cognizant of the high cost of living - same as where I am from. We could not afford Sonoma except for a very modest house or one in a retirement community outside of town (a trade-off, but we gain other benefits).

I am a firm believer that you get what you pay for. We live in a great community now, and we pay for doing so. I think Sonoma would be no different. We are certainly checking other areas - WA, OR - but so far nothing has measured up to Sonoma.

Tourist traffic is a given in our area too, so I think we can deal with that. When I first moved to my town, I used to walk downtown and think "why are all these people walking around with cameras?". Then I realized I live in a pretty special place, and these people were all tourists!! I guess you take what you have for granted sometimes.

Hope to hear from more of you on the pros/cons of Sonoma.

For what it's worth, area we are thinking of living is Temelec/Chantarelle/Creekside retirement communities outside of town. If anyone has info. - good or bad - please fill us in.

Hi wanderer, regarding SFO airport there is a commercial bus that goes between SFO and Sonoma. Think it is called the Sonoma Airporter. With the cost of parking at SFO that might be a way to get to and from SFO.

One note, friends lived in Sonoma but eventually moved as they were not happy with the medical care there. But don't know the details but something you would no doubt want to look into.

I have family in Ojai and it is beautiful but to tell you the truth it is more fun to visit there then live there. And Hwy 33 which gets you to Frwy 101 often gets landslides in winter which can really cause a problem.

Sonoma use to have a beautiful shoe store and dress store but the shoe store closed down and I believe the dress store did also. You will no doubt have to go to one of the malls for shopping.

What fun, looking for a new place to live! Enjoy and best wishes to you with your decision.

LoveItaly -
Would be curious where your friends moved from Sonoma. Health care is an important consideration for us.

Hi wanderer, they moved to a small town outside of Phoenix. Not a choice I would have made. But they are happy there so that is all that is important. They love their house, the desert scenery, their pool etc. and they say that the health care is wonderful. They now have Medicare along with HealthNet which cost something like $80.00 pp monthly for Health Net.

I don't know what age you are at or at least will be when you move. And of course we all know medical plans change year by year. But let me just say that I would sure check into what coverage would be available over and above Medicare. Where I lived until 5 years ago really has nothing to offer except for Kaiser. Where I live now there is a plan that is $95.00 per month with a wonderful medical group and hospital. But again as you know medical insurance plans change and so nothing is written in stone.

wanderer, I am not sure if Sonoma is where you want to be from what I have read. I consider Sonoma an "oasis". You have to leave town for any serious shopping, Santa Rosa or Novato have the malls. I do not even think that Sonoma has a hospital but I am be incorrect on that. I know my friends were always going to Santa Rosa for their stockbroker, health care, shopping, movies etc. or Novato for shopping. They lived in Sonoma but it seemed they were always going out of town for the services and stores that they needed. Sonoma is a beautiful little town but it is not where I would chose to live quite frankly. Don't mean to be negative just sharing my thoughts. Best wishes.

Thanks. Where we live now does have a hospital, a very small little movie "theatre" (actually a storefront that someone converted that until a few years ago just had folding chairs - very charming), and no heavy duty shopping save a Marshalls and KMart on the fringe of town. So we are used to driving for the mall, bigtime movies, etc.

What I meant by being an "oasis" was a beautiful little town with no other surrounding towns with much to offer, and not even near a big city.

I don't see Sonoma quite that way - it is close to the ocean, skiing, shopping and every town that borders it also is beautiful and offers something. If we wanted to travel further to "vacation" we could easily get to Mendocino, Central Coast, Southern Oregon border, etc. If Sonoma was just smack in the middle of nowhere, we wouldn't consider it. I think much of the draw is the surrounding country, and of course the weather.

All of these comments are really helpful for us to sort this out. We can visit and love a place, and of course we would visit many times and rent before we bought, but it is a big move....

What can anyone tell me about Chico?

Chico is probably too much of a State College town for you, as is Davis. Don't overlook two weather conditions in parts of California: fog and heat. Sonoma and Napa get pretty hot.

Maybe rethink Healdsburg. It is not as remote as several of the other towns you are considering.

Pacific Grove is pretty terrific, too, and not that far from San Jose.

The towns close to amenities are often the most expensive, too.

How about Lincoln Hills? Is that area appealing? Very structured, and not my style, but many, many people I know absolutely love it there.

We will all eagerly await your decision.

We live in Pleasant Hill / Walnut Creek. It's 30 miles east of SF and have:
Driving distance (hour or so) to ocean

Driving distance to skiing (4 hrs or less)

A "real" downtown

A vibrant town with arts and culture

A town between 8K - 25K population

Good restaurants

A sense of history

Nice neighboring towns

Good weather - no snow

A town with "real" stores mixed in with the "boutique" stores

Close (hour or so drive) to San Francisco

Town with a hospital IN the town

Recreational opportunities - farmers markets, festivals, etc.

I went to school at CSU Chico and lived there for about 6 years. Given your requirements I would say that it would be too hot in the summer for you. Most summer days are in the mid 90s to low 100s. You do get four seasons and a relatively mild winter though. It is a typical college town. The surrounding area is mainly agricultural. It has a cute downtown area with a central square where there are concerts and festivals in the summer.It is a 3 to 4 hour drive to the Bay Area and about a 2 hour drive to Sacratomato. I loved living there and go back every year to visit friends who never left.

-Bill

We are rethinking Healdsburg, and will visit there again in May when we are out.

How hot does Sonoma get?? Weather.com chart shows up to 90 in July but not above. We get that here, and some waves into the 100s once in awhile - in fact it was 88 degrees Mon night at 8pm. Here's it's the hot "sticky" humid heat though. As long as it isn't 90 - 100 for months on end, I think we could stand it. Sure beats snow.

One thing I should mention, as I've been to Pacific Grove and loved it, and have a friend who lives in Walnut Creek, is that as nice as those two communties are, price IS an issue.

In Sonoma we can find a nice 3br/2ba home in a retirement community (not a mobile home park) for between 500K-600K. I couldn't find anything that price in Pacific Grove, so crossed it off the list.

Cabovacation - where is Lincoln Hills? I know Eureka/Aracata is remote, and we've crossed off our list due to amount of rain and remoteness. We're thinking SLO may not fit either, but still want to see it. It's far from a major city, and doesn't have the change in seasons we hope to find.

Hi Wanderer

Thanks for crossing "Eureka/Aracata" off your list. It is very backwater, it rains all the time and the locals are standoffish. You will be much better off somewhere else.

Have Fun
GP

My wife wandered into your post after wandering out of bed early this morning
so I'm using her identity. Our first reaction is why in the heck are you moving from what you have? Wanna trade houses?? No, actually we can see the downside of the weather!!

Have you checked into Lake County? I'm a Broker here(30 years) and while Lake Co. may be a little short of all your requirements, it does have a lot to offer. We're just over Mt St Helena from Calistoga; have just had a surge in land planted in wine grapes; total county population of 65,000+; a little over 2 hours to San Francisco or Ft Bragg/Mendocino; 3-3 1/2 hours to Tahoe/Reno and about 2 hours to Sacramento International(all times dependent upon where you actually live in the county--the middle of the county is Clear Lake, the largest natural lake totally within California so you have to go around it). We get our 100-degree days for a week or so at a time but it has been in the 80's all this month. There are a couple of communities in the county that might fit--Lakeport, the county seat, has a nice older downtown; Kelseyville is not a city but has a small downtown area of older buildings and Middletown is the first community after going over St Helena from the Napa Valley and has a cute area of older buildings a couple of blocks long. Is golf an interest? There's a gated community outside of Middletown with a good 18 hole course(Hidden Valley Lake), but it is 2-5 degrees warmer in summer and colder in winter. In fact the hot air balloons that can't go up in the Napa Valley due to fog come to this area during the foggy Napa mornings. We do the major shopping in Santa Rosa.

Lake County has the cleanest air in California and we've seen a surge in property values because our homes are still less expensive than surrounding markets. Clear Lake is probably the oldest lake on the North American continent with evidence of man going back 12,000 years. We are a large retirement area, but we've had many retirees move because of distance restrictions for Kaiser, which is in Santa Rosa - two hospitals here which are smaller. Redbud in the south end is affiliated with Adventist Health and heart procedures are done at St Helena Hospital, also Adventist Health. We have a couple of doctors well known in heart procedures. Lakeport has Sutter Lakeside, associated with Sutter Health. Critical care does send you out of the county though.

Cobb Mountain area does get some snow and is the largest geothermal energy producing area in the world(or was)!

Guess I really rambled!! Regarding Sonoma, sounds like it is hard to beat on your list and based on our few trips there it is understandable. You might check out the Lincoln area because of the new senior community there. At least spend a day driving through Lake County as every place you mention surrounds us!! Highway 20 travels the north shore of Clear Lake as you go from Interstate 5 to Hwy 101 and/or Ft Bragg. Hwy 29 comes up from the Napa Valley through Middletown and up to Lakeport where it ends at Hwy 20. Here's my website if you'd like a little real estate info. http://www.prurealty.com/david.hughes Also try lakecounty.com if you're interested in more research.

Best of luck in your quest. Post if we can tell you more!!

Brasil_Nut and Brasil_Nut II

I grew up in Sonoma. We are retired now and I would go back in a minute except that my husband still has ties to the University where he taught for 30 years.

As for hot summers, yes there can be hot days in Sonoma, but they rarely last for more than two days and then the marine layer comes in from the coast in the mornings and cools things off. However, even on a hot day, it cools off at night and summer evenings can be very pleasant.

Distance from airport. There is an airporter which goes from Petaluma to SFO and is very efficient. The drive to the airport is not too bad, except when there is heavy traffic.

The medical care is good, and it is only 20 miles to Santa Rosa if more specialized medicine would be needed.

The summer tourists are legion, but if that doesn't bother you it should not be a concern.

I would not like to be as far north as Mendocino, since we like to have season tickets to the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco and I find it quite isolated.

We live in Santa Cruz. I am not suggesting it because of housing prices, but it does have a University campus and the ocean.

Good luck with your planning.

Thanks everyone. I think we have ruled out Mendocino due to remoteness, and medical care. Same for San Luis Obispo/Atascadero and Pismo Beach and also due to 2-season rather than 4-season climate. All we are looking forward to see, however.

We still keep going back to Sonoma, as having most of what we want. Nevada City seems cute, but again, quality medical care with specialists seems to be an issue.

We look forward to our trip in May to see more of Sonoma and some of the real estate there. We also will take a second look at Healdsburg on our way down from Mendocino, although we found it a bit "remote" (meaning farther from the things we want to be close to than we really want to be) on our last visit. We are just hoping MA can keep pace with the prices in CA....

Nevada City is a darling place and a wonderful area to visit but the health care is not top notch. I know as I have had family members that have lived in that area. Great for a summer location home etc. but personally I would never live there 365 days a year. Sonoma is much closer to services that you will want or sometime in the future might need. Again wanderer, best wishes to you with your decision.