Sonoma, Wine country city in San Francisco Bay Area, United States
Sonoma is a city in Sonoma County, California, set in a valley between two mountain ranges roughly 45 miles (72 km) north of San Francisco. The city spreads around a large central plaza, from which residential streets with timber houses and low commercial buildings radiate outward.
Franciscan monks founded the last California mission here in 1823 under Spanish and later Mexican rule. American settlers declared the short-lived California Republic here in 1846, which lasted only weeks before the territory passed to the United States.
The central square follows Spanish colonial design, with arcades and low buildings in stone and timber surrounding an open grass common. Locals use this square for markets and gatherings, while visitors sit on benches under old trees and watch daily life unfold.
Summer days turn hot and dry, while winter months stay mild and wet, making spring and autumn the most comfortable times to visit. Most shops and wineries sit within walking distance of the central plaza, so exploring on foot works well.
A flag with a bear flew here for only 25 days in June 1846 before American naval forces arrived and replaced it with the Stars and Stripes. This brief episode shaped the later design of the California state flag, which still shows a bear today.
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