You may not be aware, but Sonoma County has a fully-functioning airport located in Santa Rosa where you can hop on a plane and head to Seattle, Portland, Las Vegas or LA, without the hassle of dealing with the San Francisco or Oakland airports. While we know there’s more than enough to do right here in our backyard (our 100 Reasons are just a start), it is nice to escape every now and again, and even nicer without taking the Airport Shuttle for two hours or paying for Park n’ Fly.

Aside from catching your flight, the Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport is actually a destination in and of itself. You can head over to the Sky Lounge, open 7-days a week, and watch private jets, hot air balloons, helicopters and other aircraft come and go. With an outdoor patio located along the runway, you’ll be up close for the action. And trust us; this isn’t your normal airport fare. The Sky Lounge is an American style steakhouse with a delicious dinner menu, affordable lunch and delightful breakfast. There’s even a raw bar. In fact, the only peanuts you’ll see are the comic strips, statues and other memorabilia decorating the airport in honor of its namesake.

And once a year, aviation buffs from all over descend on the Charles M. Schulz Airport for the Pacific Coast Air Museum’s Wings Over Wine Country Air Show, the largest air show in Northern California. Though a large scale event, the intimate setting means one can easily climb aboard a jet fighter, walk through a massive C-17 transport plane, and get close up to historical aircraft, as well as enjoy kid friendly events and a car show.

In addition to the Air Show, the Pacific Coast Air Museum operates both an indoor museum with exhibits, photos and artifacts, as well as an outdoor museum with contemporary and antique aircraft on display – some of which you can even climb aboard. Docent tours are open to school children and there are also additional classes and activities.

Sonoma County is an amazing spot for those interested in aviation – both the history, as well as modern commercial flights. And if you really want to be a part of the action, you can even attend flight school.

Follow along as the full list unfolds – 100 Reasons Why We Love Where We Live

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Photos taken by Jack Snell

Posted by:  Frank Howard Allen Realtors