Epicenter

Sonoma County's hands-on kids museum: indoor science and art exhibits plus Mary's Garden outside, with a water-play creek, climbing structures and a nature zone.

Peanuts headquarters: comic-strip exhibits and hands-on cartooning at the museum, then public skating across the street in the rink Charles Schulz built.

A renovated motor lodge on Cleveland Ave with an outdoor pool, fire pits and family rooms, minutes from the Schulz Museum.

Santa Rosa's original play cafe: a real breakfast-and-lunch restaurant with a supervised play area built in, so kids roam while you finish a hot coffee.