1. A’Roma Roasters And Coffeehouse
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 576-7765
Address: 95 Fifth Street
Description: Come down to Railroad Square on a Friday or Saturday night for live music and a hot cup of chai or joe. A’Roma does a lot of folk music, plus some world beat, jazz, and blues. Shows start at 8:30 p.m.
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Nightlife
Address: 120 Fifth Street
3. Seven Ultralounge
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 528-4700
Address: 528 Seventh Street
Description: This dance club, which opened in early 2006 to much ballyhoo, recently made many changes. It began as a high-end, high-priced club aimed at twenty-somethings, complete with a velvet rope and a line around the block. The owners have tweaked the music lineup (mostly provided by DJs) to help reduce some of the frequent police presence that threatened to shut the place down. There’s a colorful dance floor, and a strict dress code is enforced. The menu consists of appetizers and sandwiches.
4. Flamingo Resort Hotel
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 545-8530
Address: 2777 Fourth Street
Description: Sure, it’s a hotel bar, but it’s better than most. Count on rock, soul, or rhythm & blues bands on the weekends, and karaoke on Monday nights. Sundays are for salsa dancing; on Tuesdays it’s West Coast swing (with lessons optional both nights). The spacious dance floor is one of the best around, and it’s always packed with hoofers of all ages.
5. Ellington Hall
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 545-6150
Address: 3535 Industrial Avenue
Description: If you don’t know how to dance but want to learn, or if you are a rising star looking to improve your style, waltz into Ellington Hall. You can take lessons almost every night, and you get to practice afterward during the nightly open dance parties. The choices include—but are not limited to—ballroom, hip-hop, belly dancing (women only), salsa, jitterbug, and Scottish dancing too. Call or check the Web site for prices and details. (As the address suggests, this dance hall is tucked into a light industrial and commercial area.)
6. 3Rd Street Cinemas
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 522-0330
Address: 620 Third Street
7. Airport Stadium 12
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 522-0330
Address: 409 Aviation Way
8. Rialto Cinemas Lakeside
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 525-4840
Address: 551 Summerfield Road
9. Roxy Stadium 14
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 522-0330
Address: 85 Santa Rosa Avenue
10. St. Francis Winery & Vineyards
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 833-4666, (800) 675-9463
Address: 100 Pythian Road
Description: Joseph Martin, who left the corporate world in 1971 to become a vintner, named his winery after St. Francis of Assisi and San Francisco de Solano Mission in Sonoma. His first harvest came in 1979 with production of 4,000 cases. Today the benchmark varietals are Chardonnay and a meritage called Anthem, but the portfolio also includes Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The visitor center is a beauty, with terrific views and a huge gift shop and special reserve wine tasting bar.
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Nightlife
Address: 7335 Highway 12 (Sonoma Highway)
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Nightlife
Address: 6097 Bennett Valley Road
13. Paradise Ridge Winery
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 528-9463
Address: 4545 Thomas Lake Harris Drive
Description: For Walter and Marijki Byck, Paradise came to be on the day in 1994 when they opened the doors to their new winery, a California-style structure with breathtaking views from the decks. In fact, the view is so exciting the winery stays open late some evenings just so visitors can catch the sunset. After purchasing a 156-acre ranch adjoining the old Fountain Grove Winery, the Bycks planted 18 acres of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay grapes, determined to produce the finest wines possible. In addition to their award-winning wines, they also feature a historical exhibit and world-class sculpture garden. Paradise Ridge can be a little tricky to find, but it’s worth the journey. It produces Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, among others, and even a sparkling wine.