Staying at The Art House Hotel in Santa Rosa with Kids

You might not think of wine country as a kid-friendly getaway, but Santa Rosa is the exception. From animal safaris to the Peanuts’ gang, and a children’s museum with everything from water play to a helicopter you climb in, Santa Rosa is a lovely destination for families.

At only two hours from Sacramento, you could technically do Santa Rosa as a day trip. However, there’s so much to explore that you’ll likely want to stay the night. Plus, the kids may be tired out after all the adventures they’ll have.

A Family-Friendly Hotel in Santa Rosa

The Art House Hotel

If you’re looking for family-friendly accommodations in a convenient location, the Art House Hotel in Santa Rosa is a perfect choice. The massive suites at the hotel provide comfort and luxury after jam-packed days of Santa Rosa sights and good eats.

This property is a modern boutique hotel in the middle of wine country. It’s easily walkable to several restaurants in downtown Santa Rosa. The hotel also makes a great home base for venturing outside of Santa Rosa to Sonoma County attractions such as Bodega Bay or Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve.

Why Stay at The Art House Hotel with Kids

Spacious Suites

The sheer size of the Art House Hotel suites and full kitchen make it reason enough to stay at this property with kids. It’s an enormous size with tons of space for a family to spread out and enjoy comforts. Neither parents nor kids will feel cramped at this hotel. These are apartment-sized suites.

After a fun day in Santa Rosa with the kids, have a family game night with board games, or enjoy a family movie night. The TVs in the room have streaming channels where you can log into your own accounts (and they thankfully automatically log you out, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting to do that).

Note that there are accommodation options that include smaller queen and king-size rooms.

Accommodations for Toddlers

We have two toddlers, and so our three-year-old slept on the pull-out sleeper sofa. The hotel accommodated us with a pack ‘n play for our 1-year-old. Since our 1-year-old goes to bed earlier than the rest of us, having a bedroom with its own set of doors was particularly convenient. Another perk is that if toddlers need a bath, there is a real bathtub in the hotel bathroom.

I will say there was a glass dining table with real plates on top of it in the living room. This aspect wasn’t toddler-friendly and we just had to be extra mindful of making sure our kids avoided it.

Full Kitchen

With two little kids who still regularly drink milk, it’s always a gamble to know what the hotel fridge situation will be like. A full kitchen means a full fridge, which is glorious and uncommon in a hotel. We were even able to take restaurant leftovers with us back to the hotel, as there was plenty of room in the fridge to store them.

The kitchen has everything you might need, from an oven to cooking knives, a dishwasher, and real dishware. We only stayed for two nights and dined out for every meal, but if it’s easier for your family to stay in and cook with local Santa Rosa ingredients, that would be very doable with the full-scale kitchen in the hotel room.

Complimentary Breakfast

The Art House Hotel serves complimentary breakfast in its Gallery Lounge every morning from 6:30am to 10am. It’s not a buffet-style breakfast you might expect with eggs and waffle makers. Instead, it has items that are convenient for grabbing and going, like oranges and pre-packaged muffins. Still, it’s a nice perk, especially if you need to grab something early when young kids are up at 7am.

Convenient Location & Walkability

The hotel is truly in a prime spot in Santa Rosa. On the first night of our stay, we made the mistake of driving to downtown Santa Rosa, not realizing just how close the hotel was. With any city, parking can be challenging in a downtown area. Walking from the Art House to downtown Santa Rosa only took minutes, and was a much shorter duration than circling the downtown area to look for a parking spot at dinner time.

Downtown Santa Rosa has mainly restaurants and shops that are within walking distance of the hotel. You will need to drive to most attractions in Santa Rosa for kids, but the location is very convenient for dining out.

The hotel has a small gated parking garage for guests. One awkward thing is that you have to get out of the car to swipe into the garage, as it’s not reachable from the driver’s window.

Modern Comforts

Everything from the bed to the chairs to the pillows was incredibly comfortable. Maybe it’s because I’m always tired with two young kids, but I had two wonderful nights of sleep during my stay. The hotel has a quiet and relaxing atmosphere. I didn’t have to search everywhere for an outlet near the bed, as there was a USB port on the nightstand. I also enjoyed the Nespresso maker in the room.

Things to Do Near The Art House in Santa Rosa with Kids

As I mentioned, while there are many restaurants within walking distance of the hotel, you’ll need to drive to most attractions in Santa Rosa for kids.

1. Museum of Sonoma County

The Museum of Sonoma County is one attraction you actually could walk to from the Art House hotel. Learn the history of the Santa Rosa area and check out the museum’s sculpture garden. They frequently host family events at the museum.

2. Children’s Museum of Sonoma County

Children 10 years old and younger will love this Santa Rosa museum. My kids spent hours at the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County, and honestly, probably would have loved it if we had spent the whole day here. The inside is immersive with pretend play areas and unique activities like brushing a dinosaur’s teeth, performing a puppet show, and stepping into a space shuttle.

The outside exhibits are wildly impressive, ranging from interactive water play, a trike track, and a helicopter you can rock climb up and into. My kids loved throwing rocks into the Little Russian River. This museum is a must-stop when taking kids to Santa Rosa.

3. Charles M. Schulz Museum

The Children’s Museum of Sonoma County is next door to the Charles M. Schulz Museum. Santa Rosa and the Peanuts go hand-in-hand as Peanuts’ statues are all over the city. While I took my kids to the Charles M. Schulz Museum to check it out, it’s better for older kids who can read and understand the comics.

From creating your own cartoon with a zoetrope to coloring sheets, various interactive activities are in the Education Room on the second floor. If kids love art and drawing, they’ll especially appreciate this museum. It’s a great way to introduce kids to Charlie Brown and the Peanuts. Plus, you can take a lunch break at the Warm Puppy Cafe, a Snoopy-themed casual cafe that has indoor and outdoor seating.

4. Safari West

I look forward to the day when I get to take my kids to Safari West. Unfortunately, they are too young right now, as kids must be at least 4 years old to go on a Classic Safari. This attraction is a real treat for kids who love animals, as they’ll get to see giraffes, a southern white rhino, and antelope on this exciting Santa Rosa adventure.

5. Howarth Park

Summertime is the prime time to visit Howarth Park with kids. The park has multiple playgrounds and play areas, including an Old West area. In the summer, attractions at Howarth Park include a train, carousel, pony rides, and an animal barn.

6. Spring Lake Park

Spring Lake Park is next to Howarth Park. It’s a lesser-known park in Santa Rosa, but it has some fun things for kids, including a free Environmental Discovery Center (with a tide pool of live sea creatures). It’s next to the Spring Lake Cafe, another casual option for food with kids. In the summer, Spring Lake Park has a floating, inflatable water park.

Walkable Restaurants from The Art House Hotel

All of the restaurants below are within walking distance of the Art House hotel. Leave the car in the parking garage and set out to these restaurants on foot!

7. La Rosa

La Rosa has a large outdoor dining area next to Old Courthouse Square. The atmosphere is lively, and the Mexican fare is delicious. The kids’ menu includes options like kiddie quesadillas and grilled chicken and rice. The kids’ menu doubles as a coloring sheet. Don’t miss the Esquites appetizer, which might have been the best thing I ate in Santa Rosa, period.

8. Mac’s Deli

Start your Santa Rosa morning at Mac’s Deli. This staple establishment is a retro diner with modern touches, including a tree in the dining room. Mac’s menu is expansive, and the plates come piled high.

9. Downtown Barbecue

It’s probably obvious what the menu consists of at a place called Downtown Barbecue. They are known for their outdoor area, which includes lawn games and space for kids to run around. Unfortunately, the outdoor area was closed when we visited. The barbecue was delicious with generous portions, and the kids’ menu had plenty of options for the little ones.

10. Noble Folk

All good things end with ice cream, and Noble Folk specializes in small-batch, seasonal ice cream flavors. The shop is small (our strollers barely fit through the doors). Treat yourself to an ice cream flight and take it to go to enjoy across the street at one of the many picnic tables in Old Courthouse Square.

Booking Your Stay

The Art House Hotel in Santa Rosa is a stylish boutique hotel situated in a convenient location. The space and modern amenities are ideal for families while exploring kid-friendly attractions in wine country. Book your family stay at the Art House Hotel by clicking here.

Address: Art House Hotel | 620 7th St, Santa Rosa, CA 95404

Top photo courtesy of Visit Santa Rosa