//
Town in California, United States
Photo: Marlith, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Windsor is a town of 27,000 people (2019) in Sonoma County in the Bay Area of California, 9 miles north of Santa Rosa and 63 miles north of San Francisco. It may not be on the main tourist trail through California's Wine Country, but it will appeal to people looking for small, family-owned businesses, an eclectic mix of shops, and summertime entertainment.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
A charming, small museum. A pleasant walking path along Windsor Creek is nearby (cross the bridge located to the northeast of the museum).
It's near the airport, so it is not in Windsor, but it's close. PCAM is definitely worth a visit for those interested in airplanes, or those with children old enough to be interested in the wide variety of (mostly) military planes, helicopters, and aircraft-related displays.
The easiest (flat), but lacking in longer hiking opportunities. The complete trail around the lake, which takes less than an hour to walk, is problematical in the months during and immediately after heavy rains.
Relatively easy trails, and some great views. At least 90% of the park burned in the Kincade fire of October 2019, but the damage was primarily to the underbrush. More than half of the trails in the park have reopened as of January 2020.
With the least-developed trails, and more elevation changes
Tours are by appointment only, but fresh produce is available (without an appointment or taking a tour) eight months a year.
It's small; it's in a strip mall; the decor is nothing to write home about. But the breakfast burrito gets near-universal raves, as does the Mexican mocha. And Ana herself.
Tucked away in the beverage district about a mile south of downtown, the cafe offers simple but creative food, plus 38 taps with a rotating section of craft beer, cider, and wine (four options). For families, there is a "Kids Corner " for the young ones.
You pretty much can't go wrong with any food choice. Plenty of outdoor seating.
A wide variety of really good food; the top-rated restaurant in Windsor.
Facing the town green, the restaurant aims to "capture the exciting times of the post-modern late 1950s and early 60s, when Elvis was King and The Jetsons was the coolest show on television!" There is a covered patio, so diners can eat outside year-round. The diner-style breakfast menu is epic; try the Famous Potato Pancakes.
A wide variety of food, but best is the purely Mexican - campechana, molcajete mariscos (share with a friend), pollo al horno con mole, queso fundido are all recommended. (But if you like Hawaiian pizza, definitely try the pizza al pastor.)
Not your ordinary pizza. The baker, Leah Scurto, is truly award-winning - her Mush-A-Roni pie pan pizza won first place at the U.S. Pizza Cup in 2018, for example. The restaurant also offers a variety of traditional crust pizzas.
Upscale Japanese, though not particularly expensive. Reservations recommended.
A breakfast, brunch and lunch restaurant at the end of a shopping center, the large menu includes sandwiches, burgers, and wraps, as well as breakfast food served at any time.
Southern-style cuisine, wine country version. Full bar. Reservations strongly recommended.
It's small, and tucked away two blocks from the town green, but worth searching out (and making reservations for) if you like Thai food.
Good Japanese food, just east of the central Windsor exit off Highway 101.
formerly Powell's Sweet Shoppe
An incredible variety of candy and other sweets, plus ice cream. Ideal for kids and for those looking for memories of being a kid.
A chocolate wonderland; try the bite-sized chocolate bonbons, little works of candy art.
A diverse dessert and refreshment shop serving excellent Boba, coffee, drinks, and ice cream; next to Round Table Pizza in the Palms Shopping Center.
formerly Two Dog Night Creamery
Fresh, organic, locally sourced ingredients in their gelato-style ice cream, using liquid nitrogen. No samples.
Opened in September 2025, this replaced Flagstaff Taproom's Windsor location. Twenty or so rotating selections of beers, ciders, cand kombuchas and seltzers on tap, plus pizza, sandwiches, and snacks. Lots of outdoor seating.
Food is available from a food truck on select Fridays and Saturdays - check the website. When food trucks are not in operation, customers are welcome to bring food, or even to order it for delivery to the site. Nice patio.
The wine tasting room opened December 2016.
An 85,000-square-foot, 195-seat brewpub, with patio and a one-acre, pet-friendly beer garden. The beer is exceptional, the quality of the food and service a bit inconsistent. Free guided tours are available by reservation. The original RRBC location in downtown Santa Rosa is still open.
By appointment, either taste wines made by one winery, of more than a dozen boutique wineries using the facility, in one of six private tasting rooms, or try the "Vintner's Selection" ($35), a tasting flight of five wines from a variety of wineries.
Indoor and outdoor seating
The winery has a number of offerings involving food, as well as wine tastings, and more: "Stroll through our rose garden and fruit orchards. Enjoy rowing or fishing on our Pond. Relax on the Pavilion lawn or compete on the Bocce Courts."
If you're staying here, avoid the Applebee's restaurant nextdoor, unless you really like eating at that chain. There are four much better restaurants within two blocks.
For those who want to walk around downtown Windsor, the closest hotel, five or so blocks to the Town Green. It features an indoor heated pool, and the bowling alley is next door.
Opened September 2017; most parking is in the underground garage.
A Wyndham property, almost next to the Windsor Golf Club's 18-hole golf course. If you're disinclined to drive, Charlie's Restaurant - an easy walk - isn't bad.
Windsor is primarily accessible by car, although it is also a destination for those bicycling through California's wine country.
Read in the guideThe town of Windsor is almost completely flat, and almost all streets have sidewalks, so walking is feasible to most places within town limits.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Santa Rosa · Regional · STS
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Windsor (California) and United States.
Travel tipsFind the cheapest countries to fly to from the US and UK in 2026. Compare realistic round-trip flight deals, budget airlines, and prime booking windows.
8 min read
Travel tipsFind the best time to visit Hawaii in 2026. Compare whale seasons, big-wave surf, dry shoulder months, hotel rates, and island microclimates.
8 min read
InspirationDiscover the best places to visit in April. Compare Dutch tulip fields, Thailand's Songkran water festival, Roman spring gardens, and cherry blossoms.
6 min read
Travel tipsA practical guide to travelling with medication and refrigerated drugs like insulin and GLP-1s. Learn airline rules, customs papers, and cooling tips.
7 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.