A newcomer's guide to the North Bay
Four counties, four county seats, and the orientation that matters: where you are, who governs it, and how to start belonging.
Welcome to the North Bay. If you just arrived, the first thing to learn is that you have moved to four places at once: Marin, Sonoma, Napa and Solano counties, each with its own government, its own character, and its own way of doing things. The second thing to learn is that the four counties share a bay, a water system, a fire risk, and a single commuter spine. This guide is the orientation that matters.
The four counties, at a glance
Marin County, with its seat in San Rafael, runs from the Golden Gate to Point Reyes, pairing bay-front towns with ranchland and coastline. Sonoma County, seated in Santa Rosa, is home to the Russian River watershed. Napa County, seated in Napa, is the valley county, built around the wine economy and its unincorporated land. Solano County, seated in Fairfield, is the eastern county, with the Vallejo waterfront on one side and the interior towns on the other.
Who governs what
Each county is run by an elected board of supervisors, and each board publishes its meetings, agendas and records online. The Marin County Board of Supervisors posts meetings and participation information on the county website. Sonoma County publishes its board calendar through the county's agenda system. The Napa County Board of Supervisors posts its meetings and agendas through the county agenda portal. The Solano County Board of Supervisors posts its agendas, minutes and videos. Under California's Brown Act, regular-meeting agendas are posted at least 72 hours in advance, so there is always time to read the packet before you show up.
Sign up for the alerts
Every North Bay county runs an opt-in emergency notification system, and signing up is the single most important thing a newcomer can do. AlertMarin is Marin County's official system, sending alerts by phone call, text message and email during emergencies such as flooding, wildfires and evacuations. SoCoAlert is Sonoma County's system, and the county advises registering every address you care about, including workplaces and schools, not just your home. Napa and Solano counties run their own county alert systems as well. Do this the first week.
Get out and see the counties
The fastest way to learn the North Bay is to visit the places that define each county. In Marin, that means the Point Reyes coast and the towns along the water. In Sonoma, Courthouse Square in Santa Rosa, and the breweries and institutions the county is known for, from Russian River Brewing Company to the Charles M. Schulz Museum. In Napa, the valley floor: the Oxbow Public Market in Napa, the Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville, and the Calistoga castle winery. In Solano, the Vallejo waterfront and the Jelly Belly Visitor Center in Fairfield.
Our business directory tracks verified North Bay businesses county by county, from Hog Island Oyster Company in Marshall to Sonoma Raceway to the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum. Three habits will orient you faster than anything else: sign up for your county's alert system, read a board agenda before the meeting instead of after, and get out to the places that define each county. The North Bay rewards people who show up.
