Just revisiting an old thread after actually visiting Sonoma TrainTown. I used a special where I got four train tickets and eight ride tickets for half price.
The setting is within the city limits of Sonoma and is across the Lodge at Sonoma. I'd say it's more on a nondescript main thoroughfare in a small town where the side streets are all residential. Their land is surrounded mostly by residential neighborhood, and on the train ride you will see houses. The parking lot is right off the road. It doesn't look like a big place from the street.
The train itself is fine. The cars seem to be commercially produced, and the floor is steel plate and seating is on a ridged, rubberized mat. The ride has one stop for several minutes, and you can get off to check out little buildings and check out their animal pens. They have animal feed for a quarter. Watch the llamas, since their bottom teeth point forward. We went on two rides - once with myself and my kid, and the other time all three in our family. I bought another train ticket for $5.75. And you might want to hold your breath in the tunnels, as the smell of burning oil in a confined space is nasty. I've been in tunnels with other oil burning trains, and this was the nastiest.
The rides were somewhat of a letdown. They're more or less county fair style rides. The merry go round is a mass produced ride with some customization. The other issue is that the rides are understaffed and often sit idle for a while. They have crew that go from one ride to another, and sometimes they won't be there. When we were thinking of going on their mini ferris wheel, the employees said that it would be operating for about 10 minutes, and they had to go to another ride in the meantime. Of our eight ride tickets, we only used four.
I would say that this place is most definitely not a destination attraction. It's a place you might consider if you're already going to another place in the area such as the Schultz Museum or visiting the wine country. The drive here is spectacular from any direction. There are no freeways coming into the city of Sonoma, and there will be vineyards visible from the road regardless of where you came from.
The absolute best miniature train ride in the Bay Area is Redwood Valley Railway in Tilden Park, which is also the best value. Traintown train tickets are $5.75 each for riders at least 1. Redwood Valley tickets are $3 each for riders at least 2 and with five ride family tickets for $12.
