Safari West Declared Best Family Fun In The West By Sunset Magazine

Garnering national attention for Santa Rosa, Safari West has been declared the “Best Family Fun” destination in the West by Sunset magazine. The acclaimed Santa Rosa attraction is one of 30 award recipients of the first-ever Sunset Travel Awards, which honor the West’s top destinations in lodging, dining, cultural tourism, outdoor adventure, environmental stewardship and other categories.

“To be a finalist for a Sunset Travel Award puts you in extremely good company; to be a winner puts you among a group of elite A-list destinations and experiences,” note the editors at Sunset. “This destination represents an unparalleled experience for any Western traveler.”

Safari West is an accredited zoo, a premier resort and, most importantly, a wildlife preserve committed to conservation through education. Home to 900 birds and mammals and more than 90 unique species, this “Sonoma Serengeti” offers the unique opportunity to see giraffes, cheetahs, wildebeests, flamingos and many other species on three-hour guided safari tours. Today, 10,000 of the 60,000 annual guests are students who visit the Santa Rosa preserve to participate in one of its many educational programs, with subjects that include veterinary, osteology, animal husbandry, physiology, anatomy, and ethnology.

Guests can also embark on private beer or wine tasting safaris, indulge in the gourmet Savannah Grill BBQ, and experience “glamping” with an overnight stay in one of 30 luxurious tents, imported directly from South Africa. Built on high wooden platforms with spacious decks overlooking the animal enclosures, the tents feature plush beds, rustic but elegant decor, hot showers with gleaming copper basins in the private bathrooms and one-of-a kind hand hewn furniture.

Brad Calkins, Executive Director of Visit Santa Rosa, notes: “Safari West truly represents the best of Santa Rosa, bringing together unparalleled natural beauty, adventure, education about the environment, and wine country-inspired food and drink.”

Safari West is among the 30 winners of the 2015 Sunset Travel Awards currently featured in the June issue of Sunset magazine and on Sunset.com, reaching six million consumers per month. A full list of winners from the 2015 Sunset Travel Awards can be found online at www.sunset.com/travelawards.

More information on family-friendly activities, dining and lodging in Santa Rosa is available online at www.visitsantarosa.com. For press inquiries, high resolution photos, or interview requests, contact Marcella Thompkins at 213-985-1011 or marcella@mccuecommunications.com.