Let’s Ride! Take SMART to Lunch, Shopping or a Day by the Bay

By Deborah Quam | October 19, 2026 |

Looking for a day out without spending the whole day behind the wheel? The SMART train offers Oakmont residents several possibilities, from lunch and shopping in a North Bay downtown to a ferry ride across the Bay to San Francisco. Go with friends, take visiting family or bring the grandchildren. Pick a destination, check the return schedule and make the ride part of the fun.

For a trip south, the Cotati station at 980 East Cotati Avenue is one convenient starting point. Parking is free for a day outing. From there, board a southbound train toward Larkspur. Train and ferry schedules differ on weekdays and weekends, so look at both before choosing a departure. Planning the return at the same time will help you decide how much time to spend at your destination.

At Larkspur, the train station and ferry terminal are separate stops. Passengers can walk between them using the pedestrian connection or use the SMART Connect Larkspur shuttle. During its operating hours, the shuttle meets arriving trains and ferries. It is particularly helpful for passengers who find the walk difficult.

Reserve a shuttle seat through the Ride Pingo app or by calling 800-727-0279. Walk-ons are accepted when space is available, with priority given to passengers with limited mobility. Check operating hours, including midday breaks, and allow enough time for the connection. The train and ferry do not wait for the shuttle.

The Golden Gate Ferry takes passengers from Larkspur to San Francisco’s Ferry Building. This is an opportunity to enjoy the water and city views while someone else handles the transportation. Bring a jacket, even if it is warm when you leave Sonoma County. The Bay can feel like a different season.

Once you disembark, the Ferry Building Marketplace can easily fill a leisurely visit. Browse specialty food merchants, stop at Book Passage, shop for gifts or choose a place for lunch. Individual shops keep their own hours. Outside, the Embarcadero offers waterfront walking and sightseeing, with plenty to enjoy without planning another transportation connection.

For farmers market fans, the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market operates Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday brings the largest market. A little shopping, lunch and a waterfront stroll can make a satisfying day without trying to fit in every San Francisco attraction.

You do not have to travel all the way to the ferry, however. Downtown San Rafael makes a good destination for lunch and browsing. Get off at the San Rafael station and explore the restaurants, cafés and shops around Fourth Street.

Sol Food, at 901 Lincoln Avenue, is a nearby option for Puerto Rican cuisine. Its distinctive green building is a short walk from the station, with adjoining La Bodega at 903 Lincoln Avenue. Check the San Rafael menu and dining hours before traveling. Lunch followed by a downtown stroll makes a manageable outing, or San Rafael can be a stop before continuing to Larkspur. If you plan to get off and board another train, check the rules for your ticket or pass.

Closer to home, downtown Santa Rosa’s SMART station sits in Historic Railroad Square, where restaurants and shopping are within a short walk. Browse antique stores and specialty shops or plan the outing around a meal. Those wanting a longer walk can continue east toward Courthouse Square.

Railroad Square also makes a convenient meeting place for Oakmont residents and friends or family who live elsewhere along the SMART line. Oakmonters can drive downtown and meet guests arriving by train, then walk together to lunch or dinner and explore the neighborhood. Visitors can enjoy time together without needing to drive all the way to Oakmont or arrange a pickup at another station. For an evening gathering, choose the restaurant reservation around your guests’ return train schedule.

For breakfast or lunch, Omelette Express at 112 Fourth Street offers omelettes, sandwiches, salads and burgers. Its early-afternoon closing makes it a choice for the first part of the day. Jackson’s Bar and Oven at 135 Fourth Street opens daily at 11:30 a.m., with wood-fired pizzas, salads and larger dishes. Its children’s menu is useful when grandchildren are along.

For dinner, LoCoco’s Cucina Rustica at 117 Fourth Street offers Italian antipasti, pastas, meat and seafood dishes in an intimate setting. It opens at 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. La Gare at 208 Wilson Street serves French cuisine, with a dining room and enclosed patio, and begins dinner service at 5 p.m.

An early dinner can work with the train schedule. Under SMART’s published timetable effective April 12, 2026, the last southbound train leaves downtown Santa Rosa at 8:33 p.m. on weekdays and 8:18 p.m. on weekends and holidays. That is the direction for passengers returning to Rohnert Park, Cotati, Petaluma or Marin. The last northbound departures toward Santa Rosa North, the airport station and Windsor are 11:06 p.m. on weekdays and 10:59 p.m. on weekends and holidays. A 5 or 5:30 p.m. reservation leaves more breathing room for dinner and the walk back to the platform. Always recheck the schedule for your travel date.

There are opportunities north as well. Windsor service opened in May 2025, extending the line beyond the Sonoma County Airport station. The next extension is to Healdsburg, where SMART currently plans to begin passenger service in late 2028. That project is funded. Cloverdale remains a future destination, with full funding still being sought.

Before heading out, check current train and ferry schedules, fares and service alerts. Train, shuttle and ferry services have separate payment arrangements, so review any senior or children’s fare rules for each part of the trip. Choose a return connection and a backup, wear comfortable shoes and leave time to enjoy the destination. For Oakmont residents, transportation between home and the boarding station remains part of the planning.

A train outing can be as simple as lunch in Railroad Square or as ambitious as a day across the Bay. There is no need to do it all at once. One stop, a good meal and time with friends may be just the right itinerary.