By Susan Voyles, Reno Gazette-Journal

In Sonoma County, people are visiting local parks and riding bikes more than ever, adding to the attraction of local wineries to boost tourism, says County Supervisor Valerie Brown.

County parks are part of a stepped-up promotion to draw locals and people across California to visit the famous wine-producing region, she said.

Robert Reich, a former labor secretary who spoke to the National Association of County officials in Reno, would certainly say Brown, NACo president this year, is on the right track.

“There are two kinds of tourism,” Reich said today after his speech. “One is a major trip, a big-spending vacation where you take the whole family and splurge. That is not coming back for years.

“The other is long weekend getaways,” he said, of trips between 100 to 200 miles. “There are absolute signs that’s coming back.”

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