Petaluma, a town of about 59,000, is in Sonoma County, California. Petaluma retains its Victorian charm after having survived the 1906 earthquake which leveled San Francisco to the south and Santa Rosa to the north. The town is most famous for being “The egg basket of the world” between 1890 and 1960. During that time a majority of the population worked in support of the poultry farms that surrounded the town. More eggs and chicks came from Petaluma than anywhere else. As new technology fueled the factory approach to egg production, most of Petaluma’s small egg farms disappeared. Yet there are still some larger poultry farms in the area and there are also dairies, creameries, cheese factories, vineyards and wineries.
Sonoma County is home to Bodega Bay, amazing redwood forests, and scenic waterways. There are many activities in the area for you to make a family vacation out of your visit. For more information about Petaluma, please see the Petaluma Visitor Center.
There is a free parking garage in Petaluma on Keller Street between Western Avenue and Washington Street. Take a walking tour of Petaluma’s movie locations or visit some downtown restaurants and shops.
- Exact directions will be provided when tour is booked.
- Fly into Oakland airport
- Fly into San Francisco airport
- Fly into Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa, CA
- Airport Express is the bus from all airports to Petaluma Fairgrounds (175 Fairgrounds Dr.)
- Golden Gate Transit is the public transportation from San Francisco to the Petaluma Transit Mall
- Uber and Lyft are available from bus stops to Rancho Obi-Wan.
- To tour downtown Petaluma, there are two free parking garages: Keller Street between Western and Washington and C Street between 1st and 2nd.
- Quality Inn (5100 Montero Way)
- Sheraton (745 Baywood Drive)
- Motel 6 (1368 North McDowell Boulevard) — recently renovated
- Hotel Petaluma (205 Kentucky) — downtown, built in 1923
- Hampton Inn (450 Jefferson Street) — newer hotel built in a historic building
- Courtyard by Marriot (450 Jefferson Street) — newest hotel in Petaluma
- Ray’s Deli (900 Western Ave.) — our local tavern!
- McNear’s Restaurant and Bar (23 Petaluma Blvd. North)
- Stefano’s pizza (5 Petaluma Blvd S suite D)
- Central Market Restaurant (42 Petaluma Blvd. North)
- Starbucks (125-A Petaluma Blvd. North)
- Peets (5 Petaluma Blvd S Suite A)
- Tea Room Cafe (316 Western Ave.) — cash only, breakfast & lunch only!
- Tortilla Real Restaurant (5 Petaluma Boulevard South)
- Brewster’s Beer Garden & BBQ (229 Water Street North)
- Della Fattoria Bakery (139 Petaluma Blvd. North)
- Petaluma Market Grocery & Deli (210 Western Avenue)
- Everest Restaurant (56 E. Washington St.)
- The Seed Bank (110 Petaluma Blvd. North)
- Copperfield’s Books (140 Kentucky)
- i Leoni Culinary Supply (120B Kentucky)
- Rex Ace Hardware (313 B Street) — great housewares and Petaluma gifts!
- Kentucky Street Shops
- Field Works (316 B Street) — Petaluma gifts
- Petaluma Historical Museum (20 4th Street)
- Charles M. Schulz Museum (Santa Rosa)
- The Walt Disney Family Museum (San Francisco)
- Jelly Belly Factory (Fairfield)
- Helen Putnam Park (hiking in Petaluma)
- San Anselmo Imagination Park (Yoda and Indiana Jones statues)
- Muir Woods (hiking in Marin County, parking reservations are required)
- Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve (hiking ~1 hour North of Petaluma)
- Pt. Reyes National Seashore (Sonoma Coast)
- Bodega Bay (Sonoma Coast)
- Golden Gate National Recreation Area (Marin Coast)
- The Presidio of San Francisco (home to Lucasfilm and the Yoda fountain)
- Golden Gate Park (San Francisco)