Petaluma is worth a stop off Highway 101 for travelers passing through Sonoma County. There’s a historic and appealing downtown with great food and interesting stores. It’s well worth a visit for an overnight or day trip.
Downtown Petaluma backs up against the Petaluma River, an area offering walking trails, kayaking and outdoor dining. (Larry Sokoloff/Bay City News)
And with a number of moderately priced hotels, Petaluma can also be a good jumping off point to explore Point Reyes National Seashore, 25 miles away, or Sonoma, a distance of 15 miles.
The lively downtown center is at Petaluma Boulevard and Washington Street. The downtown district backs up against the Petaluma River, which features walking trails, kayaking and outdoor dining.
Petaluma is home to about 60,000 residents, but since its founding in 1858, it has been the center of a prosperous agricultural region. The first practical chicken incubator was invented there in 1879 and as a result, the town’s poultry farms boomed. At one time, Petaluma was known as the Egg Capital of the World.
Spring is a particularly good time to visit, for two celebrations: one related to agriculture, one related to “American Graffiti.”
Petaluma’s agrarian roots are celebrated during the Butter & Egg Days Parade & Festival, which is on April 18 this year.
The poultry industry is featured in an exhibit at the Petaluma Historical Library and Museum in the restored Carnegie library on Fourth Street. Admission is free; it’s open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays.
Another exhibit looks at “American Graffiti,” the nostalgic 1973 movie directed by George Lucas filmed in Petaluma. In May, the city celebrates the film with Cruisin’ the Boulevard, an event that attracts car lovers from across the country.
“They cruise the city just like the ‘50s,” said Liz Cohee, the museum coordinator. This year’s event is set for May 15-16.
Petaluma prospered at the turn of the 20th century. Its riverside location was ideal for sending steamboats full of agricultural goods to San Francisco. “Petaluma was very wealthy,” Cohee said, noting the grand Victorian-era homes of a prosperous class of bankers and lawyers. From spring until fall, docents lead weekend downtown walking tours.
There are more than 50 stores, restaurants and businesses downtown. For a treat, try cheese samples and $5 grilled cheese sandwiches at the Petaluma Creamery retail store at 711 Western Ave. Or take a tour of the factory located a few blocks away. Look for the cow above the main building.
Other notable artwork includes two bathtubs on stilts at H Street and the Petaluma River. The tubs are in an up-and-coming warehouse district along the Petaluma River on First Street. Visitors can pick up food at the Hog Island Oyster Co. at 419 First St., which has a takeout window, or shop at olive oil manufacturer McEvoy Ranch, which has an outlet next to its warehouse at 425 First St.
Petaluma’s visitors center is located at 210 Lakeville St., next to the downtown SMART (Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit) station.
For more information, go to visitpetaluma.com.