We could not have dreamed of a more perfect place to hold our wedding last May. It almost feels…read moreunreal that a place as beautiful as Garden Valley Ranch exists. The entire property is breathtaking and there is nothing better than the sight and smell of fresh roses everywhere! Our guests raved (and even a year out they're still dropping us compliments) about how gorgeous the Belvedere lawn area and Secret Garden were, which is where we held our ceremony, cocktail hour and reception. The koi pond is a hidden gem that we loved doing our first look at. Working with Jessica made planning our vision for the day feel so easy. She is so kind, responsive, generous, and professional. She and the team had also worked with many of our other vendors who were local to the area, so we felt at ease knowing everything would go just as planned on such a busy day. Garden Valley Ranch is a stunning place and we cannot recommend it enough. Our wedding day flew by so fast and we wished we had gotten more time to enjoy this beautiful space!

Great facility. Love the emense rose garden. Luckily there was a southerly breeze the day we were…read morethere...due to neighboring property with all the cattle.

The Petaluma Historical Library and Museum is a majestic building on 4th Street built in 1904. It…read moreis one of the few remaining Carnegie libraries in California. We came upon the museum as we were enjoying a stroll in the quaint downtown of Petaluma. The museum is free but accepts donations. The is a tremendous amount of historical artifacts from the city and area. When we visited there was a Black History moth exhibit. There was a corner dedicated to the 1970's movie 'American Graffiti' which was filmed in Petaluma.

I feel lucky to have a local museum in Petaluma that provides tours and preserve the history of the…read moretown. The walking tour is hosted during certainly months probably from May to November. We joined the last walking tour for the year and it was so interesting. The tour guides are volunteers and they are vivid story tellers. I will have to come back again to learn more about the town and visit often!

There just aren't enough of these types of majestic bridges around. The Haystack Rail Bridge is a…read moresteel single-leaf drawbridge that carries the Northwestern Pacific Railroad over the Petaluma River near the 101 freeway. The rail line connects downtown San Rafael with the Sonoma Airport. Not a "new" bridge but instead is the old Galveston Causeway bridge that was built in 1987 and planned to be scraped in 2012 but instead was purchased for $4.2 million and moved here from the Texas Gulf Coast. This was a big savings as the cost of refurbishing the old 1903 Haystack Landing Bridge was quoted as $20 million! There is a great viewing area on Petaluma Boulevard and we hung around for a bit hoping for a bridge opening but gave up after a half hour. [Review 21013 overall - 530 in California - 1998 of 2023.]

I can't believe it took me so long to go to Pinky's. Their pizza is delicious. Seriously, I wasn't…read morevery hungry and I still managed to devour half a large pizza. The restaurant has a really casual, laid-back vibe. There were some arcade games in the back, and tons of families were there hanging out. I'll definitely go back!

Love the pizza. The service was great. The ambiance for our pick up order was a hip spot. Thank youread more

This place is a total Petaluma community asset. I have seen three shows there now and each one of…read morethem has been outstanding. The acoustics are excellent and the set up is fun and intimate. I want to say the venue holds five or 600 people. It's always pretty easy to get in and find a space to sit or stand and the bar in front as you walk in is always hopping! The staff is friendly and the location is fantastic in downtown Petaluma. We recently paid $35 or so per ticket to see an outstanding country performance and I would highly recommend it to anyone whether it be date night or a small group of friends, you can't go wrong checking out a show at the Mystic Theater. Five stars for sure!

My first experience with the Mystic was not one I would want to repeat. The website said doors at…read more7, band at 8 but nothing could have been further from the truth. I arrived at eight and upon entering was greeted not by the reggaeton influenced tunes of The English Beat but blaring 80's music spun by a failed wedding DJ. Snippets of old tunes at ear shattering volume continued for an hour followed by a 30 minute turnover. When EB finally came on after 9:30 the acoustics were so bad I could barely understand the lyrics. Not sure if this was an equipment problem or mixer issue but, Blech. Here is summary of my issues: 1) if you say band starts at eight, band should start around 8. 2) use a local opening band to give up and coming artists exposure. 3) Play music at a reasonable volume, hearing loss is no joke! 4) Get the sound right so Fans can actually enjoy the concert. This is sad because The Mystic has real potential as a music venue but it can't succeed with smart management.

I took my daughter so she can try out for ballet at Contessi Ballet and she loved it. She tried out…read morefor the age group 6-9yrs old. I had a few questions since every ballet company works a bit differently and I was happy that the staff was quick to response and answered all my questions. It's a small ballet studio in a beautiful community of Penngrove. There is a park near it as well as a Penngrove Market. I liked the atmosphere and what I saw the first two classes I attended. Parents are welcome to stay to watch the class if they like or take advantage and finished those last minute errands you might have while your child it's at ballet. The teacher is nice but firm and she runs the class smoothly. She has a good handle on the kids and most important she knows how to talk to them. She makes sure everyone gets a turn and sees that everyone is in the right position otherwise she'll correct them. She makes the class a learning experience but fun but at the same time. There isn't a water fountain in the studio so make sure you bring water or you can purchase from the snack Bar water bottles or snacks. There is plenty of Parking so no worry there.

(( This business is also known as "Contessi Ballet". I will be reviewing the Adult Ballet division…read more )) Located in Penngrove's historic train depot building, Contessi Ballet has a warm, community feeling and they embrace dancers of all ages, shapes, and sizes. At my first class, I was warmly welcomed by the staff and dancers. They offer a decent compliment of adult ballet classes, including two levels of pointe. They offer classes both in the mornings and in the evenings, making it easy for a busy adult to take class during our ever-changing schedules. Best of all (and what attracted me to the studio in the first place), they allow their adult dancers to perform dancing roles in their productions, and even join the NBPA company if they qualify. The company class on Saturdays also offers pas de deux. The studio holds both a winter production (The Nutcracker), and a spring production. The only issues I would put forth is the cleanliness of the floor (I would prefer it to be a bit cleaner), and the temperatures in the studio can fluctuate, so dancers are encouraged to bring layers. I feel that more corrections could be given during classes (some of the teachers are young and seem hesitant), and perhaps more teacher/pedagogical training could be provided for the instructors. A great studio for adults who wish to pursue dance!

Theater night. The Cinnabar Theater's production of The…read moreLast Five Years was an entertaining and intimate experience. We came in support of a friend in the show and enjoyed the small cozy theater's old charm. It provided the perfect backdrop for this emotionally charged musical. The talented 2 person cast did a fantastic -delivering powerful performances that left the audience captivated. The production showcased the complexities of relationships and the passage of time in a truly poignant way. Overall, it was a memorable and engaging theatrical experience. Note: tight parking lot. Come early to make sure you get a space.

What a gem! I'm sad it's taken me this long to see a show here. Our friend was the star for this…read morelast run and we just had to see her! The cast was small on this particular show, but everyone involved on site and in the production was superb! Well thought out play set; clever layers as a visual to the audience. Sweet overall presentation. We loved this experience; the parking is pretty tight if that matters to anyone; manageable but tight. They have a nice concession bar before the plays with Rocky Mountain local goodies, drinks, wine, coffee, etc. I hope we check out another play soon during their next season when it opens.