Petaluma is located within Sonoma County and is a historic riverfront town. If you drive on the…read morebackroads you will see farms and ranches and it is very peaceful and serene. There is the historical downtown area filled with restaurants, shops, etc. and the Smart Train goes there so it's all very convenient to get to. It's a fun place to walk around and soak in all that the downtown area has to offer. There is lots of amazing farm to table dining options both in the downtown area and outside of the downtown area due to the surrrounding dairies and ranches. The food is all so fresh and amazing! If you are a foodie, Petaluma has some amazing options for you to check out! There are several breweries in the area like Lagunitas Brewing Company and HenHouse Brewing if you are into beer. There is a distillery and Petaluma has a whole new AVA, so if you are a Pinot Noir lover, you will find incredible wines from the Petaluma Gap AVA. There are also lots of outdoor areas. The one that I love the most is Helen Putnam Regional Park. It has lots of lush green trails with rolling hills and stunning views. The Petaluma River is a great spot for kayaking and paddle boarding. The Shollenberger Park is also a great spot if you are into bird watching. I love how green this area is and also that there are so many things to do depending on your interests.

Located in the Sonoma County, this city which I often visited when staying in Novato…read more Petaluma City has been well known to be the center of preserved historical place as well as wine tours too. Petaluma Historical Library and Museum preserved Petaluma's History as well as providing cultural and also educational services to the community!!! Sol Food is where we dine everytime we come visit!!!

Nestled in the shadows of Shell Oil and located along the Carquinez Straits Shoreline, Martinez is…read morepleasant city that has maintained its small town charm. With a diversity of home styles it is a great place to have a home tour and show that Martinez is more than a refinery town or the County Seat. L & I purchased our tickets as soon as they were available at one of the many events on Main Street. This was the third annual tour, with the proceeds benefiting the Historical Society. The architectural designs of the homes on this year's tour included Victorians, an early 1900 craftsmen style home, some 1920's & 1930's bungalows, and a Tudor home. What I like about this tour and why it is a five star event The diversity of home styles A well written guide book that tells about the history of the home and the people of Martinez All the homes had wonderful high end classic cars, like a 1930 something Pierce Arrow, parked in front of them. The other cars were also very impressive. I walk by one house twice and the 1930 something Cadillac parked in front of it was surround by admirers. These beautiful cars don't show up at most car shows. The docents stationed in the homes all were dressed in the period style of when the home was built. And perhaps the best thing about this tour is even thought the homes are showplaces, at least on the day of the tour, I could see myself living in most of them.

The upcoming 2012 Martinez Home Tour will take place on Saturday October 13th. The 7 private homes…read morewill be located within walking distance of each other -- although a shuttle service will be available every 10 minutes. This is a very interesting event because it has antique cars, displays, exhibits, period demonstrations and musicians that are mixed in with the homes. This year, there will also be 4 "points of interest" on the Tour -- all located in the same area as the homes. The points of interest include the brass and stone monument that identifies the spot where the Martini was invented. Also the "doll hospital" where vintage dolls are repaired, new dolls are manufactured and doll making classes are taught. Also City Hall -- with a docent on duty to explain that the building began life in 1917 as a school to accomodate the influx of children into town as the new Shell Refinery began operating. The Shell Clubhouse is the starting point for the Tour. Its Arts & Crafts interior will be filled with displays and exhibits. Then there are four museums which will be open during the tour: The Shell Oil Museum, the Martinez Museum, the John Muir Mansion and the Martinez Adobe.

What a beautiful day to visit!…read more I like the free public parking! It's always fun to discover new places to eat and shop!

**FULL DISCLOSURE: THIS IS FOR THE POP UP DRIVE-IN EVENTS DURING COVID**…read more This is for their pop up drive-in events that the City of Cotati have been holding since Covid hit. It's held in the lot right off the freeway across from Peet's Coffee. I was fortunate enough to purchase an online ticket for the viewing of Hocus Pocus which was held on Friday 10/23/2020. $25 per car so if there are 4 or 5 people in the car it's still less than going to the actual movie theater (when they were open) at matinee prices. What was nice about this event was it wasn't on some huge plot of land or grass, it was just a small number of cars allowed (maybe 50, give or take). When you check in they hand you a piece of paper which tells you which radio station you need to have tuned in to listen to the movie. My suggestion is to bring a handheld radio with you instead of using your car radio especially if you have a weak car battery. They had Wingman food truck there selling some awesome wings!! Also, there was another vendor there (can't remember their name) and they were selling various prepackaged popcorn that they make with flavors from plain to kettlecorn and everything in between. Or you could just bring your own food & beverage & not have to worry about sneaking it in like the movie theaters. LOL The people who were checking in all cars were great. And when people tried to come in after the movie had started (the place was sold out so this would be people who had not purchased a car ticket & weren't on their list) these individuals quickly ran to the entrance to deal with them. Only thing was they really needed to tell these people while they were talking to them for 30 seconds to 3 minutes, to turn off their headlights as it was blinding several cars including the one I was in so it made it difficult to see the movie. This happened over a half a dozen times, which gets old. My suggestion would be to find some way to block the entrance so the cars are stopped before they get into the lot. Other than that I think it was a pretty good event and I'm sure previous events were just as fun. If these pop up drive-ins continue and they are showing a movie you'd like to see I suggest you purchase your ticket online through the City of Cotati and get out and see a movie!

I can tell this trail used to be beautiful. The view of the vineyard and river is lovely. However,…read moreit's pretty overgrown now. Beware of poison oak! There's a lot of it at the Southern end. :/

To work up our appetite for Ad Hoc, we decided to go on a nature walk. A walk because we're a…read morebunch of city mice and none of us were ready for a hike with proper shoes. Hell, I was dressed like a punk rock Liza Minnelli so hiking was definitely out of the question. The Ecological Reserve is supposed to be an easy hike by the Napa River, but one trail brought us to a creek with no way to cross, and the other trail took us to a dead end with a chain link fence. It took us 3-5 minutes max to hit those obstacles from the beginning of the trail. There is a parking lot and a wheelchair accessible port-a-pottie; the map and area info has lots of graffiti and is difficult to read. We did see a woodpecker and a really cool beehive up in a tree, as well as a group of oldsters who wouldn't listen to us when we told them the trails dead end and kept going in circles. This misadventure was enough for us to walk off the Bouchon baked goods and prep us for a four course meal, so three stars.

One of the better stocked visitors centers I've visited, and with such friendly ranger service!…read more Lots of interactive displays that the kids enjoyed. We ran our visit by a ranger and got feedback and a set of Junior Ranger books. We returned around 4:45pm and the kids turned in their Junior Ranger books. We also got a special 250 year stamp! In terms of swag, they've got plenty of clothing including shirts, long sleeves, sweaters, goodies, and beanies. Point Reyes was cold, even in July! They also have brochures, books, Junior Ranger gear, plushies, binoculars, stamps, stickers, pins, tokens... so much. And a good selection of first aid supplies. Cancellation stamps are right at the entrance. Clean bathrooms on the outside. Plenty of parking.

4.5 stars Bear…read moreValley visitor's center is a really nice and well-maintained visitor's center. Inside, there's a little museum explaining the wildlife found in the area. There's a gift shop area with books for all ages and small selection of souvenirs. The restrooms are also pretty clean. There's free parking on site and additional parking and restrooms across from the visitor's center. There's also plenty of space for picnics. Idk what the rules are, but I did see horses and horse riders, so I think there's a horse trail nearby?? Would recommend the stop for maps, souvenirs, restroom breaks, and/or picnics.

Filled with innovative, fun and independantly owned businesses. Has an interesting past. Used to…read morebe a brothel and speak easy back in the day. The building is made of brick and redwood. Additionally, it holds many businesses such as Maldondo's Renew, Pilates with Anne, Lions and Tigers and Hair, Hee bee Gee bee's, Soft Shell, Bricks, Old Chicago Pizza, Studio 33, Dick Warner Wines, Fantasia and the Christmas Shop. Not only are there great stores and services but once inside you swear you are in an Escher Sketch. With so many add ons it sometimes seems as if stairs are leading to nowhere. If you want to see a great old Petaluma Building filled with history be sure not miss this one.

To be honest, this review is completely biased considering this is the building where my parent's…read morerestaurant used to be and where my dad's wine shop is currently located. But, if you happen to be in Petaluma at any point, you can come to this one building and get your hair cut, buy Christmas ornaments, do pilates, and drink wine with my dad. All that in one building that used to be a brothel!! Craziness!

We had the best day out in Napa with Hollie! she was so sweet and fun. The drive was so beautiful…read moreand you couldn't beat the views from all three wineries we visited! Each tasting was unique, personal, and private.

5 stars are not enough to rate this experience!!!!! We had…read morethe best day with Kent. He is so knowledgeable and taught us so much about wine, grapes, vineyards and the valley. Our beautiful sunny Napa Valley day was spent at 3 small family vineyard wineries with private and relaxed tastings. The conversations with Kent and the winery owners were so informative and enjoyable. The wines were spectacular! So much in fact that My "wine cellar " is fully stocked. Each winery was so unique with their different histories, setting for the tastings, and the wines. A quick stop at a local deli/ store to pick up a picnic lunch was perfect! I am looking forward to going back as soon as I can. Thank you

There is little to no cell service.... So make sure you have your map downloaded offline (or have a…read morepaper map). The elephant seals are on shore until about March every year. The visitor center is free and they offer some great programs (check the schedule) Our kids love visiting and learning about the ecosystem and the animals.

The Kenneth Patrick Visitor Center is in a spectacular setting. It's not as comprehensive as the…read moreBear Valley one with its dioramas, but it's all about the view. There is now a monument to Sir Francis Drake's voyage of discovery; Drake would eventually found the Jamestown&Roanoke settlements in Virginia, but one could say that nearby Drakes Beach is a placid New England shore. The visitor center is tucked among oyster-harvesting esteros and historic cattle ranches. One could call it surf&turf in an extreme, powerful setting. They have a good gift shop... and unlike the Bear Valley one, a coffee/tea/hot cocoa snack bar. There are several picnic tables. Though it is closed from late September to late December, it is an okay visitor center.