Petaluma is a scenic city of about 60,000 people with an ideal location in the heart of Sonoma County’s wine country. It’s located on Highway 101, about an hour north of San Francisco and just 45 minutes from Bodega Bay on the Pacific Ocean. While Petaluma draws thousands of visitors every year, imagine what it’s like to live in this incredible city.
There are so many attractions in and around Petaluma that it’s hard to know where to even start for people who have recently purchased Petaluma real estate. This historic city is the second-largest in Sonoma County, so there’s a steady employment market and great schools. It used to be known as the "Egg Basket of the World" for its agricultural importance in the first half of the 20th century. It has pivoted to wine production and a thriving restaurant scene that makes it a dream come true for foodies. It is surrounded by natural wonders on all sides, including rolling hills, parks, and the Petaluma River, which flows right through the middle of town.
A relocators guide to Petaluma, California
Neighborhoods
Petaluma is made up of a handful of distinct neighborhoods that all bring something unique and delightful to the lifestyle of this city.
Downtown
The colorful downtown is the vibrant heart of the city, highlighted by historical buildings that are now home to offices, fine restaurants, locally-owned shops, and other businesses. There are wine tasting rooms and brewpubs sprinkled around town, as well as a tech sector. The walkable downtown includes Maker Alley, a complex made up of old industrial buildings.
College
This is a comfortable, family-friendly neighborhood surrounding the Petaluma branch campus of Santa Rosa Junior College. This neighborhood features single-family homes in developments that are separated by green spaces such as Glenbrook Park, Eagle Park, and Leghorn’s Park, which has baseball fields, tennis courts, and a playground. The College neighborhood is full of biking and walking trails that contribute to Petaluma’s healthy lifestyle.
Oakhill Brewster
This classic neighborhood is located just northwest of downtown Petaluma and stands out for its many historic Victorian, bungalow-style, and Craftsman homes. Many of the homes have great views of downtown and the surrounding landscape. The centerpiece of Oakhill Brewster is Oak Hill Park, one of the city’s oldest and largest green spaces. It has a walking path, a large playground, a dog park, a half basketball court, and a pétanque court. It also has picnic tables and a restroom. Oakhill Brewster is very walkable, and it’s just a short stroll into downtown.
Midtown
This is another historic neighborhood that is just northeast of downtown and Steamer Landing Park, which is a peninsula that juts into the Petaluma River. Midtown is popular with everyone, from professionals to first-time buyers to retirees. Many of the homes in Midtown date to a building boom that followed World War II. Highway 101 runs right through Midtown, and the neighborhood includes a major commercial district.
Waterfront
This is a unique neighborhood bisected by Highway 101, with Petaluma Marina on one side and housing developments along the Petaluma River on the other side. There are single-family homes as well as luxury condominiums. Living in this neighborhood affords owners of Petaluma real estate great access to Shollenberger Park, which consists of 165 acres of wetlands that includes walking and cycling paths and a fishing pier. It is one of the best places in the city for birdwatching.
Adobe
Adobe is a large, family-friendly neighborhood with many Petaluma houses for sale that were built in the 1950s. Adobe is east of the 101 and north of the Marina district. It includes Casa Grande High School, several parks, Rooster Run Golf Course, and the Petaluma Municipal Airport. The neighborhood is named for Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park.
Wine country
Petaluma sits right in the middle of the Petaluma Gap, which is an important wine-producing region that is part of Northern California’s far-flung wine country. Due to the cool climate, grapes that are grown at vineyards in the Petaluma Gap give wines a distinctive character. The Petaluma Gap is known for producing outstanding pinot noir, chardonnay, and syrah.
While tourists have to travel a fair distance to get to wine country, people who buy Petaluma homes for sale have just a short drive or can even walk to great wine tasting rooms around town to sample the local fare.
Among the popular wine tasting rooms in Petaluma are Adobe Road Wine Tasting Room, Black Knight Vineyards, Sonoma Portworks, Barber Cellars, Vine & Barrel Wines, and La Dolce Vita Wine Lounge. There are many more wine tasting rooms in the surrounding area.
One nice activity that allows owners of Petaluma real estate to get away from it all for a day is to go on a wine tour of vineyards in the region, many of which have their own tasting rooms. Besides being in the heart of the Petaluma Gap, locals are within a short driving distance of the Sonoma Valley and Napa Valley wine regions.
Work with an experienced agent
The median price of Petaluma homes for sale is $877,606. That is an increase of 14.8% over the past year, and moving into Spring, markets remain very heated. Petaluma is the kind of community people have moved to during the pandemic to get out of crowded big cities, especially if they can continue to work from home.
If you’ve been thinking about getting into the Petaluma real estate market, your first step should be to hire a licensed real estate agent who has experience helping clients find wonderful homes in the city. Summer Olson Stubblefield has a zest for helping people fall in love with Petaluma and the Sonoma County area, and her experience and skill make her the perfect partner for your relocation.
Relocating to Petaluma?
If you are interested in viewing Petaluma houses for sale, contact Summer Olson Stubblefield for the best client services in town.
