You Thought You Knew Petaluma

26 Things to Know About Petaluma

You may know where Petaluma is, be familiar with its bucolic beauty, its lauded restaurant and live music scene. Read on to test your knowledge of this riverfront town that CNN named in its top ten list of the Best American Cities to Visit in 2025.

Petaluma by the Numbers

1. The highest elevation in Petaluma is 313 feet (La Cresta Drive and Summit Way). The lowest elevation 6 feet (East Court).
2. Nearly 60,000 people call Petaluma home.
3. Petaluma was founded in 1858.
4. Average rainfall here is 24-26 inches.

Ag Facts

Petaluma is surrounded by farms, dairies, creameries, and ranches. It is rooted in a long history as an agricultural hub. Petaluma continues to supply its farm-to-table restaurants with fresh produce, meat, herbs, and dairy. Here’s a few fun ag facts.

5. The first practical chicken incubator was invented in Petaluma in 1879 by Canadian-born inventor Lyman C. Byce. This led to a building boom in chicken farms and Petaluma’s title as the “World’s Egg Basket.”
6. Petaluma had the world’s first and only chicken pharmacy.
7. Petaluma is the crown jewel of Sonoma County. American botanist Luther Burbank said of Sonoma Wine County: “I firmly believe, from what I have seen, that this is the chosen spot of all this Earth as far as Nature is concerned.”
8. The Petaluma Gap is a wind-tunnel-like opening that starts between Tomales Bay and Bodega Bay, builds up speed through Petaluma, then empties in the San Francisco Bay. Daily temperature swings range from forty to fifty degrees. Vineyards in this region yield smaller grapes that ripen later, developing wonderful flavors and fruit characteristics, while maintaining ideal levels of acidity. The Petaluma Gap is home to numerous wineries that have been growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah grapes since the 1880s. In 2017, the region gained American Viticulture Area (AVA) status.

Historic Downtown

9. Chartered in 1858, Petaluma is one of California’s oldest cities, and many of its 19th-century iron-front buildings built along the Petaluma River are still in use.
10. Every May, during the Salute to American Graffiti, more than 350 classic cars rumble into downtown Petaluma for the car show and festival—pays tribute to George Lucas’ classic movie (many of the film’s most memorable shots were filmed here).
11. Docent-guided walking tours of Historic Downtown Petaluma start at the Petaluma Historical Library and Museum at 10:30am on most Saturdays May through October.
12. Petaluma’s historic Downtown is so well-preserved that it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
13. Thanks to its granite bedrock, Petaluma was one of a few California towns to survive the legendary 1906 earthquake with only minor damage.

Historical Facts and Attractions

14. Made from adobe brick and redwood, General Vallejo’s Petaluma Adobe it is one of the oldest preserved buildings in Northern California and a State Historic Park.
15. When stagecoach riders needed to stretch their legs and get a bite to eat on the way from Petaluma to Bodega, they stopped at the Washoe House. Built in 1859, and located just a few miles north of Petaluma on Stony Point Road, this federally protected landmark bursts with local character. Go for the history and stay for the Buffalo Burger.
16. In 2011, Petaluma celebrated the 100th anniversary of its first airmail flight. Adventurer and  turn-of-the-century adrenaline junkie Fred Wiseman carried two letters from the Petaluma postmaster to the Santa Rosa postmaster, a bundle of copies of the Sonoma Press Democrat newspaper, and a sack of coffee. Although the 20-mile flight took him two days to complete, his total flight time was only 20 minutes.
17. Downtown Petaluma is the location of one of the largest blocks of iron-front buildings west of the Mississippi. The cast iron facades of these architectural gems were manufactured at San Francisco’s foundries, then shipped up the river, assembled, and bolted to brick walls.
18. The Petaluma Historical Library and Museum, built in 1904, was originally a Carnegie Library. A treasure unto itself, the building features the largest free-standing leaded glass dome in Northern California.

Made in Petaluma

19. Frank Sinatra’s favorite cheesecake is made by Petaluma’s J.M. Rosen Cheesecakes, which are still being served in some of California’s best restaurants and markets.
20. Internationally recognized brands who started in, and make their products in, Petaluma include Lagunitas Brewing Company, Griffo Distillery, and McEvoy Ranch (Olive Oil and ODE beauty products).

Petaluma River

21. The Petaluma River is actually a tidal slough. That means it flows in both directions, responding to the tides. It was upgraded to “river” status by an act of Congress signed by President Eisenhower in 1959.
22. During the 1800s, schooners, sloops, and paddle wheelers made Petaluma one of the busiest inland ports in California. Petaluma’s prolific egg production spurred some design modifications in the boats transporting them down the river. The smokestack was placed in the stern instead of towards the bow so heat from the engines wouldn’t cook the eggs before they got downriver.
23. The Floathouse has more types of human-powered watercraft than you will find anywhere in the country. 16 types in all!

Petaluma Attractions

24. Petaluma is home to Rancho Obi-Wan, a museum housing the world’s largest privately owned collection of Star Wars Memorabilia. Housed on a former chicken ranch in rural Petaluma, Rancho Obi-Wan attracts Star Wars fans and fanatics from around the world to tour the collection amassed over 37 years by former Lucasfilm employee Steve Sansweet.
25. The Petaluma Visitors Center is housed in the Mission Revival-style railroad depot that was build for the Northwestern Pacific Railroad in 1914. Today, with the addition of the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) platform adjacent to building, the Visitors Center once again welcomes railway passengers. Through June 2027, seniors and youth ride free. The train goes from Larkspur Landing (where you can travel to by ferry from San Francisco) all the way to Windsor, and eventually to Healdsburg.
26. Petaluma celebrates its agricultural heritage with the annual Butter & Egg Days Parade that brings 30,000 people into historic downtown on the last weekend in April. The festivities include a Cow Chip Throwing Contest and Cutest Little Chick Competition.

Come See for Yourself

Now that you know how extraordinary Petaluma is, it’s time to book your trip to Petaluma! There’s a lodging choice for every traveler. Families love the giving their young ones room to roam and plenty of onsite activities with a stay at KOA’s 2026 Campground of the Year, San Francisco North / Petaluma KOA. This isn’t just a campground. It’s an amenity-filled resort with a huge playground, Olympic-sized pool, bounce pillow, mining camp, petting zoo, dog park and more. Accommodations range from tent spots to fully-equipped luxury cabins. To be right in the heart of the action downtown, consider Hotel Petaluma, in a century-old building that exudes history and style. Want a quirky, Parisian boutique hotel with bocce ball and an onsite cafe? Metro Hotel is your go-to. Another historic and convenient option is the Hampton Inn, located near the SMART train station in a converted Silk Mill. To find all the possibilities, visit our hotels and lodging page, where you will find discounts on several lodging properties.