Day Trip from San Francisco to Petaluma

Take a little trip from San Francisco, just 30 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge to the charming, scenic town of Petaluma. Here you’ll find everything a California day-tripper could hope for, including Victorian architecture, eclectic shopping, world-famous brews, and excellent farm-fresh cuisine.

Morning: Start with a Fresh Local Breakfast

Petaluma was once known as the “Egg Basket of the World,” in a nod to its agricultural prominence. While some of the town has a chic, cosmopolitan element, Petaluma is still fiercely proud of its expertise in producing delicious local food.

Make morning coffee and pastry your first order of business. Petaluma Coffee & Tea Co. pours one of the most delicious (and artistic) cappuccinos you’ll ever sip. Savor the aromas of freshly baked pastries and breads that fill the old U.S. Bakery building (circa 1860), where today the Della Fattoria café and bakery offers delicious, fresh baked temptations.

Afternoon: Explore Downtown Petaluma

Stroll Petaluma’s compact but not claustrophobic downtown with stunning architecture and charming boutiques. Here, you’ll find an effortless coexistence of upscale, quirky, and countrified offerings that make Northern California Wine Country irresistible.

Discover Ethical Clothing for locally designed and mindfully manufactured finds as well as vintage and vintage-inspired baubles and accessories of every type.

Peruse a fun array of collectibles and antiques at Opera House Collective, where some 20 independent dealers bring together the best vintage art, toys, kitchenware, and just about anything else you can imagine. 

Petaluma’s historic downtown is a beautiful, fascinating place for an afternoon stroll. The city’s architecture and surrounding rural scenery give it an “American small town of yesteryear” look that several big-time movie directors have desired for their films. From classics like Francis Ford Coppola’s Peggy Sue Got Married and George Lucas’s American Graffiti to lighter fare like Flubber and Pleasantville, you may find yourself recalling scenes from the big screen as you wander. 

Stop for lunch near the Petaluma River’s newly revitalized waterfront, where you’ll find loads of sit-down spots to satisfy any craving. Try Wild Goat Bistro for locavore salads and gluten-free sandwiches, or pop into Central Market for Californian-meets-Mediterranean plates with ingredients sourced from the restaurant’s own Petaluma farm. For more ideas, read Where to Eat: Restaurants in Petaluma.

For more casual, grab-and-go options, Petaluma also sets a pretty high bar. Pick up a savory pie from the Petaluma Pie Company, then follow it up with an artisanal treat in an array of small-batch flavors at Angela’s Ice Cream.

Evening: Discover Famed Petaluma Brewpubs and Restaurants

By night, Petaluma boasts considerably more cool than most small cities. The wildly popular Lagunitas Brewery is based right here, and even if you can’t make it to one of their free (but often packed) afternoon brewery tours, you can still make a night of it at their local taproom.

In the heart of downtown, the Mystic Theatre hosts regular live music performances. Built in 1911 to showcase vaudeville talent, today you’ll see everything from reggae to country to rock on the schedule. 

Make it a late night and relax for the night. Petaluma’s Metro Hotel & Café is a whimsical little French outpost just minutes from downtown. The Hotel Petaluma, in the heart of town, offers rooms in a beautifully renovated, century-old building. Or consider a stay at the riverside Sheraton Sonoma Wine Country, which features a pool. 

If you extend your stay, check out five of our favorite things to do in Petaluma, find out what this little city’s most famous for, or keep your trip going by following one of several two- or three-day itineraries in Sonoma Wine Country.