Petaluma sparks love among locals primarily because of the old-school, small-town, made-in-America vibe. You’re nestled in the rolling hills of Sonoma County, and that beauty is impossible to ignore, but it’s more about how much you can slow down in Petaluma and just enjoy walking around a vibrant but chill downtown. 

Some of the vibe comes from the beautiful 1800's Victorian-era architecture that fills downtown. Some of it comes from the great farm-to-table food scene, amazing local wine at the bars & restaurants (of course), and the cafes and artisanal food markets that give it an intimate feeling. Countless community events and festivals round out the family-friendly spirit that pulls in plenty of people escaping the chaos of larger West Coast cities. 



Small-Town Vibe

LookyLOO Review of Petaluma

While there is a small young professional community in Petaluma it pales in comparison to the family-focused scene that dominates the city. There is an active downtown that pulls in locals/families for food, drink, and play but you also have a mix of suburban and rural living that tightly surrounds the central city and drives who the city serves. 

The agricultural heritage of Petaluma and Sonoma County is also a powerful influence with dairy farms, ranches, and vineyards filling the surrounding countryside. This fresh local access to produce drives an outsized foodie scene, stunning high-quality farmers’ markets, and some of the world’s best wines a short drive away. Outside of that expect tons of family-friendly activities, the local baseball team has done well in the Little League World Series, and there are more soccer and other sports than a family could want for their kiddos. There is an art gallery community here as well but even more notably families, couples, and singles spend much more time enjoying the parks, rolling hills, and easy access to the Pacific Ocean for an outdoor lifestyle that is tough to beat. World-class biking, hiking and just strolling are always available – as is surfing, paddle-boarding, and beach lounging. 

To see what locals do for fun check out the [Petaluma Calendar of Events](https://petalumadowntown.com/calendar).

We highly recommend visiting Petaluma and staying in the community in a [VRBO](https://vrbo.com/affiliate/p4JS4ZC) rather than a hotel to get a feel for living among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our [partnership with Expedia](expedia.com/affiliate/9NZ8LBQ) as well.

Chill

Lifestyle 

Petaluma is a poster child for a work-from-home paradise. You have the Pacific and breathtaking landscapes to the west, a world-class city to the south, and one of the truly wonderful small-town downtowns in America (it’s won awards). If you’ve got the bucks and want the lifestyle, check it out. 

The Lifestyle

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**Danisdaman12**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

Yo! I actually might have the best answer for you. I'm 27, grew up in Petaluma, went to college in Santa Cruz, them moved back here after school.

Petaluma is a lot of fun in your 20s. It's not as much fun as San Francisco though. I lived there 25-26 and enjoyed it but here is much nicer.

It's quiet but also has a great bar scene. Lots of fun breweries and the pool hall is awesome. The food around here is also really good, we have had a lot of great spots come and go but the big names here like brewsters, lagunitas, seared, mcnears, etc are really nice and full of lively people.

The Phoenix and Mystic have fun concerts now and then but don't expect big acts.

45 minute drive and you are in the heart of SF so it's not nearly as far as it is from Santa Cruz to take the 1 or 17.

For more reviews of what living in Petaluma is like from locals, check out [The Reviews](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/petaluma/reviews).


Reviews of Petaluma from Locals

Petaluma is a stretch for young professionals looking for a big batch of other young professionals but there are bars, restaurants and cafes if you’re ready to move on from the big city but don’t want to surrender a social scene entirely. There are plenty of condos and apartments for purchase or rent so don’t expect a city that never sleeps but if you’re gonna live anywhere it’ll be downtown. 

A growing trend, which Petaluma is experiencing as well is Empty Nesters/Retirees picking quiet-ish but active downtowns for the short walks to daytime culture and nighttime action. The weather is amazing, the locals are friendly and the pace is pretty perfect for being active but not at a dizzying pace. This is a true American Main Street that converted, but also preserved 1870’s buildings, into a thriving arts, shopping, restaurant and theater district. 
One final note, while the counties north of SF are famous for rejecting the train system from the city there is a nifty little train line from Santa Rosa to Larkspur so you can live in downtown Petaluma and take a train to many of the Marin/Sonoma county cities. 
- Midtown

Young Professionals - Empty Nesters/Retirees

Downtown

Western Petaluma is a beautiful suburban neighborhood. It has a mix of historic mansions, restored Victorian and Craftsman homes, and newer subdivisions for those craving a true suburban experience. The streets are tree-lined, the blocks are quiet and there are big yards and parks for the kiddos to run around and the Petaluma River for boating and kayaking. The **[public schools](https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-public-high-schools/t/petaluma-sonoma-ca/)** are highly-rated and walkable, or bikeable for those looking for that intimate culture. 

Families

Western Petaluma

Oakhill Brewster is a stunning historic district for families craving heritage Victorians, Queen Annes or Craftsman homes right next to downtown. If you want a foot in quiet family-friendly blocks and a foot in a downtown district then Oakhill Brewster is your choice. It borders the commercial district so you have a short walk to cultural events, farmers’ markets and nights out, but it also preserves a lifestyle of family-friendly play when you want the kids running and biking at a distance from the downtown traffic and tourists. 


Oakhill Brewster

Petaluma

**lindslinds27**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

I am a 25 year old and I love Petaluma! I am not from here but my partner is which helps in my case. I feel the downtown bars on the weekends are filled with young, fun people when I go out there. Lots of restaurants and places to get a drink. I would maybe consider looking for a roommate close to your age if you don’t know anyone here already

**nanupiscean**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

It's Sonoma County, so it's going to skew older. There's fun stuff to do around here, but if you're coming from Santa Cruz it's going to feel slower. Pros are lots of breweries, 40ish minutes driving distance from both beach and redwoods, maybe an hour from here to SF. Cons are things shut down at night, full stop, and you might have a hard time finding other folks in their mid-20s here.

Credentials: Went to college in SC, live in Petaluma now, am 33.

**Danisdaman12**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

Yo! I actually might have the best answer for you. I'm 27, grew up in Petaluma, went to college in Santa Cruz, them moved back here after school.

Petaluma is a lot of fun in your 20s. It's not as much fun as San Francisco though. I lived there 25-26 and enjoyed it but here is much nicer.

It's quiet but also has a great bar scene. Lots of fun breweries and the pool hall is awesome. The food around here is also really good, we have had a lot of great spots come and go but the big names here like brewsters, lagunitas, seared, mcnears, etc are really nice and full of lively people.

The Phoenix and Mystic have fun concerts now and then but don't expect big acts.

45 minute drive and you are in the heart of SF so it's not nearly as far as it is from Santa Cruz to take the 1 or 17.


**ChadTheDJ**
2y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

East Side
Born and raised in Petaluma, so disclaimer I may have some biases due to that. One thing that stands out vs other towns is we really do have that "small town" neighborhood vibe here. Living on the east side all my life, I for sure love the location and the the people around me in the neighborhood. We have a pretty active downtown with lots of great restaurants and shopping. Schools here as well have been highly rated in the county and sought after at least being in the district I am in atm. Downtown has one of the few well preserved 1900 century architecture that survived the 1906 earthquake and gateway to the wine country as far as tourism wise. 

The bad? Expensive premium to live here for sure in Petaluma and agree with others stating that on this thread. Housing might be hard to purchase as well since inventory is very low here and usually in higher demand. Apartments as well I am hearing the same stories with my friends are extremely expensive as well. Some infrastructure here isn't as good as we want it to be. Fun fact, an ice cream called "Petaluma Pothole" (rocky road) was named after the street debate become so dominate with that. 

Petaluma, California

Chickaluma

Looklyloo Score: 96

Reviews

What's it like to live in Petaluma?