Reviews & Comments
Petaluma, CA
A great place to call home, if you can afford it -
7/1/2021We’ve lived here for 3 years and we love it. It has taken some time to grow on us. We moved from SF where we had lived over 15 years, we were not used to one year leases (vs month to month in SF) nor lack of easy public transit. The schools are great, the climate is nice. The spring became my new favorite season (in SF fall was my favorite for the warmest days there). Spring in Sonoma county is green, vibrant, scattered clouds with sunbeams and rainbows. Those days are few but spectacular. In the spring we hike at Sugarloaf, in the warm summer months we hike over in Point Reyes, for the misty cool coast and wildlife. Our daughter attends McNear elementary. It’s nestled in a quiet neighborhood, with green grass, redwoods, lots of playground space, gardens and swings! Most of the schools around here are good, but aesthetically they are concrete, drab and no swings. I think these things are important to consider for the elementary kids. McNear also places importance on the arts. There’s a lot to do in the surrounding cities, with the Bay Area a short 45 min drive south. There is nature 10 min drive in most directions. Spectacular hiking trails in various directions. There are wineries, there’s a music scene. There’s plenty of grocery options (Whole a foods, Trader Joe’s, Raleys/nob hill and a target). We are finding the fires in the fall to be a big downer. It’s disrupted a lot over the past few years (canceled festivals, events, air quality). There’s a big bottleneck of traffic on D street and the freeway expansion has been painfully slow. However there are ways to avoid these traffic issues. We get by with one car, and an e-bike. My husband bikes our kid from East side to school on west side and beats all the traffic. The west side is more desirable in my opinion. We’ve been hoping to move there but the rents are pretty high. We are relocating out of Petaluma for a new job that pays better. I’m sad to leave Petaluma but for some that is the reality. I would give 5 stars if it weren’t for the high cost of living / low salaries, smoke in the fall and traffic. Also pot holes galore. I’d stay if I could. Wanted this to be a long term home.