Two Ways In, One Great Weekend
A weekend in Sonoma wine country doesn’t have to start with a rental car and a fight through North Bay traffic. Petaluma sits right at the entrance to wine country, and Adobe Road Winery sits right in the middle of downtown Petaluma, which means this weekend works whether you drive up Highway 101 or take the SMART train and ferry from San Francisco. Here is how the weekend unfolds either way, with Adobe Road as the anchor for both.
Getting There
By Car: Petaluma is about 40 miles north of San Francisco, a drive of roughly 45 minutes to an hour on Highway 101 depending on traffic. Adobe Road sits right along that route, closer to the city than Sonoma Plaza, Healdsburg, or the Russian River Valley, which makes it an easy first stop before continuing north, or a natural last stop on the way home.
By Train: The SMART train runs directly into downtown Petaluma, connecting south to Larkspur, where a short ferry ride reaches San Francisco. No rental car, no rideshare. Adobe Road’s new tasting room and motorsports museum, opening this November, sits just three blocks from the downtown SMART station, an easy, flat walk from the platform. Today’s courtyard tasting is just as easy to reach on foot.
Day One: Arrival and Adobe Road
By Car: Park downtown and start the weekend at Adobe Road. Guests are currently welcomed on the site of the winery’s new entertainment complex, still under construction, with tastings held on a finished patio known as the courtyard tasting. The pour lineup includes the winery’s Cabernet Sauvignon and The Racing Series wines, along with a rotating selection of wines by the glass, frose, and non-alcoholic options for guests who want something lighter, all led by a knowledgeable team in a setting built for real conversation.
By Train: Step off the platform and walk straight to Adobe Road for the same courtyard tasting experience. No transitions, no waiting for a car. The walk itself is part of the appeal, a flat, easy few blocks through downtown.
Afternoon, both paths: From Adobe Road, downtown Petaluma is entirely walkable. Spend the afternoon browsing the antique, thrift, and vintage stores that make Petaluma a genuine shopping destination, or head down to the water. The Petaluma River runs through the middle of downtown, and outfitters like The Floathouse rent kayaks and paddleboards right from the water’s edge, with guided tours past historic docks and no experience required. Boaters can also cruise into the Downtown Turning Basin and dock near the Petaluma Yacht Club. Lagunitas Brewing Company, one of the best known craft breweries in the country, is also a short walk or rideshare away for anyone who wants to pair the wine with a stop at the taproom that put Petaluma on the map for beer drinkers.
Evening: Downtown Petaluma has developed a real dining scene worth building a night around. Central Market and Cucina Paradiso are long-standing farm-to-table favorites, Risibisi offers a romantic Italian dining room, The Shuckery specializes in fish and oysters inside the historic Hotel Petaluma, and Table Culture Provisions has become one of the most talked-about tasting menus in Sonoma County. For river views with dinner, Luma Bar and Eatery sits right on the water, and Seared remains a longtime downtown staple for steak, cocktails, and happy hour.
Staying the night: Hotel Petaluma is a historic boutique property built in 1923, set right in the middle of downtown’s restaurants and shops. The Metro Hotel and Cafe is a small, distinctive boutique property on Petaluma Boulevard, a short walk from the river. The Hampton Inn Petaluma occupies a restored historic silk mill from 1892, also within walking distance of the winery. Travelers who want a larger, full-service property will find the Sheraton Sonoma Wine Country Petaluma just outside downtown.
Day Two: Two Different Mornings
By Car: With a car, day two opens up. Head north into Sonoma Plaza, Healdsburg, or the Russian River Valley for a morning or afternoon of exploring further into wine country, then swing back through Petaluma on the way home. Or stay local and spend the morning at the Petaluma Village Premium Outlets, just five minutes from downtown and home to more than 60 stores, before a last lunch downtown and the drive back to San Francisco.
By Train: Without a car, day two stays close to downtown, and that is not a limitation, it’s the appeal. Start with a slower morning: coffee and breakfast downtown, another pass through the antique stores, or a return trip to the river for kayaking if the weather calls for it.
Travelers who want to range further still have real options. Santa Rosa, another stop on the SMART line, has its own walkable downtown wine scene centered around the historic Railroad Square district, with tasting rooms all within a few blocks of each other, an easy add-on for a second wine stop without a car. For Sonoma Plaza itself, a rideshare from Petaluma runs about 25 to 30 minutes and roughly $35 to $40, an easy way to spend an afternoon in the Plaza before heading back.
When it’s time to head home, walk to the SMART station and retrace the train and ferry route into the city, or catch a rideshare back from wherever the day ends up.
Plan Your Visit
Adobe Road Winery is located at 1 C Street in downtown Petaluma, just off Highway 101 and three blocks from the SMART station. Tastings are currently held on the courtyard patio at the site of the winery’s new entertainment complex, featuring the Cabernet Sauvignon, The Racing Series wines, wines by the glass, frose, and non-alcoholic options. Tastings are offered by reservation, and the tasting room team can help build out the rest of a Petaluma weekend from there.
Looking Ahead
Adobe Road’s new tasting room and motorsports museum, celebrating founder Kevin Buckler’s racing career at Le Mans and Daytona, opens this November just three blocks from the downtown SMART station. Today, the courtyard tasting welcomes guests on the same site while construction continues, ready for a weekend by car, by train, or both.
