46 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF MEGAN CLINE / HOTEL PETALUMA {due west} Barber Cellars’ tasting room and cheese shop. Looking for somewhere else to lay your head? The Hampton Inn Petaluma, situated on the east side of downtown, is a fun option. The property, formerly the Petaluma Silk Mill, manufactured sewing products and silk threads for almost a century before it was transformed. BPR Properties retained the building’s Georgian Colonial Revival exterior and kept period touches in guest rooms, along with artifacts from its former life in the common areas. Those looking for something a little more unconventional should turn to the Metro Hotel & Cafe, a boutique property filled with antiques and the option to stay in Airstream trailers or a two-story cottage. With memorable restaurants, charming shops and a selection of great vintages (of both the wine and antique varieties), pretty Petaluma has a lot to offer the weekend visitor. Home to the first practical chicken incubator, Petaluma was the “world’s egg basket” in the late 1800s. And though it lost its title of top dairy producer in the late 1980s, the town still celebrates its heritage with the annual Butter and Egg Days Festival and Parade, set for April 20 this year. If you can’t make it to the festival, get your fill of dairy with a visit to Achadinha Cheese Company. Twice a year, antique dealers and buyers take over Petaluma’s downtown streets. The 38th annual Downtown Petaluma Antique Faire attracts thousands of attendees looking to score heirlooms from hundreds of vendors. Catch it this spring on April 28. quarters of its crops devoted to this finicky grape. The rest is split between chardonnay and syrah. With tasting rooms like Brooks Note and Adobe Road downtown, plus Keller Estate and McEvoy Ranch offering tours and tastings nearby, you’ll have plenty of options to sip and swish. For a unique experience, head just outside of Petaluma to Panther Ridge, where owner Suzanne Farver will guide you through her Sonoma Mountain vineyard and a tasting of award-winning pinots in her private residence. Farver, an avid art collector, has artwork displayed in her home and among the vines. SETTLING IN Downtown landmark Hotel Petaluma is centrally located and a great choice for enjoying the commercial district’s shops and restaurants. Designed by San Francisco architect Frederick Whitton, the five-story Mediterranean-style structure has been the most exclusive spot to stay since the 1920s. In addition to updated rooms, guests can enjoy in-house oysters from The Shuckery and hit the town petalumadowntown.com BUTTER DAYS AHEAD
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