I had seen this beautiful church and I needed to stop and take a few pictures. I'm a little bummed…read moreout that we could not go inside, but according to somebody that was walking by it hasn't been open for a very long time. It's in a beautiful area and the church itself is gorgeous. I love the stained glass windows the color the architecture of it. It's pretty amazing. I wish I could find out more information about it.

What? No one has ever YELP! -ed this museum?…read more This place is a hold over from yesteryear. A gallery of long forgotten oddities. Presented in a style that really went out of style in the 1960's. See photos of 2 headed snakes. Read a story about a farmer who had his arthritis magically cured when he was run over by his own tractor. The building was built from the lumber of a single redwood tree. A hoot for an hour of fun. If your tastes are tame and you appreciate old timey atmosphere, you'll enjoy a visit.

The West County Museum is the little Museum that could!…read more Did you know that the building that currently houses the Hopmonk is the former Powerhouse building for the electric train that ran through Sebastopol? Did you know that Graton has been known by as many as 12 different names such as Peachtown and Hicksville but in 1906 it went by Gray's Town, after James H. Gray who helped its advancement. It was later shortened to Graton. I love this little spot in Sebastopol that showcases local West Sonoma County history. West County includes Sebastopol, Graton, Forestville, Occidental, Guerneville, Bodega Bay, Bodega, Jenner, Rio Nido, Valley Ford, Freestone, etc. This area has a history rich in farming and natural beauty. Exhibits at the museum change every few months and have included the history of apple production, the local cemeteries, local photographers and Luther Burbank. Ever wondered what Sebastopol looked like when the train went through town? Or what it was like to live on an apple farm as a 12 year old day laborer? Or what kind of curious tools were used in the picking and packing industry of days gone by? This is your spot. The train car behind the museum is filled with archived artifacts and photographs that are used to supplement the exhibits at the museum. Inside there are numerous local themed books for sale along with postcards, jewelery, etc. Photographs, maps, and drawings cover the walls. The building itself is the former train depot building, now on the National Register of Historic Places. This place is all volunteer run. All the docents are very friendly, knowledgeable and usually long time Sonoma County residents. Ask them anything! Watch for short hours. 1-4pm Thurs.-Sun. For more history go across the street to the post office. Check out the Works Progress Administration sponsored mural of Sebastopol life.

The prior review suspiciously looks like it came from a volunteer who worked there, since it was…read moretoo detailed for an outsider to know all this. They recently had an exhibit for a year about Hippies which was interesting, but there too long. Most exhibits are there for only 3 or 4 months. The museum is so small, that if you don't read every single thing, you can go through it in 15 minutes or less. That's all it takes. At least it's free, since it's definitely not worth paying for.

I feel like I paid to be bored out of my mind. Was looking…read moreforward to look out of the telescope, but unfortunately it was too cloudy. That doesn't mean that the lecture should be something that should have been left in the 90s. Slide shows lacked pictures, the instructor lacked excitement and was so monotoned. If you want to see the telescope on a clear night, perhaps ditch the class, and arrive at 8:30pm.

We had reservations to go and my wife was sick that day. I called to cancel or switch and was told…read moreno. I told them I planned on attending several classes but we could not go that night. I was then told no again. After explaining our situation again the person laughed at me and said sorry. I hung up at that point. Laughing about my sick wife is sad. I would never recommend this place to anyone. I hope they enjoy their $50.

Just off of the bike path and in Depot park, this quaint museum offers local history, rotating…read morehistorical exhibitions, and a side room completely dedicated to Sonoma railroad history. Books and postcards on Sonoma history are available for sale on premises. I've immensely enjoyed the exhibitions. (Especially the one on the history of the Springs) Highly recommend!

The Sonoma Depot Park Museum is a hidden gem. Despite its close proximity to the Plaza, with the…read moremission&the presidio, it's relatively uncrowded. It's open only from Friday to Sunday. The volunteer docents are very friendly, and there's plenty of history on railroads in Northern California, the Bear Flag Revolt, the local Miwok/Pomo Indians, and a current exhibit on the Sonoma Valley hot springs as a tourist attraction until Prohibition. The Depot Museum also has 3 dioramas with creepy mannequins depicting the Bear Flag Revolt, an 1860s schoolhouse, and a typical children's nursery from the Victorian era.They're not that different from the ones at the Sharpsteen Museum in Calistoga, or the Bl. Junipero Serra one at the nearby California Missions Museum behind Cline Cellars. The Depot Museum is a fascinating, fun little destination. Educational and interesting.

Where to begin! What a wonderful slice of heaven Bloomfield Farms is! My husband and I were…read moremarried there and literally had a dream wedding. The staff and owners ran everything with great professionalism, high-end service, and EXCEEDED our expectations. Never could I have imagined such a perfect wedding...have you ever heard of a "perfect" wedding! Seriously, it was and we give the credit to all the hard work that the staff and owners put in to make our special day extra, EXTRA special. I also know, firsthand, that the horse boarding side of their business is exceptional. The owners and staff give concierge-level service to the animals they board as if they were their own. You can rest assured that your treasured horse will receive the highest care quality seen on an international scale that upscale owners expect.

Beautiful state-of-te-art horse facility! The giant arena has great footing, covered round pen for…read moreall year use, gorgeous barn with oversize stalls, quality hay, green pastures for turnout, large tack room, world class trainer available on a gorgeous 100 acres property with trails providing all the amenities for the discerning horseman. My horse and I have never been happier since we started boarding and training there. The owners are extremely accommodating and I cannot recommend this place enough. Best kept secret in Sonoma County!

Florence Avenue is a three block metal art sculpture walk in Sebastopol. It has unique metal…read moresculptures on both sides of the street so there is a lot to look at. Sebastopol is an artsy area that has a hippie vibe to it. For this reason, you will find metal art sculptures throughout the city as well. I love that you can walk this for free so it's something that is accessible to all.

I was so curious about all of these metal sculptures around town so a friend and I parked on one…read moreend of Florence Avenue and casually walked up and down the street. What imagination and creativity! I loved photographing each one. There was one house with tons of artwork. The entire front yard is adorned with them and I wondered if this is where the artist lives. Sure enough there were pamphlets near the sidewalk and that's when I learned that the artist is Patrick Amiot. His spouse, Brigitte Laurent, paints his works of art. He calls his creations Urban Folk Art. Some are quite huge but all are very unique and original. What an entertaining way to reuse metal. For feathers and scales, we noticed he layers flat jar lids and they look amazing after they've been painted. My favorite was (Buster) Posey and the two owls but there were so many we both loved. I drive up this street regularly but it is definitely worth it to park and take a closer look. Florence Avenue is like the artist's outdoor studio. It's a manageable and worthwhile leisurely stroll. You will see other metal sculptures around town by this artist and I happened to know that Mom's Apple Pie on Gravenstein Highway has one now too so I included a photo of it. Such fun whimsical creations!

Oh my goodness literally one of the most amazing experience gems in Petaluma. If you have a child…read moreand are looking for a wonderful way to spend quality time for a couple to several hours on a Saturday, you simply need to go visit the Petaluma Wildlife Museum. This beautiful space is run by high school students who are in animal husbandry or communications-type classes and each, and almost every one, of them are wonderfully informative, kind, engaging, and helpful. Whoever is training these students is doing an outstanding job! The minute you walk through the door they are there to guide you through this fun Petaluma experience. They have thousands of dollars (likely hundreds of thousands) in quality and unique taxidermy animals that are thoughtfully displayed, and where the children can get up close and personal with creatures from all over the planet. We particularly love the room that focuses on the national parks (as our favorite states are represented)! We have taken our grandson here three times at six months intervals and every time he discovered something new. They have a fabulous dinosaur room as well and the students we've encountered are highly educated and love to share tidbits of information. They also have a charming compact outdoor area where kids love to roam and they also have an arts space where kids can draw and explore. It's $5 per person as of 2026 (and I want to say that our almost 3 year-old grandson was free each time). GO! Check out this phenomenal community asset on any given Saturday and you'll be so glad you did! Five giant stars!

This is such a wonderful place to visit on Saturdays! It's donated by a local business man and the…read morehigh school students volunteer on Saturdays to help visitors understand the wild life displayed in the museum. Every high school student volunteers have extensive knowledge of the wild life. We were amazed by all the stories and information told. They even let us touch some of the animals there. It's not just for kids. Adults will definitely enjoy it too.

Hubby & I drove over after we left Luther Burbank's home and gardens in Santa Rosa…read more The experiment farm is where he executed many of his botanical experiments. Nowadays it's been reduced to a very small area. They've got plants for sale. Hubby purchased a Peruvian lily plant for $10.00. What caught my eye was a tree invaded by mistletoe. Currently volunteers are restoring a couple benches using the same materials as the original. Follow the signs to the Farm. There's a very small visitor parking lot. Pro tip: there are no public restrictions.

This 3-acre space has a couple of trails meandering by apple and other fruit trees. I like how they…read moreare labeled so you know what things are. The trails go up to a cemetery which you can also explore. I love flowers and they had sunflowers, dahlias, poppies, among many others. The sunflowers got quite tall. Plants were for sale in the front and payment was through Venmo or check on the honor system. There's a cottage that's open Wednesdays 9am-1pm. There are 3 Luther Burbank Establishments in Santa Rosa/Sebastopol: The Luther Burbank Home and Gardens- located in downtown Santa Rosa close to the freeway and the mall. It's very convenient to get to. This one has his old house which has tours and the gardens around. The Luther Burbank Art and Garden Center-This is more inland in Santa Rosa has a small rose and Iris garden but it's mainly a private events space.