I forget about this park sometimes and that it's pretty close to me…read more What I love- free parking, the trails are family friendly (flat) and the scenery can be very pretty. It feels like you're at a bird sanctuary- many varieties of birds and often you'll find swans in the water. There is also a small picnic area with a few tables facing the water. I saw all ages today- many kids on their bikes and people walking dogs. The only time I do not like visiting this park is on a hot day as there is no shade.

I enjoyed walking in this area. Bird watchers area. You can definitely get in several miles. Free…read moreparking

Came today of the first time. great space with lots of short trails, the longest loop is only about…read more4K. beautiful oaks and rolling hills with wildflowers. parking available for about 20+ cars with a $8 day pass. water and bathrooms on site. wide paths with loose dirt. A easy trip west from Petaluma.

Great county park, situated on the outskirts of town. Accessible from two entry points (one paid…read moreand one not), Helen Putnam is situation along the rolling hill with multiple trails intertwining. Would classify trails to be generally mild. Great 360 views once at the peak, especially facing due west at sunset. Only one bathroom facility (2 stalls) located in paid parking lot (main entrance).

With all the reviews about the bird shit, why has it not been addressed??? The City of Petaluma…read moreneeds to own up to this!! There's sprinklers that go on the walking path in an area where the birds do not shit. If they put grass and sprinklers next to the building where they have yoga, it would clean the sidewalks. DO THIS!!!

Lucchesi Park, the place you take your spouse to announce you want a divorce…read more Lucchesi Park, take your girlfriend here to say "it's over". Lucchesi Park, come here to reveal your terminal diagnosis. When something bad happens in someplace nice that place is forever tainted by the memory. This is exactly the reason you should come to Lucchesi Park with dire news. It'd be hard to ruin any memories of a place that's already this crap-tastic. Rather than googling "best parks in Petaluma" someone googled "nearby parks in Petaluma" and there's a big difference. We had a nice bottle of wine, some plastic cups, and poured ourselves a little splash after parking the car. We wanted to sit on a bench by the water, sip our wine, and enjoy the ambiance. In one direction the water-adjacent path was so littered with duck/goose/bird poop that I headed the opposite way. I rounded a bend and discovered the same thing in that direction: A shitstorm the likes of which I've never before seen. I turned around and opted for a bench in front of the building with merely a view of the most egregious poop mounds rather than a close-up. I laughed: this place is disgusting. There's a hiking trail at the other end of the park and a playground across the water but I really had no desire to explore. Later that evening I found Penry Park and imagined what could've been. Always google "best park", never "nearest park".

Wonderful place to walk and enjoy nature. Plenty of parking inside the gates, level well maintained…read moretrails paths and lots of benches scattered throughout. Dogs on leach welcome. Lots of informative signs telling you about the birds and other creatures that you may see. Also information on the indigenous people that called this area home. Bring water and snacks. Lovely place to picnic or read a book. Numerous ponds to explore.

It's strange to think of a sewage plant as a cool place to visit however it is really an extension…read moreof Shollenberger park in #Petaluma with rich wetlands and a preserve for wildlife. My first walk through here recently I saw a red shouldered hawk, egrets, geese, ducks and I think the first swan I have ever seen the wild. It was also nice to have ample parking and a restroom. It didn't cost to park. For more photos of this wetlands see them on my flickr photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/wdunby/sets/72157637226020496/

Love the baby swings and how clean with sand colored wood chips, the ground is!…read more I brought my baby in the morning and we were the only ones utilizing the playground. It was first time swinging and he loved it with all the precious smiles and giggles. I'm glad our tax dollars are going to playgrounds and parks! Pro-green lifestyle here!

If I could only begin to describe the words of how deep my past memories could go thinking of…read moreWiseman Park.. as a kid I grew up a few blocks away. Moved to Petaluma in 89 in our new development home on Garfield Dr. Wiseman Park and Arroyo Park became my WONDERLAND as a kid growing up in the 90s. I remember sneaking out and riding my bike all hours of the night along the trails of Wiseman Park and being memorized by the green neon lights of the private airport and the wonder of "whats in those tunnels beneath it". I can literally smell the night air.. we didn't know how good we had it growing up in Petaluma.. compared to other cities and states there is no comparison to the vibes my generation created in Petaluma.. Wiseman Park.. Damn... I grew up here, I had my 1st meditation here even as a kid, I've escaped here, I slept here, I fell in love here, seen unexplainable things here and I found myself here.. Wiseman Park.. Soon I will be back to relive your beauty..

My girlfriend and I had a great time renting two kayaks from this shop! The crew was super friendly…read moreand helpful, and their delivery service was very convenient! Would definitely use them again and recommend them to anyone!

We love Marty and his crew!! They really take the time to…read moremake sure that we were happy and would enjoy our day on the lake. They made sure we had everything we needed and really made us feel special. They are easy to use as they make it easy to book, register, and get onto the lake - way better than any other place to rent boats! Josh and Jeremy were GREAT! We highly recommend and will definitely be returning next summer!!!!

My family and I had an excellent experience. The river was challenging, but it was a very memorable…read moretrip! This is run by a lovely, local couple who almost felt like family in the short time we were there. They boosted the confidence of my son with reassurance and also took the time to help us get back to our vehicle after it unexpectedly broke down on our way to the river. Just wanted to say they are really good people. They also gave us great guidance to navigate the river with quality equipment!

First off, we do this river day trip every year. We -highly- recommend experiencing the river, it's…read morealways fun and rarely disappoints (even as our kids get older!) While we have used different outfits lately - we had a great experience with Russian River Adventures a few years back, so we came in excited to return. Unfortunately, this visit was disappointing, mainly due to poor planning by the staff. We booked for four people on a Thursday - my wife, myself, and our two teens (14 and 16)--with the expectation that we'd have two boats, which is standard for this group size. However, the team miscounted the boats that morning. When we pointed this out, instead of fixing the mistake, they pulled us aside and crammed all four of us into a boat intended for three, squeezing in an extra seat to make it "fit." Visibly frustrated, the team promised to speak with the owner and make it right (it was two high schoolers running it that day). I didn't argue and wanted to at least try to have a good time and not be that Dad. The result on the boat? A very cramped and uncomfortable setup that made the inflatable much harder to steer and navigate--especially on a 9-mile river trip. This wasn't the experience we paid for or expected based on our prior trips. The staff seemed more focused on moving us along rather than making it right. Still haven't heard from the owner. We'll likely explore other options next time around. Disappointed to see the service slip like this.