Our Location

FACILITY AND LOCAL AREA

Facility

Our quaint historic building was originally constructed in 1883 as a family residence. In 1908, it was expanded to become a medical facility. Today it houses our reception area, classrooms, administrative offices, clinic rooms, staff room and library. Classroom/clinic areas are fully equipped with state of the art massage tables and educational materials. The library provides students with up to date texts and journals on a variety of basic science, bodywork and natural health topics; access to computers for word processing and interactive study tools; and wireless Internet access. Sky Hill Institute is located across the street from Walnut Park and the post office, and is within easy walking distance to historic Victorian residential neighborhoods, restaurants, shopping, and nightlife.

Petaluma, San Francisco and Local Areas of Interest

Sky Hill Institute is located in the beautiful, historic town of Petaluma, California. Just thirty minutes from San Francisco and the California coast, Petaluma was named one of the top 100 "Best Places to Live" by Money Magazine and CNN in 2005 and was also chosen as one of the "Nation's Top Ten Getaways Near a Major City" by Travel and Leisure Magazine.

Petaluma is in the heart of the scenic, lush wine country of Sonoma Valley. Thirty minutes east, through winding hills, lays the famous Napa Valley and a half hour north is the Alexander Valley wine area. Also abundant year-round in Petaluma and surrounding North Bay counties are farms that grow hundreds of varieties of organic and native produce. Petaluma itself is renowned as a home to many organic poultry farms, dairies, and boutique cheese makers, and has spearheaded the movement to prevent the use of bovine growth hormones and genetically modified crops. Organic, healthy, hormone-free food production is a critical factor in making Petaluma the perfect location to support our wholistic health principals and practices.

For the excitement of city-life, there are countless San Francisco Bay Area destinations that are a short drive, bus ride or ferry excursion away. Tourist attractions like Fisherman's Wharf, PacBell Park (home of the San Francisco Giants baseball team), Alcatraz, North Beach, Chinatown or a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge are fun day adventures. There are thousands of restaurants in San Francisco, and of course, nightclubs, live theater, concerts, opera, ballet, museums and art galleries; all attractions that make the City a world destination.

If you prefer the outdoors, San Francisco and areas south have miles and miles of coastal parks. Just thirty minutes directly west of Petaluma is Dillon Beach and Bodega Bay. Continuing north up Highway 1 are the wild and rustic northern California coastal towns of Jenner and Gualala followed by historic and beautiful Mendocino, where the redwoods meet the sea.

For weekend adventure, Lake Tahoe has breathtaking scenery year round with skiing in the winter and boating in the summer; and Yosemite National Park is not to be missed for its spectacular mountain vistas, waterfalls, wildlife and camping.

Climate

From spring to late fall, warm days are sixty-five to eighty-five degrees, with cool evenings from ocean breezes. Summers are dry. Winter days are pleasant with chilly evenings. Rainy season is broken by sparkling clear, sunny days. December through February, high temperatures range from the low fifties to mid-sixties.

History of Petaluma

Petaluma's Name: The origin of Petaluma's name is a Coastal Miwok phrase for "valley of the little hills."

Petaluma: The Egg Basket of the World: In 1879, Lyman Byce invented the first successful incubator for hatching eggs and a new and amazingly profitable industry was introduced in Petaluma. Over time, the town became known as "The Egg Basket of the World". Only in Petaluma could one have found the Chicken Pharmacy on Main Street, featured in both National Geographic and Ripley's Believe It or Not. By 1920, and for nearly two decades, there was more money on deposit in Petaluma banks, per capita, than any other town on Earth. The enormous prosperity in Petaluma sparked a spectacular building boom throughout the city, most of which can be seen to this day.

Fun Facts and Firsts: Petaluma was the first city in the United States to protect its individuality through a residential growth management plan to protect its historic homes, riverfront, and agricultural landmarks.

For more information on the city of Petaluma, Sonoma and Napa wine country, and the San Francisco Bay Area:

Petaluma Chamber of Commerce:
http://www.petalumachamber.com

Sonoma County Visitor's Information:
http://www.sonoma.com

Napa Valley Visitor's Information:
http://www.napachamber.com
http://www.napavalley.com