Free · Sponsored by the City of Sebastopol · Since 2008
Be a tourist in your own town.
One Saturday a month, a neighbor who knows something worth knowing leads us through Sebastopol on foot. History, architecture, wetlands, alleys, food, and the odd corners you drive past every week.
February to November
at the Plaza
easy pace, some hills
The route through the year
Upcoming walks
Register on Eventbrite or simply turn up at the Plaza by 9:00. Either way, everyone signs a City waiver on the morning of the walk.
2026 season
18th year · three walks remaining- Sat 26 SepAlleys and Hidden PathsRichard Nichols
- Sat 24 OctiWalk iEat Local: Sebastopol Food WalkNeysa Hinton
- Sat 28 NovThe Nonprofit WalkStephen Zollman
2027 season
19th year · leaders announced this winter- Sat 27 FebLeader to be announced
- Sat 27 MarLeader to be announced
- Sat 17 AprLeader to be announced
A week early — avoiding Apple Blossom - Sat 22 MayLeader to be announced
- Sat 26 JunLeader to be announced
- Sat 31 JulLeader to be announced
- Sat 28 AugLeader to be announced
- Sat 25 SepLeader to be announced
- Sat 30 OctLeader to be announced
- Sat 27 NovLeader to be announced
Where we've been
No two walks are alike.
Each month a different guide takes us somewhere new. Some walks are about buildings, some about water, some about the people making things in workshops you'd never know were there.
Engineering Wonders of Sebastopol
The Makers Walk
The Makers Walk
Before you come
What to expect
Getting there
Meet at the Plaza
We gather at the downtown Plaza and leave at 9:00. Plaza parking is limited to three hours — the City lot by the Rialto or a spot on McKinley is a safer bet.
On arrival
Sign in, make a name tag
Everyone signs a City of Sebastopol waiver on the morning of the walk, including anyone who registered ahead. Come at 8:45 if you'd like time to spare.
Bring
Water, hat, layers
Walking shoes, sunscreen, a snack. Water is not provided. Dress for a morning that starts cool and warms up.
On the walk
Nobody gets left behind
A volunteer walks at the back the whole way. Routes are mostly flat on good surfaces with a few mild climbs. Leaving early is fine — just tell the leader or the sweep.
Walks may be modified by the leader. Please consult your doctor before beginning a new exercise routine.
How this started
Eighteen years of walking
In 2008, Richard Nichols wrote a booklet called Sebastopol Walks and invited the City Council to take a walking tour with him. It went well enough that Sarah Gurney suggested doing it every month. Nobody expected it to still be going.
Since then, thousands of people have walked with us — residents, their visiting relatives, people from across Sonoma County, and the occasional traveller from much further away. The walks are free, sponsored by the City of Sebastopol, and organized entirely by volunteers.
We need a few more hands
Help run the walks in 2027
We're building a proper team for next season — hosts to get each morning started, and sweeps to walk at the back. Two or three Saturdays a year. No local history expertise required, and we'll train you before your first walk.