Hey Paul got your private message. I typed out quite a long note but the private messaging is limited in words so I left my cell phone number for you to contact me. Most of the American Graffiti shots were of the old Victorian downtown on Petaluma Blvd. On that street From D street south to East Washington street north are the main areas of filming. Mel's Dinner was to the north next city up in Santa Rosa but has since been destroyed and moved to various locations in Santa Rosa area. Not sure where the current one is. Another movie of note on 4th and D streets intersection, was a movie called Hero's with Henry Winkler and Sally Field when he was very young, in the movie he has an orange early 70's either Camero with ace cards on front hood, both he and sally were pretty young in that film, definately worth a watch too. On Petaluma BLVD there is a movie theatre that girl scouts got George Lucus to pitch in and make, he was very generous, and the girls got Hollywood stars in their names on the side walk there. Surrounding areas include Point Reyes Sea Shore National Sea Shore, (free and open ) to everyone, That area can be reached by going west on D street, thru the old town of Point Reyes Station. . There are several places on the national sea shore, which is free to go too, There is Limatour Beach, nice walk to the ocean where seals and whales sometimes are seen, or there is the Point Reyes Light house up on a windy Bluff past some dairy farms that is a spectacular view.
Worth looking up the sea shore on Google to get and Idea if you want to head there. Also a favorite of mine, would be goine west one East Washington street(in changes its name to Bodega Ave as you head west. If you take a left off the road on tomales rd there is a very little town of Tomales.
If you'd rather the bodega road will take you thru valley ford up Hi-way 1, to two towns first called Bodega, where the church in the film Birds by Alford Hitchcock is on the main street where you would turn. This is kind of cool country old Church. Continuing on the highway 1 going north of bodega, is Bodega Bay. This is a note worthy town with great sea food for a meal, and has several wharfs along side the bay with fishing boats. If you love pretty country side drives along the ocean this road will continue for hour(hwy 1) offering spectacular ocean view along the way with many tiny towns, forests etc, also Fort Ross a very old I believe Russian fort that you can tour and a park there too. Hope this helps. I used to go about 1.5 hours north of Petaluma on hwy 1 to Gualala on my motorcycle for a nice scenic ocean ride. Any of the coastal areas can be cold and foggy or beautiful and sunny so bring jackets etc. because the coast can be warm, with blue skies, then in afternoon chilly and fog moving in. Well I hope that helps a bit. Depending on when you come thru I might be around, I'm a nurse so I work a scattered amount of days swing shift 2-11:30 pm. I work every other weekend too. Downtown Petaluma is famous for the restaurants which litteraly have everything from breweries and burgers, to asian, mexican, veit namese, french, pizza, sea food, italian... the list goes on, as well as a italian restaurant called Volpi's that is one of the remaining Speak Easy from the 1920's during prohibition. And if you like Lagunitas beer, they have their main brewery here. Hope you enjoy your stay. Steve.