Planning a trip to Napa and Sonoma? I went on a girl’s trip in May and really enjoyed it! The weather was nice and it wasn’t overcrowded. I’d recommend spending 2 – 3 days there depending on how many wineries or activities you plan to do. Continue reading to learn about the best wineries and where to eat while visiting wine country in California.
THINGS TO DO
Day 1
Key highlights:
- Visit Gloria Ferrer winery
- Explore Sonoma
- Visit Domaine Carneros winery
For this trip, we flew into San Francisco, rented a car and drove to Sonoma the next day.
Start the day by getting coffee or breakfast in San Francisco. Then head to Sonoma to begin exploring and wine tasting.
Our first stop was at Gloria Ferrer winery, known for their sparkling wine. We decided to do a food and wine tasting experience. The wine and food were delicious, and we got to enjoy the warm weather on their patio overlooking Sonoma. It was a great experience!
After we finished, we headed to Sonoma Plaza to explore the stores in the town. There were many shops and restaurants in the area, so you can enjoy some time there walking around.
We then headed to our second winery of the day – Domaine Carneros. It’s a beautiful winery and also known for their sparkling wine. We treated ourselves to a wine tasting there before heading to Napa and checking into our hotel.
For dinner, check out Oxbow Public Market. It’s a food hall so there are several food options to choose from, such as Bar Lucia, Gott’s Roadside, Live Fire Pizza and more. Visit their website to see the full vendor list.
Day 2
Key highlights:
- Visit Del Dotto winery
- Explore St. Helena
- Visit Mumm winery
Get started with breakfast or brunch on your way to your first winery. Make a stop at the “Welcome to Napa Valley” sign to take a few photos as it’s right off the main road.
Our first winery tasting was at Del Dotto Estate Winery & Caves. It’s a beautiful winery, so I’d highly recommend stopping at this one. We did the Cave Experience & Barrel Tasting and there was no shortage of wine pours. Visit their website to book a reservation. Note: There are three different Del Dotto wineries in the Napa area. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them.
Once you’re done with the tasting, you can head to St. Helena to walk around the town, shop, or eat some lunch.
For the second tasting, head to Mumm Napa, known for their sparkling wines. There are some pretty views of wine country at Mumm and you can enjoy a flight on the patio while taking in the scenery.
For dinner, grab a reservation at Bottega Napa Valley. It’s located in Yountville and is an Italian cuisine. It has a great ambiance, as well as good food and drink options.
Day 3
Key highlights:
- Visit Cakebreak Cellars winery
- Explore Calistoga
- Visit Castello di Amorosa winery
Get started with coffee or breakfast at Oxbow Public Market. You can stop by Ritual Coffee or Model Bakery depending on what you’re feeling.
Once you’re finished, head to Cakebread Cellars for your first wine tasting. If you’re a fan of red wine, I’d say this is a good option for you. The winery has a modern feel and nice, calm patio you could choose to sit in.
Once you’re done, head to Calistoga to explore the town, do some shopping, stop at a spa, or grab a bit to eat.
For tasting two, I’d highly recommend Castello di Amorosa winery. It’s a cool experience having the tasting in a medieval-style castle. We had a knowledgeable sommelier who made the tasting even better. This was one of my favorites!
Reserve a spot at Bouchon Bistro for dinner. It’s a French restaurant with a nice atmosphere that’s also located in Yountville.
WHERE TO STAY
There are several different areas you can choose to stay in Napa Valley.
- Downtown Napa: This is where we chose to stay on our trip. You’ll be centralized – near restaurants and shops.
- Other towns in Napa Valley: You can also stay in the surrounding towns, such as Yountville, St. Helena, Sonoma, and others depending on the wineries you’re planning to visit.
Regardless of where you decide to stay, you’ll most likely need to use your car to get from town to town in Napa Valley. I searched on Airbnb and hotels.com to find affordable places to stay depending on what you’re looking for.
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW AS YOU PLAN YOUR TRIP
- We ended up booking a car service for two days to take us around to our wine tastings. This helped ensure that everyone in our group got to enjoy the full wine tasting experience and not need to worry about being the designated driver.
- Wineries:
- I’d suggest visiting two wineries a day. I’d say three wineries a day would be the most you’d want to do, but any more than that is too rushed.
- Other winery recommendations I’ve heard are good: Frank Family, Silver Oak, Caymus, Sterling, Pine Ridge, Raymond, Scribe, Kendall-Jackson
Hope you enjoy visiting Napa and Sonoma!
