Three Days Road Trip To California Wine Country



Wine tasting is not the only activity you will find in California Wine Country. A road trip to Sonoma and Napa will take you through winding roads, stunning landscape of lush green vineyards and rolling hills, quaint little towns and a variety of outdoor activities.

Where do you start?
Napa and Sonoma is located in Northern California. You can fly into San Francisco International Airport and pick up your rental car and drive 47 miles to Napa. Or fly into Sacramento International Airport or Oakland International Airport. Use Travelmath’s closest airport calculator to determine which airport is closest to your destination in Napa and Sonoma. You may base your decision on the availability of flights to the airport. San Francisco serves more airlines compared to Sacramento.

Difference between Napa and Sonoma
Most tourists visit both Napa and Sonoma when visiting California Wine Country. The driving distance between St. Helena, a town in Napa Valley and Healdsburg, Sonoma Valley is only 32 miles.

There are more similarities than differences in Napa and Sonoma. However in Sonoma you can go to the beaches, Armstrong Redwoods State Park and the town of Healdsburg is trendy with its little stores and wineries.

While in Napa Valley, you could choose your accommodation in towns like St. Helena, Angwin, Lake Berryessa, Napa, Oakville, Rutherford, American Canyon, Yountville or Calistoga. Each of these little towns have their own unique features. St. Helena is also known as Napa Valley’s main street. Here you will find wineries, award winning restaurants and The Culinary Institute of America.

Whether you are looking for a luxurious spa getaway, a remote vineyard accommodation or a hotel near all the night activities, Napa Valley does offer visitors choices when it comes to accommodation. Check out The Napa Valley Guide for a list of accommodation.

The Wineries
Here are four recommended wineries

1.   Sterling Vineyards in Napa Valley in Calistoga. Sterling Vineyards architecture was modeled after that of Mykonos, Greece with white stucco that contrast with the mountain ranges that border each side of Napa Valley. Get a panoramic view of Napa Valley and the town of Calistoga from Sterling Vineyards.
2.    Del Dotto Vineyards in St. Helena, Napa Valley is a family-owned vineyard. They produce Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Sangiovese and Sauvignon Blanc. One interesting offering when you visit Del Dotto is the Cave Tour and Barrel Tasting Experience. They are known as “The Best Experience for Wine Collectors in the World”.
3.   Dry Creek Vineyards in Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma. This winery produces California’s finest Fume Blancs and Zinfandels. They have Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Meritage and Endeavor Cabernet. Dry Creek Vineyards provides picnic grounds for visitors to enjoy snack time while pairing with Dry Creek wines purchased from the tasting room. They even include free WIFI. Imagine working on your laptop while having wine and cheese in the picnic area.
4.    Benziger Family Winery in Glen Ellen, Sonoma. According to the winery, they are about three things, family, great wine and healthy vineyards. They use certified Biodynamic, organic and sustainable farming methods. They provide behind-the-scenes vineyard tour and exclusive seated wine tasting limited to 10 guests per tour and were voted the best winery tour in Sonoma Valley in 2012.

Most of the wineries in Napa and Sonoma are available for visitors. Make your reservation with the wineries before driving there. Allow time to travel between each winery and limit your tastings to no more than 4 a day.

The Armstrong Redwoods State Park is a great stop to see the magnificent Sequoia sempervirens also known as redwood. These trees stand from 200-250 feet tall and 12-16 feet in diameter. Some trees survive over 2,000 years and are over 350 feet tall. Before the logging industry in Northern California, the whole Napa and Sonoma areas were filled with redwood trees.

According to the State Park, the average rainfall of 55 inches per year in the area helps maintain the moist conditions needed for the redwoods to survive and at the same time gives a mystical fog in the area.

Find out more about Armstrong Redwoods State Park here.

5 tips to help you have a great road trip to California Wine Country:

1.    Map out your destination before leaving. Use Travelmath’s driving distance calculator.
2.    Make reservations for your visits to the wineries.
3.    Have a designated driver on your road trip if you are wine tasting.
4.    Find out the hours of operation for the wineries.
5.    Full tasting experience takes about one hour unless you are going for the Cave Tour and Barrel Tasting Tour or behind-the-scenes tours.

Drive safely and have a great road trip to California Wine Country.




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