California’s best-known wine region begins about 80 km (50 miles) north of San Francisco. Napa Valley is a single, narrow valley some 50 km (30 miles) long, running from the town of Napa through Yountville and St Helena to Calistoga, lined with grand estates famous for cabernet sauvignon. Sonoma County, over the Mayacamas hills to the west, is much larger and more varied, stretching to the Pacific coast, with a slower pace and generally lower tasting fees.
You can visit either on a day trip from San Francisco, but an overnight stay lets you eat well and taste without watching the clock. Tastings are poured generously and drink-driving laws are strict, so plan on a tour, a driver or a designated non-drinker.
Highlights
- Tasting cabernet at estates along Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail
- Lunch aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train
- Sonoma’s historic plaza and Spanish mission
- The Tuscan-style Castello di Amorosa
- Hot springs and mud baths in Calistoga
- Quiet back roads around Healdsburg and the Russian River
Plan your time in Napa & Sonoma
Limit yourself to three or four wineries a day and book them ahead: most Napa estates, and many in Sonoma, now receive visitors by appointment. One day is enough for a first taste of either valley; two days let you do one valley each or add Calistoga’s spas.
