Where to base yourself
Napa (town). The largest choice of hotels, a revived riverside centre with tasting rooms and restaurants, and the Wine Train station.
Yountville and St Helena. Small, elegant mid-valley towns surrounded by vineyards and celebrated restaurants. Expensive.
Sonoma (town). Historic, friendly and centred on its plaza; a good-value base close to San Francisco.
Healdsburg. A stylish small town in northern Sonoma County at the meeting point of three wine valleys.
Food & drink
Wine country is one of America’s great places to eat, from roadside burger stands and market halls to some of the most sought-after restaurants in the country, where tables are booked weeks or months ahead. Local produce drives the menus: cheese from Sonoma and Marin, olive oil, bread, and oysters from nearby Tomales Bay. A picnic bought at a deli or the Oxbow Public Market is a classic lunch — ask the winery first whether picnics are allowed.
Money-saving and safety tips
- Tasting fees are sometimes waived if you buy a bottle or two; ask when you book.
- Sonoma generally costs less than Napa for tastings, meals and rooms.
- Visit midweek for lower hotel rates and quieter tasting rooms.
- Never drive after tasting. Police patrol the valley roads, and penalties for driving under the influence are severe.
- Autumn is wildfire season. Keep an eye on fire and air-quality reports and have a flexible plan.
Sample plans
One day in Napa
- Morning tasting at an estate near Oakville or Rutherford
- Lunch in Yountville or St Helena
- Afternoon at Castello di Amorosa or a cave tour
- Evening in downtown Napa
One day in Sonoma
- Coffee on Sonoma Plaza and a visit to the mission
- Two tastings in Sonoma Valley or Carneros
- Late lunch and the tasting rooms around the plaza
Two days
- Day one in Napa Valley, ending in Calistoga
- A morning soak at a Calistoga spa
- Drive over the hills to Healdsburg or Sonoma for the afternoon
Where to stay in Napa & Sonoma
Base yourself in the town of Napa for the widest choice and the Wine Train, or in Sonoma for lower prices and a small-town plaza. Weekend rates are much higher than midweek in both.
