Napa & Sonoma

Napa and Sonoma counties are our favorites for short getaways.  Here you’ll find award winning wineries, world famous restaurants (visited by foodies around the world), and smaller eateries offering both creative and delicious (but more affordable) fare.  Besides the unique wine and food scene, the views are just beautiful: acres of vineyards, rolling hills, lazy rivers, and green orchards.  This is where you go in California to enjoy a relaxing break with great wines, delicious food, and a mediterranean climate.

We’ve found that the best way to enjoy Napa and Sonoma is to go with another family.  It’s easy to find larger homes to rent, and the additional childcare is critical: aside from the obvious date nights, there are many incredible wineries in and around this area that don’t allow kids when tasting.

Where to Stay

Although there are hotels and inns throughout this area, we’ve come to prefer renting a house for our base of operations.  The two big players are Airbnb or VRBO.  The two are roughly equivalent in inventory, but we’ve found VRBO offers more flexible payment schedules and cancellation policies.  Why a house instead of a beautiful hotel?  First, there are more options to choose from.  Second, for families, there is far more space for kids to run around in a house compared to hotel rooms.  And let’s not forget how relaxing it is to sip wine in the backyard under the stars after your little ones go to sleep.

In terms of location, you have a few options.  We actually avoid Napa: while lots of restaurants and wineries are close by, the area is relatively crowded.  We prefer smaller towns like Sonoma, which still has many restaurants and wineries, but is a little bit less crowded than Napa.  We’ve also stayed in Glen Ellen, a very quiet and pretty town bordering Jack London State Park.  Glen Ellen is only 20 mins north of Sonoma and is home to a unique and creative restaurant we love, the Glen Ellen Star. 

Where to go to Taste Wines

It can be overwhelming to decide which wineries to visit among the almost eight hundred in this area.  The most important thing to figure out is what matters the most to you.  There are a few dimensions to consider.  First is brand–if you’re looking for name recognition, wineries like Beringer, Stag’s Leap, or Robert Mondavi should be at the top of your list.  If you’re looking for incredible views while you sip your wine, we recommend wineries like Domaine Carneros, Chateau Montelena, or Castello di Amorosa.

If neither of those are important to you, then next is what kind of wines you find most enjoyable.  The best wineries tend to specialize, producing one or two incredible wines worth visiting for amidst a broad set of offerings.  Once you know what grape you’d like to focus on, your best bet for building a list of wineries to visit is to check out Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast Magazine, or Food and Wine, and cross-reference with community reviews like Yelp.

This approach has really worked for us.  As an example, we enjoy Pinot Noir, which is not a grape this region is well known for.  With the research described above, we found that there actually are wineries that produce exceptional Pinot Noir in this area.  Lynmar is a great example and is now one of our favorites.  It makes great Pinot Noir, it’s not crowded, and the views are just amazing.  Also, Lynmar offers a lunch and wine pairing that we can’t wait to try.  It doesn’t have online booking, so you have to email them to make a reservation and call to give them the credit card information.

Where to Eat

What makes good wine even more enjoyable?  Good food!  There are many restaurants in this wine country to choose from.  Here are a few good ones that we enjoy the most and keep going back to visit.

• Single Thread
  Single Thread is located in the beautiful little town of Healdsburg.  Personally, I think it beats the well-known The French Laundry in creativity and presentation.  No wonder it is listed as one of the world’s 50 best restaurants!
  
  It is almost impossible to get a reservation though.  You will have to try to secure one the moment the reservation opens up.  It also has an inn where you can stay overnight and enjoy a full service breakfast, which is included.  Even with the expensive price – $2000/night for the master suite, and $1400 for the guest room, the rooms sell out really fast, since a dinner reservation at the restaurant is guaranteed with a stay here.  Move fast if you want to find out what the fuss is all about!    
  
• The Restaurant at Meadowood (TRAM)
  The Glass Fire forced TRAM to close, but it will hopefully return soon.  We have such fond memories dining here!  The chef Christopher Kostow has another restaurant nearby – The Charter Oak in Napa – that is worth visiting in the meantime.
• The French Laundry
  The French Laundry is probably the most well known restaurant in Napa, and is the flagship restaurant of the famous chef Thomas Keller.   Getting a reservation requires being ready to click the instant the website opens new seats.  Reservations are scheduled for release here on 1st of each month at 10:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time.
  
  If you can’t get a reservation, don’t worry: Chef Keller has a bistro named Bouchon down the road which is a lot easier to get a table at. 
  
  The French Laundry and Bouchon are both located in Yountville, a pretty little town just 10 miles north of Napa.  I strongly recommend spending time wandering main street, and visiting the garden across the street from The French Laundry.
• Kenzo
  Kenzo offers authentic Japanese cuisine featuring seasonal local ingredients.  Diners are treated to a Japanese kaiseki combined with modern cooking skills and exquisite presentation.  Their beverage pairing is also interesting, ranging from Kenzo estate signature wines to sake and champagne.
  
  The reservation opens one month in advance here, and sells out very fast. 
  
• Glen Ellen Star
  Located in the small downtown of Glen Ellen, Glen Ellen Star is a gem that shouldn’t be missed.  Everything here is cooked in a wood oven, including seafood and local vegetables.  Pizza here are done in the traditional Naples style: a paper-thin crust with simple toppings.  Just delicious!
  
  Please make reservations online, as it does get really busy.     
  
  Glen Ellen is fifteen minutes drive from Sonoma, but it offers a totally different vibe: quiet and laid back.  It is very green, and has many hiking/walking trails.  We really enjoyed a week of staying here, and couldn’t resist eating two dinners at Glen Ellen Star during our stay.  
• Sunflower Caffé
  This is a perfect place for brunch.  They use fresh local ingredients to make simple and delicious comfort food, like sandwiches, salad, and soup.
  
  There is a cute patio at the back.  On a warm day, it is so relaxing sitting at the patio, enjoying the good food, and spending quality time with the family.
  
  The Sunflower Caffé is just across from the Sonoma Plaza Square.  They don’t take reservations, so just walk over after spending some time at the Plaza and enjoy a lovely meal here! 
  
• The Farm at Carneros
  It has become our tradition to have Sunday brunch at the Carneros Resort on the way back home from a trip to Napa.  The restaurant offers typical American brunch in a family style.  Their lobster roll and duck confit hash are our favorites.    

What to Do

There is not only good food and wine in Napa and Sonoma, but also lots of fun activities to work up an appetite for your delicious dinner.

• It’s always fun to pick up local and fresh food from farmers markets.  The Napa farmers market and Sonoma farmers market are the most popular.  We had a good time picking and eating the fresh fruits and artisan bread from the Napa farmers market.
• Are you inspired by the delicious food and wine pairing that you had last night in the wine country?  If so, there are many cooking classes that you can go to learn how to cook or improve your cooking skills.  The Culinary Institute of America is right in Napa, and offers different levels of cooking classes, from single classes to multi-days bootcamps for serious learners.
• If you stay in Sonoma, the Sonoma Overlook Trail is close by and provides a good view of the Sonoma valley.  A few minutes drive gets you to Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen, a comfortable and shady hike with beautiful views.  If you are willing to drive further, there are Sugarloaf Ridge State Park and Trione-Annadel State Park.
  
• Hot-air balloons are an amazing way to see Napa and Sonoma from above.  The rides typically begin at sunrise.  Drifting over acres of vineyards is just amazing, especially during fall when the vines are mixed with green, yellow, and red colors.  
• With a natural volcanic hot spring near the foot of Mount St. Helena close by, Calistoga offers a lot of places for hot springs and mud baths.  Head up there after an eventful day of hiking, and a good dinner with wine. 

If you want a relaxing vacation, or you’re a foodie traveling the world for good eats, Napa and Sonoma are a destination you shouldn’t miss!