This post serves as a recap of our trip and I’ll give additional options along the way! I’ve also updated my Sonoma Travel Guide post if you want to learn more about Sonoma.

Why Visit Napa

For the wine! There are more than 375 wineries in one of the world’s celebrated wine regions. Cheers!

Best Time to Visit Napa

The best time to visit Napa is August through October, though this is also the peak tourist season. Spring – March through May – is also an ideal time.

Napa vs Sonoma

Having visited both places now, I can confirm that I prefer laid-back Sonoma for visiting wineries, but Napa has wineries on incredible estates. It’s all fairly close, so you could easily visit wineries in both places in one trip like we did.

Napa Valley Fires

Before our trip, we were anxiously watching the fires. It is a devastating annual occurrence caused by climate change. When fires are active in the area, businesses and roads can close and the surrounding area can be affected by thick smoke. Wildfires typically happen from May through October.

How Long to Stay in Napa?

Our trip was five days, and we stayed three full days. We did one full day of winery tastings (four wineries) and visited one winery another day. This was more than enough time for us, but if you’re a wine enthusiast, there is plenty of wine to enjoy! For a longer trip, I recommend combining your trip with some sightseeing in San Francisco and some outdoor activities around the Bay Area.

Getting To Napa

San Francisco, where you’ll likely land is about an hour and 20 minutes from Napa. You could take a day trip with a tour coming from San Francisco, but renting a car may be the easiest and most affordable way to get around San Francisco and to/from Napa. It’s an easy drive, though you may encounter some traffic in San Francisco.

Getting Around Napa

While Napa, the town, is about 18 square miles, the Napa Valley includes the towns of Calistoga, St. Helena, Yountville, and American Canyon.

We rented a mini-van to get around. It was about $300 for the five-day trip and fit seven people. With needing to drive from San Francisco to Napa and driving to/from restaurants and wineries, it makes the most sense. Parking is easy and free in Napa.

See the winery section below to learn more about tour options.

Where to Stay in Napa

I haven’t told you one big detail until now – we actually stayed in Sonoma. We were a group of seven people looking for an affordable option with four bedrooms, and we found that in a house in Sonoma. There were more affordable house options in Sonoma than in Napa. We also considered the cancellation policy, amenities (hot tub), and the surrounding area. Since the house was right off Sonoma Square, it was perfect for walking to the grocery store and nearby restaurants and shops. Here’s the house we stayed in – Casa La Paloma. The house had a huge kitchen/living room area and a big backyard.

I recommend deciding which wineries you want to visit and what else you want to do to help pick where you stay. The farthest Napa winery from the house was about a 45-minute drive and most things in Napa were a 20-30-minute drive.

If you would like to stay in Napa, here are some options:

• The Meritage Resort and Spa (4-star hotel)
• Silverado Resort (4-star hotel)
• The Cottages of Napa Valley (B&B)
• Churchill Manor (B&B)
• Downtown Napa House with a Hot Tub (Rental)
• Simple Downtown Napa House (Rental)

I recommend looking at more options on Vrbo and Airbnb!

Where to Drink Wine in Napa Valley

Because of COVID, wineries required advance reservations. This made our day feel like we hurried from one place to another so that we could make it to four wineries. It wasn’t ideal but we still enjoyed the day. Some of the wineries have beautiful grounds to explore, so be sure to allow time to do that if you’re interested. Also, wineries have moved their tastings outside, so you’ll likely be seated with your party to enjoy the grounds. Since the tastings are outside, you might not be able to see the indoor tasting rooms and buildings. Be sure to review a winery’s website for the most current information.

Winery Costs: The cost per person ranged from $30-40 for a three or four-flight tasting to $75-95 for a four to six-flight tasting.

Birthday Boy Dan is a fan of reds, so that was our focus for this trip. He also chose the wineries we visited for the experience and the views. I’ll give a few notes about the wineries we visited.

Far Niente

The most beautiful winery we visited, the grounds are incredible! The drive into the winery is so picturesque. Pricing: $80 for a flight of five wines

Sequoia Grove Winery

This was the least fancy winery we visited. I loved the little sweet treat we got. Pricing: $40 for a single vineyard flight of four wines

Cliff Lede Vineyards

We didn’t see much of this winery (we had a table near the entrance), but we had a great view of the vineyards on the mountain. Pricing: $40 for a flight of three wines with snacks

Inglenook

Inglenook has a long history and you might know this winery as the Coppola winery. The buildings are very cool to walk through. Pricing: $60 for a flight of four wines with cheese pairing

Here are some other noteworthy Napa wineries to consider:

• Robert Mondavi Winery – the one you might know by name
• Nickel and Nickel – for single-vineyard wine
• Domaine Chandon or Domaine Carneros – if you like sparkling wine
• HALL Napa Valley – wine with an impressive art sculpture collection

If you’re looking for a tour option:

• Napa Valley Wine Train
• West Wine Tours
• You could also rent a bus with a driver to follow your itinerary. Check out Wine Tour Drivers and We Drive.

What to Do in Napa Besides Wineries

In case you don’t want to spend every day drinking wine or if you want some variety, here are some fun things to do in Napa besides drinking wine!

• Napa Valley Bike Tours
• Mud Baths in Calistoga
• Napa Valley Paddle
• Hot Air Balloon Ride with Napa Valley Balloons, Balloons Above the Valley, or Napa Valley Aloft
• The Grape Escape Room
• Brewery: Stone Brewing Napa
• Distillery: Napa Valley Distillery
• Self-Guided Tour of the Rail Arts District
• Bottlerock Napa Valley Festival
• Hike at Robert Louis Stevenson State Park or Bothe-Napa Valley State Park
• Shop in Downtown Napa

Where to Eat in Napa

There are plenty of delicious and award-winning options for restaurants in the Napa area. Here are a few we enjoyed.

Oxbow Public Market

Great food hall with a lot of restaurant choices, including Hog Island Oyster Bar, The Fatted Calf, and Kara’s Cupcakes. Fieldwork Brewing Company is available for beer and there are several wine shops nearby.

Oakville Grocery

A place to stop for pizza and gourmet sandwiches

The French Laundry

Read all about my experience here.

Ad Hoc & Addendum

If you can’t make it to The French Laundry, try Chef Keller’s other establishments

For more suggestions, look at this Eater list or the Napa Valley website.

5-Day Napa Itinerary

We had a very leisurely schedule and one full day of wineries. Here’s our itinerary for some ideas to plan your trip.

• Thursday: arrive at SFO at noon, stop at Golden Gate Observation Deck, hike Muir Woods, arrive at Sonoma house around 6pm, Dinner
• Friday: Lunch at Oxbow Market, wine tasting at 3 Sticks (Sonoma), dinner at The French Laundry
• Saturday: Winery tastings at 10 am and 11:30 am, lunch at Oakville Grocery, winery tastings at 2 pm and 3:15 pm, order take-out for dinner
• Sunday: Day trip to nature or other activities – see list above
• Monday: Drive back to SF and fly out in the morning

Conclusion

For wine enthusiasts in the U.S., Napa is a must-visit! Your trip can be as laid-back or exploratory as you make it, and you’ll never be in want of really good food and drinks. I would go back!

P.S. Check out my guide to Sonoma and my San Francisco posts to plan other parts of your trip.

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Fredericksburg is an interesting small town. I’ve been on a few weekend trips, and it’s a good option for a weekend getaway if you live in Texas and you’re itching to explore somewhere new. This small town is walkable, especially if you don’t plan on visiting wineries out of town. While it’s a tourist town, there are gem moments here and there that make you especially glad to be there.

Quick Tips: My Recommended Top Things to Do in Fredericksburg

• Drink Texas wine
• Catch some live music at Crossroads Saloon and Steakhouse or Lincoln Street
• Venture out to Enchanted Rock (since it’s only 20 minutes away)

Getting There

Located in west Texas, Fredericksburg is located on 290 and about an hour and a half from Austin and a little more than four hours from Dallas.

Where to Stay in Fredericksburg

Cotton Gin Village

This spacious yet cozy cabin we stayed in was delightful. It had everything we needed, from a plush bed to a Keurig. The bath products were really nice! It’s a bed and breakfast, so a plentiful breakfast with hot and cold items was delivered in the morning. There are seven cabins on the property and a big house that can fit up to 12 people. You don’t have to go far for good food. Cabernet Grill is on-site and is a great option with Texas wine pairings.

All Seasons

We stayed at the downtown location, which was conveniently two blocks away from Main Street. It was a comfortable walk to all the restaurants and bars we wanted to visit, and we felt very safe walking around at night. We stayed in the Simple Pleasures room, which felt like a cute tiny house since it was complete with a small kitchen area and full-size refrigerator. Though the shower was a tight squeeze, the bed was very comfortable. The stay includes breakfast and our room was stocked with cereal, coffee, milk, orange juice, and a coffee cake. All Seasons has multiple properties around town, and I’d recommend them for a very comfortable stay!

More Suggestions

• For a beautiful, luxury stay, check out Heavenly Hosts.
• For a comfortable stay in Downtown Fredericksburg, check out The Roadrunner Inn.
• A unique stay would be the trailers at Blue Skies Retro Resort.
• Wein Cottage is a cozy spot.
• HoneyTree has some beautiful tree houses.
• A-Fram Ranch is a spacious place to stay.

What to Eat and Drink in Fredericksburg

There is a good variety of eats in Fredericksburg. Here are some options.

Cabernet Grill

Delicious food with perfectly paired wines? I’m in! It’s one of my favorite restaurants in Fredericksburg. They focus on Hill Country flavors and they have a Texas-only wine list. See all the details in this post.

Otto’s

Otto’s is one of the recommended finer dining restaurants in Fredericksburg and it focuses on German food. We had highs and lows with our experience at Otto’s. I really enjoyed my Evy (gin) cocktail and the Foie Gras BLT. The Stuffed Quail (stuffed with sauerkraut) was good but my Duck Schnitzel was overpowering on the crisp breading and the duck flavor was hidden.

Sunset Grill

Looking for breakfast very early one morning, we found the cute Sunset Grill. The colors of mint and salmon inside made me wish I was at the beach. We arrived before 8 am so it was still empty and quiet. One bite of my boyfriend’s smoked salmon eggs benedict and I knew I had lost at ordering. I got the Senorita Omelet, which was good but no eggs benedict. This meal was the highlight of my dining experiences in Fredericksburg!

Vaudeville

I loved the look and atmosphere of this restaurant. It is underground from the home décor store by the same owners. The salmon tartare was a bit salty but the duck confit was very good.

Burger Burger

While a grass-fed Old Fashioned burger with cheese combo will cost you close to $20, it was a good burger and delicious, crispy French fries.

Lincoln Street

This is a great wine bar with a roomy patio with live music. They have a wide selection of wine and not only Texas wines.

Fredericksburg Pie Company

Stop in here for a slice of pie!

Clear River

This spot is for ice cream, deli, and baked goods. Their ice cream is homemade and they have simple sandwiches.

Fredericksburg Herb Farm

A spacious restaurant with a variety of pizzas, salads, burgers, and entrees. They have a big breakfast selection.

Alamo Springs Cafe

Come here for the burger! Some claim it’s the best burger they’ve ever had.

What to Do in Fredericksburg

Main Street Fredericksburg

Main Street is a few blocks downtown and filled with restaurants, bars, and shops. You could spend all day popping in and out of shops, and you’ll find an interesting mix of souvenirs, from cowboy boots to antiques and decorative signs.

Wineries

There are about 40 wineries in the Fredericksburg and Hye area! Wineries usually require a tasting fee to try a few of their wines and the fee differs by each winery. Here are some wineries you should check out:

• William Chris Vineyards
• Lost Draw Cellars
• Hye Meadow Winery
• Hilmy Cellars
• Kuhlman Cellars

290 Wine Shuttle
An easy way to tour multiple wineries is by taking the 290 Wine Shuttle. It stops at over 20 wineries and comes by every 10 minutes. An all-day pass is $29.99. It also stops at distilleries and breweries.

Texas Wine Tours
Since we had a great wine tour experience in Sonoma and we wanted a designated driver with local knowledge, we booked Texas Wine Tours after looking at reviews and pricing. Similar to the Sonoma experience, our guide Darryl was knowledgeable about the wine industry in the region and state. He had contacted us earlier in the week to tailor the four winery destinations to the preferences of the eight people on our tour. We ended up going to Grape Creek Vineyards, 4.0, Becker Vineyards, and Compass Rose Cellars (which is now closed). Overall, it was a good experience, and I found at least one wine I liked at each winery. My favorite wines were at Grape Creek Vineyards and my favorite experience was at Compass Rose Cellars. Here’s a little about each of the wineries.

Grape Creek Vineyards: I enjoyed the most kinds of wines at Grape Creek Vineyards. My favorites were the Viognier and Petite Sirah, though I also enjoyed their Pinot Grigio, Bellissimo, and Cabernet Trois. If you don’t want to venture out of downtown, they do have a tasting room on Main Street. They also have tasting rooms around Texas. The closest one to Austin is in Georgetown!

Four Point Cellars: I liked this winery because it houses three wineries from out of town, so it’s likely to find something for everyone – from very sweet to the dark reds. My favorite wine from the Cellar Selection Tasting Flight was the Doc’s Tribute Red 2014 from McPherson Cellars.

Becker Vineyards: While this winery was very popular based on the crowds, our group was not as impressed, though it could be that it was the last stop of the day. From our tasting, I enjoyed the 2014 Jolie Rose and 2012 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

Altstadt Brewery

Wait, there’s a brewery in the Texas wine country? Yep! Opened in fall 2018, this huge brewery is a destination! You won’t miss it as you’re driving on 290. They focus on German-style beers, and an Alt, Kolsh, and Lager are their signature beers.

Crossroads Saloon and Steakhouse

We came here after dinner one night and it ended up being one of our favorite activities of the weekend. There were live music, two-stepping and lots of great people-watching. One area is strictly their restaurant and the other was the music, bar, and dance floor. There were the cutest older couples dancing who left early to make way for five different bachelorette parties to hit the dance floor. It was a fun atmosphere!

National Museum of the Pacific War

The 6-acre museum complex includes the Admiral Nimitz Museum, the George H.W Bush Gallery, a Japanese Garden, and Memorial Courtyard. This is a great activity for history buffs.

Enchanted Rock

One of Texas’ most visited sights is only 20 minutes away from Fredericksburg so it would be a great activity to throw into your trip. The entrance fee is $7 per person. Visitors usually take the Summit Trail, which is simply an up and down trip. Check the weather because if it rains more than a drizzle, they will shut down the Summit Trail because it gets very slick. If you hustle, you can get to the summit in 20 minutes. There are several other trails looping around the park if you’d like to hike more. They also have campsites. Check out my post about Enchanted Rock.

Have you visited Fredericksburg? What sights and restaurants would you recommend?

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We got the chance to return to Sonoma on a group trip a few years later, so I’ve added notes from that trip in too. We stayed in the perfect house and enjoyed a wine tasting steps from the Downtown Sonoma Plaza.

Here is a Sonoma Travel Guide to help you plan a wonderful time in Sonoma!

Sonoma vs. Napa

In my pre-trip research and conversations during the trip, I learned that Sonoma is prettier, easier to get to and navigate, and more affordable than Napa. Sonoma also has a wider selection of wines and is known to be more laid-back. If you want an experience that is more sophisticated, Napa is the better choice. I prefer Sonoma!

How Long to Stay in Sonoma

We were in Sonoma for 24 hours and it was the right amount of time for us. We had a full day of wine tasting and were able to try two different restaurants. I would recommend staying longer if you want more wine tasting and you could even go try Napa for a day. For our second trip, we were there for about three days and spent leisurely time in Sonoma and Napa.

Getting to Sonoma

We rented a car at 9 a.m. Sunday morning in San Francisco and drove about an hour to our hotel in Sonoma. It was an easy drive with little traffic. Our Enterprise rental through Priceline was $67 (includes insurance) for two days. You can also search for companies that will pick up / drop off in San Francisco if you don’t want to rent a car or stay overnight in Sonoma. The Vantigo tour, the company I did a city tour with on my last trip, offers wine tour options.

Sonoma Wine Tour: Platypus Tours

My friend Sarah recommended Platypus Tours to us and they also have the highest reviews of any Sonoma wine tour company on TripAdvisor. We experienced their 5-star tour for ourselves and were incredibly pleased. They picked us up from our hotel for our leisurely 7-hour tour to four wineries. They keep groups small (ours had eight people) and we enjoyed getting to know everyone. Our tour guide Rob V. was passionate and knowledgeable about wine, a good driver, and prepared an excellent picnic lunch for us. He picked a good mix of boutique and well-known wineries for us, and we enjoyed the experiences at each winery. We visited Madrone Vineyards, Loxton Cellars, Buena Vista Winery, and Peter Cellars.

A wine tour is a fun way to interact with other wine-enthusiasts and you don’t have to worry about navigation or winery selection. It’s also a safer way to get around if you plan on tasting wine.

Info: $110 per person for a 7-hour group tour and includes snack and lunch. Does not include guide’s tip and at most $15 tasting fee per winery. See the FAQ on their website for more details.

On our group trip, we visited Three Sticks for a tasting. They have a beautiful courtyard and their wines were tasty!

Where to Stay in Sonoma

El Pueblo Inn

We had a pleasant stay at El Pueblo Inn. It was in a convenient location along the main road and minutes away from the main plaza and wineries. The room was cozy and comfortable.

Casa La Paloma

On another trip to Sonoma, we stayed in this house right off the main square, which was perfect for being near all the action. This four-bedroom house has a huge living room and backyard with a hot tub. It’s about a 15-minute walk to the grocery store, which is also convenient.

Sonoma Restaurants

The Girl & The Fig

We had a phenomenal dinner at The Girl & The Fig. Be sure to make a reservation in advance. The food and wine were all 5-star. They had a red or white five-glass wine flight available. We enjoyed Grass-Fed Steak Tartare, Fig & Arugula Salad, Wild Flounder, Duck Confit, and Lavender Crème Brulee.

El Dorado Kitchen

Before leaving the little Sonoma paradise, we stopped at El Dorado Kitchen for breakfast. I enjoyed the egg white omelet with spinach, parmesan, and mushrooms and comes with fried potatoes, arugula, and a biscuit.

LaSalette

We enjoyed this Portuguese restaurant for dinner with friends. Mmm lots of seafood like scallops, seafood stew, octopus, and more.

Sweet Scoops

For a sweet treat, stop by this ice cream shop in Sonoma square.

What to Do in Sonoma Besides Drink Wine

Sonoma has lots of parks to explore, including ones that will give you beautiful views of Sonoma. See outdoor options on the Sonoma County website.

Have you been to Sonoma or Napa? What are your recommendations?

P.S. Want to see more travel inspiration? See more travel posts here.

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