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Overview
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Begin your journey to California Wine Country by flying into San Francisco. Stay here for a night or a few before exploring Sonoma and Napa counties.
San Francisco
Fisherman's Wharf
One of the busiest and well known tourist attractions in the western United States, Fisherman's Wharf is best known for being the location of Pier 39, the Cannery Shopping Center, Ghirardelli Square, a Ripley's Believe it or Not museum, the Musée Mécanique, Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf, and the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.
Seafood restaurants are aplenty in the area. Some include the floating Forbes Island restaurant[3] at Pier 39 to stands that serve fresh seafood, most notably Dungeness crab and clam chowder served in a sourdough bread bowl. Some of the restaurants, including Fishermen's Grotto, Pompei's Grotto and Alioto's, go back for three generations of the same family ownership. Other restaurants include chains like Joe's Crab Shack and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. The area also has an In-N-Out Burger; local business leaders said they opposed every other fast food chain except In-N-Out, because they wanted to maintain the flavor of family-owned, decades-old businesses in the area, with one saying locals would ordinarily "be up in arms about a fast-food operation coming to Fisherman's Wharf," but the family-owned In-N-Out "is different."
Other attractions in Fisherman's Wharf area are the Hyde Street Pier (part of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park), the USS Pampanito, a decommissioned World War II era submarine, and the Balclutha, a 19th-century cargo ship. Nearby Pier 45 has a chapel in memory of the "Lost Fishermen" of San Francisco and Northern California.
There is a sea lion colony next to Pier 39. They "took-up" residence months before the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. The sea lions lie on wooden docks that were originally used for docking boats.
One of the city's most popular figures is a harmless but controversial resident of Fisherman's Wharf called the World Famous Bushman, a local street performer who sits behind some branches and startles people who walk by. He has been a permanent entertainer in the Fisherman's Wharf area for the past 30 years and has gained a fair amount of notoriety among the locals and tourists that have been warned about him.
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Seafood restaurants are aplenty in the area. Some include the floating Forbes Island restaurant[3] at Pier 39 to stands that serve fresh seafood, most notably Dungeness crab and clam chowder served in a sourdough bread bowl. Some of the restaurants, including Fishermen's Grotto, Pompei's Grotto and Alioto's, go back for three generations of the same family ownership. Other restaurants include chains like Joe's Crab Shack and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. The area also has an In-N-Out Burger; local business leaders said they opposed every other fast food chain except In-N-Out, because they wanted to maintain the flavor of family-owned, decades-old businesses in the area, with one saying locals would ordinarily "be up in arms about a fast-food operation coming to Fisherman's Wharf," but the family-owned In-N-Out "is different."
Other attractions in Fisherman's Wharf area are the Hyde Street Pier (part of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park), the USS Pampanito, a decommissioned World War II era submarine, and the Balclutha, a 19th-century cargo ship. Nearby Pier 45 has a chapel in memory of the "Lost Fishermen" of San Francisco and Northern California.
There is a sea lion colony next to Pier 39. They "took-up" residence months before the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. The sea lions lie on wooden docks that were originally used for docking boats.
One of the city's most popular figures is a harmless but controversial resident of Fisherman's Wharf called the World Famous Bushman, a local street performer who sits behind some branches and startles people who walk by. He has been a permanent entertainer in the Fisherman's Wharf area for the past 30 years and has gained a fair amount of notoriety among the locals and tourists that have been warned about him.
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North Beach
North Beach is a neighborhood in the northeast of San Francisco adjacent to Chinatown. The neighborhood is San Francisco's "Little Italy", and has historically been home to a large Italian American population. It is still home to many Italian restaurants today, though many other ethnic groups currently live in the neighborhood. It was also the historic center of the beatnik subculture. Today, North Beach is one of San Francisco's main nightlife districts as well as a residential neighborhood populated by a mix of young urban professionals, families and Chinese immigrants part of the adjacent Chinatown.
The American Planning Association (APA) has named North Beach as one of ten "Great Neighborhoods in America".
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The American Planning Association (APA) has named North Beach as one of ten "Great Neighborhoods in America".
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Chinatown
The Chinatown centered on Grant Avenue and Stockton Street in San Francisco, California, is the oldest Chinatown in North America and the largest Chinese enclave outside Asia. It is the oldest of the four notable Chinatowns in the city. Since its establishment in 1848, it has been highly important and influential in the history and culture of ethnic Chinese immigrants in North America. Chinatown is an enclave that continues to retain its own customs, languages, places of worship, social clubs, and identity. There are two hospitals, numerous parks and squares, a post office, and other infrastructure. While recent immigrants and the elderly choose to live in here because of the availability of affordable housing and their familiarity with the culture, the place is also a major tourist attraction, drawing more visitors annually than the Golden Gate Bridge.
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Sonoma
Sonoma is the southwestern county and largest producer of California’s Wine Country region, which also includes Napa, Mendocino, and Lake counties. It possesses thirteen approved American Viticultural Areas and over 250 wineries.
West of the Napa Valley and bordering on the Pacific, Sonoma County is an area full of California history, spectacular scenery and excellent wine. Sonoma is a younger wine region than Napa, and many visitors take note of the more laid-back feel created by the family-owned wineries. Sonoma County begins 30 mi/50 km north of San Francisco.
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I like Sonoma as it features many boutique wineries with well crafted wine that you won't find back home in stores.
Matt's Picks
Buena Vista: One of the oldest wineries in the region. Ask them if you can check out the bubble room.
Gloria Ferrer: Great Champagne tasting!
Cornerstone: Across the street from Gloria Ferrer, Cornerstone features some unique art installations, a few shops, and a couple of wine tasting rooms.
Chateau St. Jean: I love their cab.
West of the Napa Valley and bordering on the Pacific, Sonoma County is an area full of California history, spectacular scenery and excellent wine. Sonoma is a younger wine region than Napa, and many visitors take note of the more laid-back feel created by the family-owned wineries. Sonoma County begins 30 mi/50 km north of San Francisco.
Click here for more information
I like Sonoma as it features many boutique wineries with well crafted wine that you won't find back home in stores.
Matt's Picks
Buena Vista: One of the oldest wineries in the region. Ask them if you can check out the bubble room.
Gloria Ferrer: Great Champagne tasting!
Cornerstone: Across the street from Gloria Ferrer, Cornerstone features some unique art installations, a few shops, and a couple of wine tasting rooms.
Chateau St. Jean: I love their cab.
- The Wine Carriage is a wine tasting experience via Horse & Carriage. You'll visit Hanna, Alexander Valley Vineyards, and SodaRock.
- The Wine Trolley is another interesting way to go wine tasting. They will take to you four boutique wineries.
- Consider visiting Healdsburg which is a quaint town in Sonoma County.
- Santa Rosa is another town in Sonoma County worth visiting that features a Safari with Giraffes, Rhino's, Ostrich, Cape Buffalo, and other African animals.
- There are also bike tours in the area if you're feeling active.
Napa
One of California's two major wine regions (the other being the Sonoma Valley in neighboring Sonoma County), the Napa Valley is among the most colorful getaways in California, combining fine wines, extraordinary natural beauty, rich history, and fabulous lodgings and dining.
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In Napa you'll find a lot of the large estate wineries. These are the wineries you're probably already familiar with and drink at home.
You'll want to visit Napa during the week and stay away on the weekends as it can get very crowded.
Matt's Picks
Castle Winery: The most beautiful wineries in Napa Valley simply must start with the most epic Castello Di Amorosa, the only authentic medieval (13th-century) Italian Tuscan castle and winery built in America, officially lowered its drawbridge for business in April 2007. Castello di Amorosa is nestled in the western hills on 171 acres just minutes south of The Napa Valley town of Calistoga.
The Castello has evolved to include over 136,000 square feet, including 107 rooms (90 of which are devoted to winemaking and wine storage); an enormous Great Hall with 2-story replica Tuscan frescoes painted by Italian artists and a 500-year old fireplace; 8,000 tons of hand-chiseled stones; 8 levels (4 above ground and 4 below); a drawbridge, dungeon and torture chamber; medieval church; and arguably the single most impressive wine barrel room in the U.S., with ancient Roman cross-vaulted ceilings.
Ruthorford Hill: Rutherford Hill is a larger winery featuring cave tours. They store their wine in a cave for fermenting so it was really fun to visit. The tasting hosts were friendly and talkative and poured a good glass of wine. Public cave tours are available daily at 11:30 am, 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm Monday to Friday and 11:00 am, 12:30 pm, 2:00 pm and 3:30 pm on Saturday and Sunday. The exterior of the winery includes a number of shady picnic areas in groves of trees and a large shaded courtyard. With typical Napa temperatures - this is one comfortable place to visit.
Robert Mondavi: Robert Mondavi established his namesake winery in 1966 with a vision to create Napa Valley wines that would stand in the company of the world's finest. He chose To Kalon Vineyard in the heart of the Napa Valley as the home for Robert Mondavi Winery. This first-growth vineyard, located in Oakville, California, is renowned for producing some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon wines in the world, as well as for its Sauvignon Blanc grapes, from which Mr. Mondavi crafted his signature wine, Fumé Blanc.
Two tasting rooms feature the winery's limited production and reserve wines by the glass and also by the flight and gives visitors the opportunity to discuss wines with very knowledgeable wine educators. Also on view is the permanent art collection throughout the winery grounds.
Opus One: Naming a winery Opus One sets some seriously high expectations. A musical term that comes from the Latin oper, Opus One is attributed to a composition generally considered to be a composer’s first masterpiece. Launched in 1979, when interest in Napa winemaking was still nascent, Opus One is an ambitious joint venture between two of the world’s most esteemed winemaking figures. It achieved near-overnight critical acclaim, matching the lofty aspirations of its name.
Nearly 40 years on, Opus One remains one of the most sought-after bottlings in Napa Valley.
Beringer: Beringer Vineyards is a large winery in St. Helena, California. Founded in 1876, Beringer Vineyards is "the oldest continuously operating winery in the Napa Valley", and is listed under both the National Register of Historical Places and as a California Historical Landmark.
Grgich Hills: Grgich Hills offers a cornucopia of experiences for visitors, including a variety of tours. Still, there’s something to be said for their decidedly old-school tasting bar. With a wide variety of menus available, there’s a tasting for basically every palate. Their Cabernet Sauvignon vertical offers visitors to Napa the rare opportunity to taste six vintages back-to-back, allowing you to grasp the nuances of each year.
Don’t miss the Chardonnay and their dessert wine “Violetta”.
Tamber Bey: Tamber Bey is located at Sundance Ranch, an equestrian facility for performance horses, and the tasting room is tucked in the spectacular original barn clubhouse designed by Napa Valley architect Howard Backen. Seriously, it’s smack in the middle of the training grounds, amidst the paddocks and opening onto a courtyard surrounded by the palace-worthy 16-stall barn. There’s horse art on the wine labels, and horse art as a mural overlooking the rich wood-paneled tasting room. And, if you’re lucky, when you sit on the lushly landscaped patio there will be some horses for you to watch in the posh stalls framing the courtyard.
Merlin, the black horse usually found in the pasture, is always happy to pose for photographs. Pack a few carrots for him in your picnic.
Click here for more information
In Napa you'll find a lot of the large estate wineries. These are the wineries you're probably already familiar with and drink at home.
You'll want to visit Napa during the week and stay away on the weekends as it can get very crowded.
Matt's Picks
Castle Winery: The most beautiful wineries in Napa Valley simply must start with the most epic Castello Di Amorosa, the only authentic medieval (13th-century) Italian Tuscan castle and winery built in America, officially lowered its drawbridge for business in April 2007. Castello di Amorosa is nestled in the western hills on 171 acres just minutes south of The Napa Valley town of Calistoga.
The Castello has evolved to include over 136,000 square feet, including 107 rooms (90 of which are devoted to winemaking and wine storage); an enormous Great Hall with 2-story replica Tuscan frescoes painted by Italian artists and a 500-year old fireplace; 8,000 tons of hand-chiseled stones; 8 levels (4 above ground and 4 below); a drawbridge, dungeon and torture chamber; medieval church; and arguably the single most impressive wine barrel room in the U.S., with ancient Roman cross-vaulted ceilings.
Ruthorford Hill: Rutherford Hill is a larger winery featuring cave tours. They store their wine in a cave for fermenting so it was really fun to visit. The tasting hosts were friendly and talkative and poured a good glass of wine. Public cave tours are available daily at 11:30 am, 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm Monday to Friday and 11:00 am, 12:30 pm, 2:00 pm and 3:30 pm on Saturday and Sunday. The exterior of the winery includes a number of shady picnic areas in groves of trees and a large shaded courtyard. With typical Napa temperatures - this is one comfortable place to visit.
Robert Mondavi: Robert Mondavi established his namesake winery in 1966 with a vision to create Napa Valley wines that would stand in the company of the world's finest. He chose To Kalon Vineyard in the heart of the Napa Valley as the home for Robert Mondavi Winery. This first-growth vineyard, located in Oakville, California, is renowned for producing some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon wines in the world, as well as for its Sauvignon Blanc grapes, from which Mr. Mondavi crafted his signature wine, Fumé Blanc.
Two tasting rooms feature the winery's limited production and reserve wines by the glass and also by the flight and gives visitors the opportunity to discuss wines with very knowledgeable wine educators. Also on view is the permanent art collection throughout the winery grounds.
Opus One: Naming a winery Opus One sets some seriously high expectations. A musical term that comes from the Latin oper, Opus One is attributed to a composition generally considered to be a composer’s first masterpiece. Launched in 1979, when interest in Napa winemaking was still nascent, Opus One is an ambitious joint venture between two of the world’s most esteemed winemaking figures. It achieved near-overnight critical acclaim, matching the lofty aspirations of its name.
Nearly 40 years on, Opus One remains one of the most sought-after bottlings in Napa Valley.
Beringer: Beringer Vineyards is a large winery in St. Helena, California. Founded in 1876, Beringer Vineyards is "the oldest continuously operating winery in the Napa Valley", and is listed under both the National Register of Historical Places and as a California Historical Landmark.
Grgich Hills: Grgich Hills offers a cornucopia of experiences for visitors, including a variety of tours. Still, there’s something to be said for their decidedly old-school tasting bar. With a wide variety of menus available, there’s a tasting for basically every palate. Their Cabernet Sauvignon vertical offers visitors to Napa the rare opportunity to taste six vintages back-to-back, allowing you to grasp the nuances of each year.
Don’t miss the Chardonnay and their dessert wine “Violetta”.
Tamber Bey: Tamber Bey is located at Sundance Ranch, an equestrian facility for performance horses, and the tasting room is tucked in the spectacular original barn clubhouse designed by Napa Valley architect Howard Backen. Seriously, it’s smack in the middle of the training grounds, amidst the paddocks and opening onto a courtyard surrounded by the palace-worthy 16-stall barn. There’s horse art on the wine labels, and horse art as a mural overlooking the rich wood-paneled tasting room. And, if you’re lucky, when you sit on the lushly landscaped patio there will be some horses for you to watch in the posh stalls framing the courtyard.
Merlin, the black horse usually found in the pasture, is always happy to pose for photographs. Pack a few carrots for him in your picnic.
- Hop aboard the Napa wine train for a lunch or dinner experience.
- Calistoga is a small picturesque town you might consider visiting that features mud bath's and spring water.
- Yountville has nice shops and great dining. It's a perfect place to have your anniversary dinner. There are at least 9 Michelin rated restaurants in this town. French Laundry, Bottega, Bouchon, and Ad Hoc are some of the most notable.