Napa Travel Forum

We live in San Diego and will be flying into SF to visit Napa and Sonoma this fall and then fly to Seattle. I hope to buy some wine (not all from the same winery. Any suggestions on how to get the wine back to San Diego? Many thanks in advance!

I have spent a whole day on the computer going through wineries in Napa and Sonoma and they all have Tours and Wine Tasting. Given 4 days, it's impossible to tour all of them. I'll appreciate some recommendations on the wineries that are a 'must see' for scenery, 'must try' for their wine and food pairings and 'must tour' for their beauty. Are the tours necessary? Are we able to visit the wineries without booking a tour but still be able to enjoy it. Of course, there are some wineries that are well worth paying for a tour. Also, my last question... my boyfriend is not a huge fan of wine...do the wineries mind if I pay for a tasting for myself but I shared the wine with him or are they really strict?

I'm trying to plan a fun weekend for my boyfriend and myself, and would like to do something great for both of us. He's really outdoorsy and loves camping, and I am more excited about the idea of a wine tasting bed/breakfast type weekend. I was hoping to get in the best of both worlds, with a night or two of camping, followed by a night or two in a more luxurious atmosphere in Napa or the like. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'd also like to get some biking in there if possible. I know this is pretty specific, but thanks for any help that I can get!

We are still on the fence regarding a bed and breakfast or Hotel. I am considering the "Dry Creek Inn" or a local B&B?? Any suggestions? We like to be comforatable and were concerned about being at a B&B and having it be a bit less privet.

Any suggestions

Can someone please give me some advice about our up coming trip to Napa. We will be traveling from SFO to the Napa region this May. I was told by my friend that Sonoma is better end less crowded?? Can some recommend a place to locate ourselves and a few spots/wineries not to miss.

thank you for your help.

Hi!

My husband and I will be staying in the Napa area next Sat and Sun and need a place to stay that's inepensive

Also, any suggestions for free wine tastings on my birthday would be nice :)

Thanks!

Can any VT member suggest a good place to stop for lunch on our way to Napa from San Francisco International Airport?

Background Info: My husband and I will be arriving at SFO on a Tuesday at 12:14 PM. Assuming the flight is on time, we estimate that by the time we pick up the rental car it'll be about 1:00/1:15 PM. I would prefer to get out of the San Francisco area and cross the bridge before stopping for lunch. Where is a good place to stop? Is Sausalito a good place? We don't have any preferences as far as cuisine, but would like something good. We don't care for chain restaurants or fast food. We like to sample local flavors and are always willing to be adventurous when it comes to food; but also appreciate good sandwiches, salads, or a good diner-style pie. The place can be a hole in the wall or a fancy shmancy restaurant. The only rule is the food has to be good. (Also, we have to be able to walk-in w/o reservations due to uncertainty of arrival time.) Suggestions?

Hi - gonna need a few jouneys by taxi while staying in Napa - need a top quality sedan to impress - not a stretch but real top quality - any suggestions

Gonna have 3-4 hrs spare for a drive around Napa - staying close to Napa - awesome views, opportunity to sit and stare with someone special - shade, water, you get the idea I'm sure

i'm not staying in the wine country this trip but passing through. I'm looking for the perfect lunch . Any suggestion??? A few that have been suggested were ....... Brix, zuzu, wappo, rutherford grille, celadon . An ideal place would have good food ( light but usual meal),deserts and good scenery . Any help would be appreciated!!!!!!!!!

Hey all,

I'm trying to figure out if any Napa wineries offer on-site accommodations. I'm planning a client retreat where we'll have both working sessions and recreational activities over 2 days for about 5-10 people. Any suggestions?

Thanks!!!
K

Where do you find a great hamburger, or, to get fancy, French bakery type sandwiches, or Thai food, or, gado gado?

My husband and I are planning a trip to Napa in mid-November. Although we are driving and will have our own car, we would like one day where we can both enjoy wine country without worrying about who is driving. I've checked out some limo websites but the costs seem a bit extravagant for two people. Are there any suggestions for something a little more affordable? Thanks!

we are coming for 3 nights in July over the weekend , with 2 kids 3 & 7. Where should we stay? we are looking at hotels rather than B&B's since they do not usually have 2 beds and some don't allow children.
Any recommendations for a good hotel? we want to visit some wineries in the Napa Valley and Sonoma if possible, so we would like a central location.
I have also looked on vrbo.com for rental properties but those have limited availability and some are quite expensive.
we are looking to spend no more than $200US/night if possible
any help is greatly appreciated!
Thanks

Hi folks.. Just wondering about everyone's favorite winery to tour. For us, it was Pine Ridge Winery. We had a very knowledgeable guide (Tom) and enjoyed the vines, wines and caves.

Plus, we visited on a Sunday and enjoyed the appelations and appetizers cooking demonstration that they presented.

Any others?

Would you let me know which wineries have beautiful views?
The only one I have visited is Sterling Vineyards.
Thanks!

I am looking into a job that is in Petaluma. I am new to the area.

Does anyone know what the everyday morning and evening commute to Petaluma is?

TIA!

I am planning a girls long weekend trip (Thur-Monday,not till March) to Napa for myself, my two sisters, and my best friend. I just started to research this destination so I do not know very much. We all love wine but not real experienced drinkers and we have all wanted to experience the beauty of wine country. We want to stay at a more upbeat hotel, not anything quiet and boring. Our trip last year was Vegas and we don't expect that out of Napa but we still want to have a fun trip. Do you think this is attainable in Napa? Any suggestions on accomodations, things to do at night? We plan on getting transportation for the trips to wineries, other than that would we need a car?

Thanks in advance for everyones help. I just discovered this web site today and it seems very helpful!

Any suggestions on great Cabernet or Pinot wineries in the Napa / Sonoma area? Will be there for the harvest season.

Thanks!
M

We plan an early morning depature from Sacramento airport on Sunday, 9/4/05, and need to reach Petaluma before dark. The rest of the day is devoted to touring and tasting. The plan is to drive north from Napa, alternating between Silverado Trail and Rt29, reaching as far north as St Helena. Then, heading east to Rt 12 and down toward Sonoma, then 116 over to Petaluma.

With the warnings I read about weekend traffic jams, I can't get a good sense if this is even reasonable. Can I make this trip in a day on a Holiday weekend?

We're not particularly sophisticated wine drinkers, so a good introduction would be helpful. I've heard Robert Mondavi suggested. Other names include Beringer, Sterling, Leap Frog, V. Sattui, and Niebaum-Coppola.

How long does it take to visit a winery? Does it make sense to take the tour at more than one?

Appreciate any comments and suggestions.

I am thinking to visit Napa for a weekend with nice mud spa and massage. Any suggestions? and what is the price range for couple massage and spa??
Thanks in advance!!!

We'll be travelling to California this summer with our two teens. This will probably be the last family vacation we all take together before everyone leaves the nest. We're planning on going to wine country and would like to visit two or three wineries that would be of interest to our underage girls. Sterling? (aeriel tram?) others? We'll have a car.

Also, we're thinking of splurging on a hot air balloon ride. Any thoughts? Are they cheaper if you go outside of Napa? Another thought was the Calistoga mud baths, or do you think they'll just be too weird for teens?

Suggestions for lodging that will be comfortable for a family of 4 without breaking the bank?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

My husband and I are going to San Fran this weekend and staying overnight there Friday and Saturday night. We are considering going to Napa Valley on Friday (leaving around noon) to visit one or two wineries. I know one option is to rent a car, but we'd rather be able to drink while we are there and not worry about driving back. Any suggestions on other ways to get there? I know there are limos but we don't want to spend so much. What other transportation is available? Thanks so much.
Christy

Hi,
I'm going to Napa in a few days to interview for a job,I was wondering if there are any reasonably priced or cheap places to stay nearby.i know Napa and cheap don't go together but I thought I would try.I will be there on 11/14-11/16.
Thanks!!!-Phil

Your favorite Bed and Breakfast???

Any comments on the Bel Abri???

so i've booked the "wine wagon," now it's up to me to decide what wineries to visit, and it's rather difficult to limit my choices to 4, hopefully 5.

some i'm considering are niebbaum-coppola, gloria ferrer, v.sattui, viansa, ledson, beringer, frog's leap. . . .

now after some research, have a few questions:

where should i mostly stick to, napa valley, or sonoma valley?

any wineries to visit with good syrah or shiraz?

**any wineries with public picnic grounds where you don't have to purchase food there (but of course will buy wine there) ?

any small wineries to consider? thanks if anyone can help . . .

for my birthday i would like to rent a limo/vehicle to go wine tasting with a bunch of friends in late october. i've browsed online and found several, those 4 -6 hour winery tours. One that looks promising is Beau limo tours. Will need to be picked up in the east bay. My group will be 10 or 14 or so. Just wondering if anyone out there has done anything similar, and what company they rented from. And if anyone has recommendations for a vehicle rental that does winery tours, reasonably priced?

recommendations for wineries to visit? i would like a mix of big and small. . . i've been to artesa and several small wineries already.

Hi, my wife and I are flying from Boston to Fresno and driving to an Inn outside Sequoia National Park. We are going to hang out and check out the park for a few days. We then are going to venture out to Napa. How long will it take to drive from Sequoia National Park to Napa and whats the best route? In addition, what are some of the best vineyards to check out while in Napa? I have used these forums before my honeymoon and I got some great responses! I look forward to any help. Thanks and let me know if I can ever be of any help.
Marc

There are too much wineries in Napa Valley.
What is the most interesting we can visit ?
We can follow a tour in English.

Thanks
RAY