© iStock International
Sonoma and Napa Valleys
Although we don’t condone drinking and driving, there’s no better way to get a taste of Northern California’s pastoral wine country than by driving through the Sonoma and Napa valleys. A 132-mile-long drive starts in Santa Rosa, just north of San Francisco, and follows three highways (Sonoma Hwy, St. Helena Hwy, and Redwood Hwy) through breathtaking acres of sprawling vineyards, forested hills, oak woodlands, several state parks – including beautiful Clear Lake State Park – as well as a handful of historic sites. Our preferred itinerary heads down and around Sonoma and Napa, then loops up to St. Helena, Calistoga, Middletown, and Cobb, before culminating in Hopland. Some of the highlights include the ghost-town of Silverado (made famous by writer Robert Louis Stevenson, who wrote about his honeymoon there); the expansive ranch belonging to author Jack London; the charming colonial town of Sonoma; and the famed Hopland Brewery, a microbrewery serving up frosty local beer (a nice change from all that wine). And while most don’t associate road trips with romance, the darling B&Bs, cozy eateries, and wineries galore you’ll pass en-route are sure to leave you smitten. Moreover, while this scenic drive is worth doing at any time of year, we particularly recommend hitting the road in autumn, when the annual harvest season welcomes festivals, street fairs, traditional grape stomps, and more.
See Connecticut Travel Guide | See Maine Travel Guide | See Massachusetts Travel Guide | See Maui Travel Guide | See Montana Travel Guide | See Napa Valley Travel Guide | See Sedona Travel Guide | See Sonoma Travel GuideSee Utah Travel Guide
$199+: Sonoma wine country resort w/$100 credit Marriott Hotels
