Napa Valley and Sonoma County are the best-known wine regions in the United States, and both are within reach for a day from San Francisco. A day trip works best if you choose one valley, book a few tastings in advance and leave the driving to someone else.
Napa or Sonoma?
- Napa Valley: one long valley with famous wineries, grand estates, polished tasting rooms and celebrated restaurants. Tastings are usually expensive.
- Sonoma: larger and more spread out, with smaller family wineries, a relaxed feel and the historic town square of Sonoma. Often better value.
Planning the day
Most wineries now take tastings by reservation, especially at weekends, so book two or three for your day, spaced out with lunch in between. Three is plenty; more and you will rush. Late summer and fall harvest season is the most beautiful and the busiest.
Getting there
A guided tour or a hired driver is the safest choice: California's drink-driving laws are strict and the roads are busy. If you drive, the designated driver tastes very little or nothing. Rental cars and their insurance are covered in renting a car in the US.
A sample day
Leave the city by nine, cross the Golden Gate Bridge, and reach the first tasting by eleven. Lunch in a valley town, a second tasting in the early afternoon, perhaps a third, and back in the city for dinner. For a slower trip with more of the valley, see a Napa Valley drive.
A sample Napa day
- Morning: drive north and start with a tasting at a winery in the southern valley.
- Late morning: visit a second winery or a historic estate with a cave tour.
- Lunch: in Yountville or St. Helena, two small towns known for their restaurants.
- Afternoon: a final tasting, then the drive home.
A sample Sonoma day
- Morning: arrive in the town of Sonoma and walk the historic plaza, with its mission and adobe buildings.
- Late morning: tasting rooms around the plaza or a small family winery nearby.
- Lunch: a picnic from a deli or a meal on the plaza.
- Afternoon: a winery in the Sonoma Valley or a drive through the vineyards.
Not just wine
- Olive oil and cheese tastings.
- Hot springs and spas in Calistoga, at the northern end of Napa Valley.
- Hot-air balloon rides over the vineyards at dawn.
- Bicycle tours along quiet country roads.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for a first visit, Napa or Sonoma?
Napa for famous names and dining, Sonoma for a relaxed, rural feel.
Can I go without a car?
Yes, on a guided tour, or by ferry and bus to Napa town with local transport.
Do I need to know about wine?
No. Staff at tasting rooms are used to beginners and happy to explain.