Napa and Sonoma Itinerary for California

Today I want to bring you my Napa and Sonoma itinerary for California. Just north of San Francisco, these neighboring counties are known for their world-class wines. But there’s a lot more to them than cellar doors and tasting rooms. I’ve traveled back to my home state to show you the best of what Napa and Sonoma have to offer. Read on for the highlights.

After spending a week in San Francisco, I rent a car and drive up to wine country.

I’m spending 4 days in Napa and Sonoma, and I can’t wait to revisit my favorite places and discover some new ones. From vineyards to beaches, this part of California is packed with the best the state has to offer.

Where to Stay in Napa and Sonoma

I’m staying at the Sonoma Creek Inn, a gem of a hotel tucked away on a quiet street just outside downtown Sonoma. It bills itself as a “casual alternative to pricey wine country Sonoma hotels”, and I love the local decor and laid-back atmosphere.

Napa and Sonoma Itinerary: Day 1

Bags unpacked, I head out to explore. But I’m not off to go wine tasting just yet. I’m starting my Napa and Sonoma itinerary on the coast. The Sonoma Coast is one of my favorite places to see the Pacific Ocean in California, and I can’t wait to be there.

Sonoma Coast

I drive through the Russian River Valley, where I once spent 3 days in Sonoma, to get to the Pacific Coast Highway in Jenner. From Goat Rock Beach to Jenner Beach, this place has good options for sun and sand.

But I’m here to hike. I pull into Jenner Headlands Preserve, a 5,630-acre (2,278-hectare) area next to Sonoma Coast State Park. It’s full of trails with spectacular ocean views, redwood forests, and coastal prairie land.

I spend the next couple hours hiking part of the Sea to Sky trail, a 15-mile path leading from the ocean to the top of Pole Mountain, the highest point in the region.

Along the way I take in everything from local flora to sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean at Sentinel Point. It’s a great way to work off all the burrito calories I’ve consumed since arriving in California.

Pacific Coast Highway

After the hike, I drive along the Pacific Coast Highway. First I head north towards Mendocino, then south towards Bodega Bay, where I once spent 48 hours in Sonoma.

I take in the sunset sky and crashing waves, stopping at vista points with views of stunning rock formations that remind me why this is one of my favorite places in California. It’s the perfect way to end my first day in wine country.

Napa and Sonoma Itinerary: Day 2

Speaking of wine, the second day of my Napa and Sonoma itinerary involves some of the area’s best. But first, coffee.

Sebastopol

I drive into Sebastopol, home of my favorite local coffee shop in Sonoma County.

Located just outside the main part of town, family-run Hardcore Espresso is a hippie heaven. It has a big outdoor area featuring quirky seating areas with salvaged tables and upcycled decor.

After enjoying a coffee and vegan breakfast sandwich, I drive over to The Barlow. This outdoor shopping-and-market district is full of industrial-chic warehouses with independent stores, restaurants, and wine tasting rooms galore.

I spend an hour browsing through everything from eco-friendly clothing to succulents before heading off to the next stop on my Napa and Sonoma itinerary: Healdsburg.

Healdsburg

Healdsburg is known for its pretty town square, great shops and restaurants, and abundance of tasting rooms. It lies at the heart of wine country, and I love to come here to eat, drink, and shop.

On this visit I explore everything from bookstores to clothing shops, reminding myself why this city is so popular with visitors and locals.

Afterwards I drive a few streets over to Bacchus Landing, where I’m met with a curated collective of open-air boutique tasting rooms arranged around a central plaza. A friend has invited me to a pickup party at Montagne Russe, one of the wineries on site.

As soon as I walk in I’m treated to a heaping plate of paella and a generous pour of Pinot Noir. I can tell I’m going to have a good time.

As I sip, I learn about the winery’s origins. Owner Kevin Bersofsky started making wine in his garage in Napa Valley in 2006. In 2013, the Feds caught wind of his activities and put a temporary end to his winemaking.

He dumped 1,200 bottles of wine, then started over and officially launched Montagne Russe in 2015. The name is French for “roller-coaster”, and it’s a fitting one for both Kevin’s backstory and the winemaking process.

As Kevin tells me his story and describes his focus on cool-climate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah from farmer-owned vineyards, I sip everything from a delicious 2016 Dragon’s Back Pinot Noir to the Founder’s Barrel Red Blend.

Kenwood

After the party, I drive back towards Sonoma to get to Salt & Stone restaurant in Kenwood.

I meet friends from high school for dinner, and we reminisce about our teenage years as we tuck into roasted beet salads, burrata, and blackened snapper in the spacious Sonoma Valley dining room.

Napa and Sonoma Itinerary: Day 3

The next morning my Napa and Sonoma itinerary involves dodging raindrops. An uncharacteristic storm has blown in, and heavy rain means indoor activities are the order of the day.

Charles M. Schulz Museum

It’s fine with me, as there’s a place in Sonoma County I’ve been looking for an excuse to return to: the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa.

Yes, it’s the Snoopy museum. Because I’m still a kid at heart, and I still love Snoopy. And Woodstock. And the whole Peanuts gang.

After a quick stop for breakfast at family-owned Crooks Coffee in Santa Rosa, I spend hours immersed in comic strips, temporary exhibitions about female empowerment in Peanuts, and exhibits on the life and work of cartoonist Charles M. Schulz. It’s my own personal rainy-day heaven.

Sebastopol

After the museum, my Napa and Sonoma itinerary continues with a late lunch at Handline, a Sebastopol restaurant that serves coastal California fare.

Friends have recommended the fish tacos, and they’re every bit as delicious as I’ve heard. I love that the place is housed in a repurposed Foster’s Freeze, too.

Sonoma

Later on I relax at the Sonoma Creek Inn before having dinner at El Molino Central, a local Mexican restaurant with all the classic dishes. Tamales and tortilla chips go down a treat, and later I drift off dreaming of Snoopy chasing the Red Baron.

Napa and Sonoma Itinerary: Day 4

The following day my Napa and Sonoma itinerary starts in downtown Sonoma. I park by Sonoma Plaza, a 19th-century square lined with historic buildings from the time before California was part of the United States.

I admire the Spanish-style architecture of Mission San Francisco Solano, then walk over to see the heritage buildings in the open-air museum at the Presidio of Sonoma.

From there I meander around the square to take in the shops and tasting rooms before hitting the road for the drive to Napa.

Napa

I arrive in the downtown area just before lunch, and as soon as I get out of my car, I’m struck by how different Napa feels from Sonoma. Everything here seems bigger and more glam.

I walk past clothing boutiques and restaurants, crossing the Napa River to get to Oxbow Public Market. This covered space is packed with counters selling everything from cupcakes to crab cakes. It’s hard not to want to eat everything in sight.

Wine Tasting in Napa: Artesa

After stopping for lunch and walking around Napa for a while, I continue my Napa and Sonoma itinerary with some wine tasting.

My first stop is Artesa in Los Carneros. The winery has invited me for a complimentary tasting, and as I settle into a table in the light-filled, design-led Artesa Tasting Salon, I look forward to trying the wines.

I’m particularly excited because Artesa was the first winery I ever tasted at when I turned 21. I’m happy to be back to experience it again.

From my first visit, I remember being awed by architect Domingo Triay’s concept of embedding the hilltop winery into the surrounding landscape and covering it with native grasses. It’s still the most unique winery I’ve ever seen.

Over the next 90 minutes, I sample 5 wines from the Artisanal Tasting flight. Director of Winemaking Ana Diogo-Draper focuses on low intervention and wild fermentation, and I’m intrigued by how she harvests, ferments, and ages each lot separately before composing the final blends.

The result is a delicious range of Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, Cabernet Sauvignons, and varietals like Tempranillo that show Artesa’s Spanish roots (the winery is owned by Spain’s oldest winemaking family).

Wine Tasting in Napa: Silverado Vineyards

From Artesa my Napa and Sonoma itinerary continues as I drive north to Silverado Vineyards in Napa Valley’s Stags Leap District. Owned by the Disney family, this hilltop winery has a tasting room with panoramic views across the surrounding hills and vineyards.

Silverado primarily focuses on estate and single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, and Chardonnay. My tasting flight includes everything from Malbec from Coombsville to Cab from Oakville.

I sip it all at a table by the window, and it’s hard to imagine a better place to sit with a view of this part of Napa Valley.

Santa Rosa

After the tasting, I drive over to Santa Rosa for dinner at Bird & The Bottle with a Sonoma County local I met at Montagne Russe.

The restaurant is a modern tavern and grill serving sharing plates that celebrate the American melting pot. We tuck into everything from mac ‘n’ cheese with crispy kale to smokey tuna poke with rice cakes.