Lady’s Itinerary for a Weekend in Napa and Sonoma, California

Today I want to share my itinerary for a weekend in Napa and Sonoma, California. These neighboring counties are known for their vineyards, and a wine country getaway is a great way to experience the best of what each one has to offer. From the bold Cabernet Sauvignons in Napa Valley to the famous Pinot Noirs in Sonoma Valley, there’s a lot to love here. And it’s not just wine, either. Read on to see how much more there is to do in two days in Napa and Sonoma.

Weekend in Napa and Sonoma

I’m back home in San Francisco, and one of the things I always do while I’m in town is head up to wine country. It ranks among my favorite places in California, and its proximity to the city makes it an easy trip.

I’m spending a weekend in Napa and Sonoma with a friend, and we can’t wait to see what the neighboring valleys have in store for us. If the trip is anywhere near as good as the time I spent 3 days in Sonoma, it’s going to be a memorable one.

Where to Stay in Napa and Sonoma

We drive up on Friday night, leaving San Francisco after dinner to avoid traffic. We arrive in wine country in time to settle into our accommodation in Napa Valley before it’s too late, and we’re excited to see what the next two days bring.

Weekend in Napa and Sonoma: Day 1

The next morning we wake up to sunny Napa Valley winter views of hot air balloons rising above the misty vineyards. It’s the perfect way to start our weekend in Napa and Sonoma.

Yountville

Soon we drive over to Yountville, a town famous for its food scene. Home to acclaimed restaurants like chef Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry, it attracts visitors from all over the world.

We start our time in Yountville with lunch at La Calenda. This Mexican restaurant is part of Keller’s culinary empire, and it’s every bit as good as we expected from such an accomplished chef. The guacamole is divine, and the fish tacos go down a treat.

After lunch we continue our weekend in Napa and Sonoma with a walk around town. We pass by Bouchon Bakery, another Keller special. It’s known for its bread and French pastries. There’s a line out the door, but we’re still tempted to queue up for dessert.

Down the street we pass Bouchon, Keller’s French bistro, before getting to the understated facade of The French Laundry itself. We’ve both dined here on previous trips to Napa, and seeing it brings back delicious memories.

Wine Tasting in Napa Valley

Down the road we find ourselves at RH Yountville, a unique food, wine, art, and design concept in wine country. We’ve booked ourselves in for a tasting, and the host seats us at an outdoor table in the sunny courtyard.

For the next hour, we taste wines from all over this part of California while admiring the creative design elements around us.

When we finish, we head to our next wine tasting. This one is at Quintessa, a winery on Napa’s Silverado Trail. Covering 280 acres (113 hectares) in Rutherford, Quintessa is not only a famous winery, but also a beautiful property.

We’ve booked a tour of its vineyard-covered hills and a tasting of its famous red blend, and we spend the late afternoon soaking up the sunshine and sipping some of California’s best wine.

Dinner in Napa Valley

In the evening, we head to dinner at Boon Fly Cafe at the Carneros Resort and Spa. Set in a rustic-chic roadhouse, the restaurant has a casual atmosphere and great food.

The warm artichoke dip makes my mouth water, and the salmon with black eyed peas and charred fennel is delicious. Our server even sends us home with a bag of their famous doughnuts. It’s a fun way to end our first day in wine country.

Weekend in Napa and Sonoma: Day 2

The next morning our weekend in Napa and Sonoma continues as we head into the city of Sonoma. First my friend takes me to see MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa, a favorite spot in wine country.

Sonoma Plaza

We take a look around its stylish lobby before driving over to Sonoma Plaza to do a wine tasting at WALT Wines. Settling into cozy chairs in the tasting room, we enjoy a range of their reds and whites from up and down the West Coast.

After the tasting we have a quick lunch at Basque Boulangerie Cafe before shopping in the square. We do an impromptu olive oil tasting at Figone’s Olive Oil and meander through the secret garden behind one of the home interior stores nearby.

Jack London State Historic Park

Soon we’re off to the next stop on our itinerary: Jack London State Historic Park. I came here once when I spent 48 hours in Sonoma, and I’m looking forward to being back and getting some walking in.

The park was once the home and ranch of celebrated Californian writer Jack London. Today visitors can tour his house and walk around the grounds. It’s a great place to get into the state’s literary history and explore its natural highlights at the same time.

My friend and I go through London’s cottage, taking in the early 20th-century interiors and drooling over his writing desk.

Afterwards we go for a long walk around the grounds to work off some wine calories and soak up Northern California’s beautiful woodland scenery. We even see the ruins of London’s grand house, which burned down before it was completed.

Drinks and Dinner in Sonoma County

From Jack London State Historic Park our weekend in Napa and Sonoma continues with drinks at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa.

It’s near where I once stayed on a Napa and Sonoma itinerary, and the creative mocktails hit the spot after two days of wine tasting.

From the Fairmont we make our way to Glen Ellen Star, a Sonoma Valley restaurant that’s famous for its wood-fired pizzas. Sitting at a table outside, we tuck into everything from Brussels sprouts with brown sugar bacon marmalade to tomato cream pie pizza.

We’d heard good things about Glen Ellen Star from friends, and it lives up to its reputation. Everything we eat and drink is excellent, and it’s great to end our weekend in Napa and Sonoma on such a high note.

Wine Country Weekend

After dinner we drive back to San Francisco hardly believing how much we’ve done in two days. It’s been a great weekend in wine country, and as with every visit, it makes me wonder why I haven’t moved here yet.

Maybe my next visit will convince me. I hope this itinerary helps win you over, too.

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