Best Wine Country Vacations in America

The best Wine Country vacations in America have been nurtured side by side in the Northern California vineyards of Sonoma and Napa.

According to the annual U.S. News & World Report travel rankings, Sonoma is No. 2 for Best Wine Vacations followed by Napa at No. 3. California’s Wine Country duo only trails Tuscany, Italy, in the international rankings dominated by European destinations.

Oregon’s Willamette Valley checks in at No. 9 for the only other U.S. region among the top 10 best Wine Country vacations in the world.

So what makes Sonoma and Napa such a paradise for wine lovers? It starts with great wine produced by more than 1,000 combined wineries. The wine is accentuated by verdant vineyard landscapes, internationally-inspired cuisine with a California spin, and a wine bravado felt nowhere else in America.

It’s no surprise that Wine Country is one of the top tours in San Francisco. Green Dream Tours offers day trips from San Francisco to Sonoma and Napa, plus a Combo Napa & Sonoma Tour that visits both regions.

For true wine lovers, we suggest spending at least four days to fully experience California’s Wine Country. Our Private Tours include transportation from San Francisco (or any place in the region), a knowledgable guide/driver, and winery appointments.

As we like to say, you drink and we drive!

4-Day Vacation in California’s Wine Country

(Sample Itinerary: Due to COVID-19, some wineries may be impacted by closures.)  

Day 1 — Sonoma Valley

8:45 a.m. Pick-up at downtown San Francisco hotel or Airbnb

Optional photo stop at Golden Gate Bridge, weather and time permitting

10:15-11:45 a.m. Nicholson Ranch Winery – cave tour and tasting with amazing vineyard views

12:00-1:15 p.m. Buena Vista Winery – private reserve tasting at state’s oldest premium winery

1:30-3:30 p.m. Lunch at Basque Boulangerie Cafe – dine at French-inspired cafe and free time in historic Sonoma Square

3:30-5:30 p.m. Hotel check-in at Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort & Spa

5:45-6:45 p.m. Sigh – bubbles bar on Sonoma Square for pre-dinner drinks

7:00-9:00 p.m. Dinner at El Dorado Kitchen on the square

Return to Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort & Spa

Day 2 — Healdsburg

9:00 a.m. Pick-up at Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort & Spa

10:00-11:30 a.m. Chalk Hill Estate Vineyard – luxury and wine on the edge of the Russian River Valley

12:00-2:00 p.m. Truett Hurst Winery – outdoor tasting with picnic lunch from Dry Creek General Store

2:30-4:00 p.m. Gary Farrell Winery – taste single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

4:30-6:00 p.m. Free time in Healdsburg Town Square

6:15-8:00 p.m. Dinner at Guiso Latin Fusion in downtown Healdsburg

Return to Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort & Spa

Day 3 — Napa, Rutherford & Yountville

9:45 a.m. Pick-up at Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort & Spa

10:00-11:30 a.m. Domaine Carneros – begin the day with sparkling wine

12:00-2:00 p.m. Lunch and free time at Oxbow Public Market 

2:30-3:30 p.m. Sequoia Grove Winery – tasting at winery that dates to 1865

4:00-6:00 p.m. – Hotel check-in at Napa Valley Lodge

6:15-7:15 p.m. – Hill Family Estate – tasting room in downtown Yountville

7:30-9:30 p.m. Dinner at Bottega – dine in famous food capital

Return to Napa Valley Lodge

Day 4 — St. Helena & Calistoga

9:00 a.m. Pick-up at Napa Valley Lodge

10:30-11:30 a.m. Sterling Winery – scenic tram ride and tasting

12:00-2:00 p.m. Lunch outside at Goose & Gander or Gott’s Roadside – stroll through cute St. Helena after lunch

2:30-4:00 p.m. Domaine Chandon – relax outdoors with bottle service or sparkling wine flight

6:00 p.m. Arrive back in San Francisco

Learn More

To learn more, visit our Private Wine Tours page or call us at 415-932-6993 today!