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Napa/Sonoma- Worth it to go if you're a non-drinker?
A few CWs and I were talking today- one of my CW (female) always wanted to go to Sedona/Sonoma but she doesn't drink (at all).
She was wondering if it was worth it to go...? I guess I am wondering as well since DH and I do not drink either...
eta: I meant Napa... fixed post title....
Re: Napa/Sonoma- Worth it to go if you're a non-drinker?
First - to clarify - your CW realizes that Sedona and Somona are not the same place, right? They're not even in the same state, nor are they known for the same type of thing.
Sedona is known for all the crazy spiritual crap that goes on there - healing and special rocks and stuff. It's not a heavy drinking area; it's an outdoorsy area with gorgeous red rocks and great hikes. During the right time of the year, one could easily go and have a lovely time hiking around the area, doing a Pink Jeep tour, spending a day at a spa, etc. Drinking is not a crucial component of a Sedona trip by any means.
Sonoma, obviously, is in the heart of wine country. Could you go there and not drink and enjoy yourself? Yes, because it's absolutely beautiful. When we go up to Sonoma, DH and I trade off on being the designated driver. My sister came to my bachelorette party in Sonoma and she doesn't like wine, and she still had a great time (or at least she lied and told me she did). However, if your entire group doesn't like drinking - it may not be the best place to go. If you're the only one who doesn't like to drink, I think it can still be an enjoyable destination as you can still tag along to all the wineries (many of which are gorgeous), sit on their patios, munch on some bread and meat and cheese, and soak in the gorgeous views. You can go hiking in the hills or nearby park, you can check out the little shops that line Sonoma's town square, and in Sonoma and nearby Napa you can EAT - you can eat, eat, eat the most amazing food ever! Yountville is only about 20 miles from Sonoma and home to a bevy of Thomas Keller restaurants - Bouchon, Ad Hoc, and the critically acclaimed French Laundry (rightfully so - one of the best meals of my life). If you're a foodie, you could easily go to Napa / Sonoma and never drink and be perfectly happy. There are also tons of great spas in the area.
All that being said, Sonoma isn't cheap during peak season, so if I were to go to Sonoma, I'd probably do it on the shoulder / off-season if you're not a big wine fan, because why pay a premium to go to Sonoma if you could do the same things closer to home for far less? We went to Yountville for a weekend in December and found it to be super enjoyable - DH used the pool, we ate at French Laundry and Bottega, we wandered around, we did some wine tasting, went for a run, sat and read books - it can be incredibly relaxing if you go in the off-season.
So, in summary, yes - both can be enjoyed without drinking, but Sonoma would be best saved for an "off season" time if you're not going for the wine, because otherwise it is pretty pricey.
Honestly, I think the best restaurants are in the Napa / Yountville area, but here are some ones to check out in Sonoma:
-Harvest Moon Cafe
-The Girl and the Fig
-Cafe La Haye
If you want a fun winery to go hang out at (and if DH can drink a sparkling wine - not everyone likes that stuff) my favorite one is Gloria Ferrer because they have a fabulous outdoor terrace which overlooks their vineyards. Ledson is also gorgeous.
Check out the cheese shop in Sonoma - if you're pregnant then I guess you can't eat too many of them but DH can sample and then you can pick out some tasty ones to bring home and enjoy after the baby? There are so many good cheeses there.
And if you want to trek to Yountville:
-Bottega
-Ad Hoc
-Breakfast at Bouchon (the bakery burned down but the restaurant is still pretty good)
-French Laundry (if you can get in and you want to SPLURGE this is the place - though it's super pricey, with meals being $270 a piece plus the wine pairing is around $300 each... but the best meal I've ever had.)
I agree with what's been said, it's really lovely country, so it's nice to drive around or walk or bike (lots of bike tours). And great food. Many restaurants offer menus designed to compliment the local wines, but good food is good food, right?
My only caveat (and this is me personally, not necessarily relevant to you/CW), if I were very uncomfortable around drinking, I'd considering skipping. My BIL does not drink and is also not comfortable around drinking and so I would not recommend it for him. That's a pretty extreme position though and I think anyone who would feel that strongly would probably not be interested in going in the first place.
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.
Mark Twain
My Travel Blog
I say yes, for sure. Like pps said, it's beautiful country there, and some of the nicer wineries are worth checking out just for a lunch or walk around the grounds. Some have tastings other than wine, like cheeses, crackers, flavored oils, and spreads, etc. I highly rec the Ledson winery for this, it's a gorgeous mansion with beautiful grounds:www.ledson.com/
Also, there are some really nice resorts to stay at, some with nice pools and fabulous spas. We stayed at the Lodge at Sonoma, and it was amazing, totally loved it: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/sfols-the-lodge-at-sonoma-renaissance-resort-and-spa/
There are some great restaurants like pps said as well. We loved our breakfasts at the Sunflower Caffe Espresso & Wine Bar, and dinner at Estate.
It's definitely worth it. There's also a lot of great scenery. You can drive around, find places to hike, and some of the larger wineries are really informative tour-wise and/or are gorgeous and great places to take pictures. So she can always go on a tour and not drink.
For restaurants definitely go to Celadon in downtown Napa. Downtown Napa is fun in genernal as is St. Helena (where there are a couple of olive oil tasting places).
Tea Time for Lulu