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Napa and Sonoma recs - where to stay, activities
We're planning our five year anniversary trip to Napa and Sonoma this May/early June. We just moved to the Bay Area and had some other expenses pop up so we downgraded from France to CA wine country....so we decided we may as well go all out (well not ALL out, but much more luxury than we normally do) so we don't feel too bad about missing out on France, and since it'll still be cheaper than what we would have paid ;-)
We've done Napa and Sonoma before, several years ago, and now that we're local we really could come any time, so we want this to be a bit more special than the average trip. We're thinking of staying at Milliken Creek for a few nights and then spending a few nights at either Bungalows 313, H2 Hotel, or El Dorado in Sonoma. Any recommendations from those? Or others? Since Milliken Creek is so far above what we normally pay for a room (like $450), we're hoping to balance that out by staying somewhere a bit cheaper for the other nights (around $250 a night). And since Milliken looks a bit more rural as far as the grounds go, we thought the other nights we'd stay more in town, preferably somewhere that has bikes so we can ride to a few wineries. We want someplace that offers more than just a room - great breakfast,wine and cheese hour, cooking classes, spa, pool, bikes, hiking trails, etc, would all be added perks.
Other than French Laundry (I'm not holding my breath), any suggestions for a fantastic anniversary dinner? Any above-and-beyond wine tastings (like reserve wines, great views, food pairings, etc)?
We're thinking about a hot air balloon ride and we found a place we can go horseback riding through vineyards. Anything else you have done in the area and loved? We generally like light adventure stuff, cooking classes, etc, and would love to find a place to have a private catered picnic in the vineyards.
Re: Napa and Sonoma recs - where to stay, activities
It's been nearly three years since I visited Sonoma/Napa Valley, but I had great meals at the following places:
I also stopped in at Bouchon Bakery and Downtown Bakery & Creamery (Healdsburg) for some delicious treats.
Only recommendation I have for activities is bike rental; I rented through a company called Wine Country Bikes in Healdsburg, which was a wonderful experience.
Redd in Yountville is nice. Not as over the top as FL, but the food is very very good. If you end up at the H2 you could do Cyrus. It's very good and a similar experience to FL (quiet, lots of courses, excellent service), but probably not worth the drive from Sonoma or Napa.
Probably our favorite wine right now is Sojourn. The tastings are done in a small house a couple blocks down from the square in Sonoma and everyone sits around a dining table. The wines aren't cheap, but they're also not too expensive for the quality.
Up in the Dry Creek area, Truett Hurst has very good wines, they give you cheese to nibble on while tasting, and they have chairs out by the creek for lounging. If you go out that way, Sbragia wasn't bad and has nice views.
If you want to go a little nuts, Jarvis is a great experience, but it's $60 a person and the wine is really expensive, too. We're also thinking of going to Palmaz during our next trip in a couple of weeks, but it's also $60 a person
And if you do end up in Healdsburg, the Bear Republic brewery is good for a much more reasonable dinner and their beer if fantastic.
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.
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My Travel Blog
Bottega in Yountville is right down the street from French Laundry, and it's delicious without being too spendy.
I got reservations to French Laundry really, really easily - do you have (or do you know anyone who has?) an American Express Platinum card? If so, just ask them to make a reservation on your behalf. Request it through AmEx's concierge about 2 1/2 months in advance, before French Laundry has opened up the date you want for reservations, and they can usually get you a table (they clearly have a partnership with French Laundry - they're even featuring Thomas Keller in one of their commercials right now). It was the easiest thing I've ever dealt with - I called in, they took my name and requested date, and then they e-mailed me the confirmation. Then they even confirmed it with French Laundry for me so I didn't forget.
And, FWIW, I think French Laundry is well worth the money for the food quality and the experience - one of my best dining experiences to date.
We stayed here when trying to arrive a day early for our vacation and couldn't get a room at our usual inn. While it isn't normally the kind of place we prefer (we like small inns/b&b's) it has a lot of the amenities you're looking for and our room was beautiful.
http://www.silveradoresort.com/
http://www.petitlogis.com
and this is our new favorite place in Napa Valley to stay. The price is great, the rooms are charming & it is less than 50 yards to Bouchon Bakery (and right next door to Hurley's Restuarant, which is super yummy)! It's also just a short walk to FL if you decide to go there.
I love the tour at Clos Pegase Winery and the tram ride/views at Sterling Vineyards just across the street.
For a nicer dinner, we love Redd in Yountville. The pork buns are to die for! Also in Yountville, Ad Hoc is another Keller restaurant. Fixed price menu each night for about $50/person. If you are lucky enough to go on a Monday, the fried chicken is out of this world amazing.
For a casual stop, Rutherford grill is a favorite. No corkage fee!! Nice patio to relax on with valley views.
We've stayed at Bungalows 313 twice - and while it's definitely a great little b&b, it was a little far from the wineries in the Alexander and Russian River Valley that we visited this last trip. I guess it depends on what kinds of wines you want, and what wineries you want to visit. It's ideally situated right off the square in Sonoma, but there aren't a ton of wineries in walking/biking distance, although I think there are a few tasting rooms nearby. (In contrast, El Dorado isn't on the square, so it would be even further if you wanted to walk somewhere.) I think H2 would be my pick based off your requirements. Healdsburg is a great town if you want a good base for walking to stuff - it's such a cute town, and there are lots of good tasting rooms that are walkable.
For an awesome tasting & tour experience, I'd recommend Hendry Ranch Winery in Napa if you'll be down that way. They're reservation only, and I believe they now charge $20pp - but plan on a 2-hr tour of the grounds, combined with a 12-wine tasting (unless they've changed since we visited a few years ago). When we went, George (the owner) did our tour, and it was the most interesting and memorable tour we had done.
Loved our meal at Bottega in Yountville, and we had a really awesome meal at ad hoc as well. (If you'll be there on their fried chicken night, you HAVE to go. I don't know as I'd call in anniversary-dinner-caliber, but if you'll be in the area it's really tasty!) I hear Cyrus is really good (and on-par with FL), but we haven't gotten there yet.
We stayed at Solage Calistoga and it was AMAZING. Very luxurious, peaceful, and a gorgeous natural setting. They have a great spa and a Michelin starred restaurant.
http://www.solagecalistoga.com/