5 Days in Napa & Sonoma: Wine Country Meets the Wild

So you’re looking for the worlds most immersive vineyard experiences, beautiful pacific coast vistas and absolutely divine food? You’ve come to the right place. California’s Napa Valley, a short drive from San Francisco, is a global highlight not just for ‘more-than-a-few-glasses’ wine connoisseurs and experts alike, but travellers who want a premium travel experience, complete with decadent views and some quality local wine. This is a self-drive itinerary for those looking to road trip Northern California’s wine country.

Day 1: Departing from San Francisco or Sacramento

Begin the roughly one hour drive from either San Francisco or Sacramento to the Napa Valley. You’ll pass impressive vineyards covering the valley floor and make your way through picture-perfect American small towns before arriving at your accommodation. We chose to stay in Calistoga, a small town in the Valley known for hot springs, mud baths and wineries. There are a number of towns across the Valley that you can stay in depending on your vibe, some options include,

Calistoga – Relaxed and spa-focused, known for hot springs and a chill, small-town vibe.
St. Helena – Upscale and boutique, great for wine lovers and romantic getaways.
Yountville – Walkable and gourmet-focused, ideal for foodies and luxury seekers.
Napa (the town itself) – More urban with nightlife, restaurants, and a wider range of budgets.
Rutherford & Oakville – Quiet and scenic, surrounded by world-class wineries, great for a secluded escape.

Calistoga was the perfect choice for us, with the quintessential main street town having everything you’d need from supermarkets to dive bars to fantastic Japanese restaurants. It was what was needed to break up the days sipping back Cabernet Sauvignon amongst the vines.

For the afternoon, check in, chill out and go for a relaxed walk through the town of your choice.

For dinner, you HAVE to experience one of our favourite meals in California. Book a taxi, take an Uber or self drive to the nearby town of Yountville, and sit down for an Italian meal of a lifetime at Ciccio. If we could convince you to eat at one restaurant in Napa Valley, it’s this one. You can’t go wrong with anything on this menu, but check in with the servers for any farm-to-table specials they’ve got on offer or any personalised recommendations.

Favourite accommodation: Dr Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort and Mineral Springs

Our go to lunch option: Clif Family Winery for the Bruschetteria Food Truck

Best bar: Susie’s Bar

Day 2: Full Day Winery Tour

If you plan on fully enjoying the amazing wine tastings available throughout Napa Valley, do yourself a favour and arrange a private driver for the day. Napa wineries are well known for their generous ‘tastings’. You’ll definitely want to fully immerse yourself and taking the stress away of self driving means the day will be a lot more enjoyable. Local private drivers are well versed in the offerings available in the valley and can recommend some vineyards to suit your taste, but we’ll include our recommendations below based on our experience!

B Cellar - We began the day at B Cellar for a wine tasting and pairing set amongst the vines in their beautiful tasting house. We no sooner sat down when we were presented with our first locally sourced dish paired to a decadent glass of wine produced on premise. This modern meets rustic venue delivered on the food front, with some amazing dishes. We were then taken for a private walkthrough tour of the production and cellar areas, their dugout cellar nestled into the Napa landscape was incredible! This is definitely a classier experience, so you can expect a quiet, more elevated experience and considerably better food than other stops.

Wines: 8/10, we were able to note our preferences for a truly personalised experience.

Food: 10/10, each dish was perfectly crafted, composed to balance and complement the notes of each paired wine.

Tour: 10/10, our sommelier was fantastic, full of knowledge and had the answer to every question. The grounds are amazing and the mountain-side cellar is beautiful!

Del Dotto - Next up was Del Dotto. If a slice of European decadence carved into the California countryside sounds divine, this is your happy place. Del Dotto’s Venetian estate was probably the most intricately styled vineyard we visited, with every inch of its aesthetic crafted in an Italian renaissance style complete with a marble facade, art filled interior and manicured garden. The tasting didn’t hold back either, walking through their underground barrel room trying their variety of cabernet wines, making sure we had enough of each so that we could really ‘tell the difference’. After the fourth or fifth glass I’m not sure how much of a difference we were detecting though… Book a private driver for this one!

Wines: 8/10, great red wines, with a range of blends and varietals for a range of palettes.

Food: 5/10, definitely not the main event at Del Dotto, with pizzas and potato gems, however we had enough after the tasting to be well and truly full.

Tour: 8/10, Our host was a tonne of fun, and the group tour setting made for some good laughs, but if you’re not into wine, especially red wine, this one might not be for you. Their signatures are quite bold and the tasting was probably the highest in total wine volume from what we experienced.

Sterling - The last stop of the day was Sterling Vineyards, nestled atop a small hill in the northern Napa Valley. This was a great way to end the day as the tour of the property was self-guided, meaning we could take our time at different stations, reading about the process the winery utilises and chatting with hosts at each step of the process. The experience began with a cable car ride to the castle-like winery, before walking amongst the tanks producing Sterling’s famous wine. The vistas were amazing as we walked around the top of the winery, enjoying incredible views across Napa Valley. Finally our tour wrapped up in one of the tallest points of the property complete with 360 degree views, and more wine and cheese to close out our day in the valley!

Wines: 7/10, more variety between red and white, however with less information delivered it was more difficult for us to pinpoint notes and enjoy the subtle uniqueness.

Food: 8/10, the cheeseboard we received at the end of our time there was the best we’d had yet and more than enough to tide us over until dinner!

Tour: 6/10, while some might enjoy the self-paced, self-guided nature, after having the personalised experience at B Cellar and a ‘barrel’ of laughs and question answering at Del Dotto, this one felt a little more commercialised and more like a wine museum as opposed to a personal tasting experience.

Phew, what a day! Depending on your wine drinking preferences, by now a headache has probably set in and a cheese and charcuterie board induced stomach ache might be begging for a sit down. Once your driver delivers you back to your accommodation and you’ve had some time to rest the head, choose between sushi at Sushi Mambo, classic American cuisine at Sam’s Social Club, or a delicious meal back at House of Better at Dr Wilkinson’s, if you’re staying in Calistoga.

Day 3: Explore the region!

Stumble out of bed and head for breakfast whenever that wine hangover allows, today is a day for exploring the valley and soaking up the beauty of this stunning part of California. We recommend choosing a new base near Sonoma or Santa Rosa for the next 2 nights, so check out your accommodation and begin making your way to the next stop.

If you’re up for a little detour, take Highway 128 through Napa Valley toward Napa town, passing by quiet, picturesque villages along the way. Downtown Napa is full of charming boutiques, cafés, and winemaking history — a great stop for a wander before continuing on.

If the wine haze has lifted by the afternoon, pop into a vineyard or two in Sonoma for a tasting. For lunch, head to The Barlow in Sebastopol — a creative outdoor market with great food options (we loved the sushi at Kosho). Or continue into Sebastopol proper to explore its artsy shops and laid-back vibe.

We opted to stay in Santa Rosa at Flamingo Resort, a mid-century oasis with a heated pool, luxe spa, and the perfect blend of style and serenity.

For dinner, another must not miss is the girl & the fig for one of the most indulgent French-american meals you’ll ever have! Book a table in advance and don’t skimp out on dessert, the Milk & Cookies was just about life changing.

Day 4: Forests & Rivers

Wake up nice and early and hit the road to soak up one more day in this beautiful part of California, exploring Sonoma County’s wild side.

Start your morning with an adrenaline rush at Sonoma Zipline Adventures, where you can fly through towering redwoods on a series of zip lines and suspension bridges. It’s an unforgettable way to see the forest from a whole new angle — especially if you’ve spent the last few days grounded in vineyards.

You’ll be hungry after a few hours zipping between the trees. We recommend a stop at Guerneville Taco Truck on the way into your next stop for a burrito and cold drink.

After lunch, head to Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve for a gentle forest walk beneath ancient coastal redwoods. The light filtering through the trees and the sheer scale of the forest is honestly surreal — it’s the kind of place that instantly makes you slow down and breathe deeper.

If the weather’s warm, end the afternoon at the Russian River. Find a quiet spot to take a swim or just laze by the banks with a book or a picnic. The water’s refreshing, the crowds are usually minimal midweek, and it’s a perfect contrast to the buzz of Napa and Sonoma towns. Our favourite spot we found for an easy park & swim was at Monte Rio.

From here, head back into your accommodation and enjoy an easy evening after a long day of activities.

Day 5: Continue your journey!

Wake up, pack up, and enjoy a leisurely breakfast before deciding where your Northern California adventure takes you next. If it’s time to head back to the city, you can make your way south toward San Francisco or Oakland with plenty of scenic stops along the way.

But if your schedule is flexible, consider continuing north into Oregon to explore its stunning landscapes and charming towns.

Whichever direction you choose, Northern California’s beauty and charm will keep inspiring your journey.

That’s It!

If you’ve made it down here, thank you so much for reading!

Whether you’re here for the wine, the views, or the vibe, we hope this guide helps you plan an epic and relaxing getaway. Happy road tripping!