Best Itinerary for 2 Days in Napa and Sonoma
Today I want to share my itinerary for 2 days in Napa and Sonoma with you. These neighboring counties in Northern California's wine country are known for their vineyards, and a weekend getaway is the perfect way to experience the best of what they offer visitors. From the legendary Cabernet Sauvignons in Napa Valley to the famous Pinot Noirs in Sonoma Valley, there's a lot to get excited about. And it's not just wine, either. There's a lot more to do in 48 hours in Napa and Sonoma. I've included a map, too.
2 Days in Napa and Sonoma
Wine country ranks among my favorite places in California, and its proximity to San Francisco makes it an easy weekend trip from a lot of places in the Bay Area. Even if you're not based in NorCal, there are flights to SFO, Oakland, and Sonoma County Airport that make this trip doable.
I'm spending a weekend in Napa and Sonoma with my other half, and we're excited 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 Napa and Sonoma, it's going to be a memorable one.
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 look forward to seeing what the next 2 days in Napa and Sonoma bring.
Day 1: Napa
The next morning we wake up to sunny Napa Valley views of hot air balloons rising above the misty vineyards. It's the perfect way to start our weekend in wine country.
After a quick breakfast at our accommodation, we take a walk around the local area. There are beautiful views of the hills and vineyards, and it's a great introduction to Napa.
Lunch in Yountville
We continue the first day of our itinerary with a drive to Yountville. This town is famous for its food scene. Home to renowned restaurants like chef Thomas Keller's The French Laundry, it draws visitors from all over the world.
We start our time in Yountville with lunch at Bouchon Bistro. This French restaurant is part of Keller's culinary empire, and the food is every bit as good as we expected from such an accoladed chef.
After lunch we continue our 2-day itinerary for Napa and Sonoma with a walk around Yountville. First we pass Bouchon Bakery, another of Thomas Keller's places here. It's beloved for its fresh bread and French pastries. The line is out the door, but we're still tempted to queue up for dessert.
A bit later we find ourselves in front of 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 Yountville
Down the road we come to RH Yountville, a unique food, art, wine, and design concept in Napa Valley. A five-building compound, it features everything from a restaurant to a wine vault.
We've pre-booked a wine tasting, and our host seats us at a table in the sun-drenched courtyard. For the next hour, we sip wines from all over this part of California.
As we savor them, we admire the creative design elements around us. This place has big outdoor tables, open fireplaces, trees, and other eye-catching details around every corner.
Wine Tasting in Rutherford
When we finish at RH Yountville, our 2 days in Napa and Sonoma continue as we drive to our next wine tasting. This one is at Quintessa, a winery on Napa Valley's Silverado Trail. Covering 280 acres in Rutherford, Quintessa is not only a famous winery, but also a stunning property.
We've booked a tour of its vineyard-covered hills and a tasting of its famous red blend. The tour takes us all over the grounds, from the vines to the hills and lake. It's a great way to get an overview of both the terroir and the winery.
After the tour, we spend the late afternoon soaking up the sunshine and sipping some of California's best wine.
Dinner in Napa Valley
In the evening, our weekend in Napa and Sonoma continues as we drive to dinner at Boon Fly Cafe at the Carneros Resort and Spa. Set in a rustic-chic roadhouse, the restaurant has a relaxed atmosphere and delicious food.
The warm artichoke dip is rich and comforting, 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 great way to cap off our first day in wine country.
Day 2: Sonoma
The next morning our 2 days in Napa and Sonoma continue as we make our way into the city of Sonoma. When we arrive, my other half takes me to see MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa, his favorite place to stay in this part of Northern California's wine country.
Sonoma Plaza
We take a look around the stylish lobby before driving over to Sonoma Plaza. This place was laid out in 1835, and it has a real sense of history. From the early 19th-century mission to the buildings in Sonoma State Historic Park, there's a lot to see here.
After taking it all in, we head around the corner to a wine tasting at WALT Wines. Settling into comfy chairs in the tasting room, we sample a variety of reds and whites from up and down the West Coast.
After the tasting, we grab a quick lunch at Basque Boulangerie Cafe before doing some shopping in the plaza. We enjoy an impromptu olive oil tasting at Figone's Olive Oil and meander through the secret garden behind one of the home interior shops.
Jack London State Historic Park
Soon we're off to the next stop on our Napa and Sonoma weekend itinerary: Jack London State Historic Park. Once the home and ranch of celebrated writer Jack London, today visitors can tour his house and walk around the grounds. It's a fun place to get into California's literary history and explore its natural highlights at the same time.
We walk through London's cottage, taking in the early 20th-century interiors and drooling over his writing desk. It's amazing to learn about his life here.
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 2 days in Napa and Sonoma continue with a drive over to the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa. We're here to enjoy a pre-dinner drink at the spacious bar, 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 tomato cream pie pizza to Brussels sprouts with brown sugar bacon marmalade.
We've heard good things about Glen Ellen Star from friends, and it definitely lives up to its reputation. Everything we order is amazing, and it's fun to end our weekend in Napa and Sonoma on such a high note.
Weekend in Napa and Sonoma
After dinner we drive back to San Francisco barely believing how much we've done and seen during the weekend. It's been a great 2 days in wine country, and we've enjoyed experiencing such a range of things the region has to offer. If you get a chance to visit, I hope the same is true for you!
Napa and Sonoma Map
As promised, I've created an interactive Google map of all the places I've written about in my itinerary for 2 days in Napa and Sonoma. You can find it here. You can use the map to plan the perfect wine country trip of your own. Happy travels!
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