Going to Napa for the first time for a wedding. Then going to Sequioa. Any suggestions on where

[PennsylvaniaPride]

to eat or visit? Looking for brunch and dinner spots. Also good wineries or two. Plus any breweries nearby? Though I might be abstaining from too much drinking. Really looking forward to seeing a new part of the country and hiking in Sequoia. I’ve been to Southern California, Portland, and Seattle many times but never to the Bay area.

Any suggestions will be appreciated. Only going for 6 days.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

to eat or visit? Looking for brunch and dinner spots. Also good wineries or two. Plus any breweries nearby? Though I might be abstaining from too much drinking. Really looking forward to seeing a new part of the country and hiking in Sequoia. I’ve been to Southern California, Portland, and Seattle many times but never to the Bay area.

Any suggestions will be appreciated. Only going for 6 days.

Try to do the nearby drive to bottom of Kings Canyon and do the short hike around Zumwalt Meadows. It’s beautiful

 

[PennsylvaniaPride]

Try to do the nearby drive to bottom of Kings Canyon and do the short hike around Zumwalt Meadows. It’s beautiful

Thanks. Will do!

 

[tomhawk80907]

to eat or visit? Looking for brunch and dinner spots. Also good wineries or two. Plus any breweries nearby? Though I might be abstaining from too much drinking. Really looking forward to seeing a new part of the country and hiking in Sequoia. I’ve been to Southern California, Portland, and Seattle many times but never to the Bay area.

Any suggestions will be appreciated. Only going for 6 days.

Napa is nice but I’ve been living in Sonoma, (Healdsburg), for 16 months. Plenty of good wineries plus can go to Santa Rosa for Russian River Brewery and over to Bodega Bay for a peak at the Pacific and fresh seafood. If you are going to do Napa at least go to Calistoga and treat the wife to a mudd bath.

 

[Relayer]

We were in Sequoia and Kings Canyon 3 years ago....loved both parks!!

No thoughts of Yosemite coming from Napa?

Kings Canyon is a beautiful ride. We spent one night at Cedar Grove Lodge. If pressed for time you can do this as a day trip from Sequoia.

https://goo.gl/photos/L1vh7Xqy71vZznTb8

In Sequoia the Congress Trail IS A MUST. Most impressive trees on the planet. Moro Rock is also a must with some terrific scenery. Stay at the Wuksachi Lodge, best accommodations in the park. Yes, there were some fire issues, but they didn't impact anything we did on the trip.

https://goo.gl/photos/Bg9Xpxypw4vyYarW6

 

[mjh218]

Napa

Oxbow Market - there is an Oyster Bar there that’s good. Also great coffee, Mexican food and just about anything else you can think of

Gott’s burgers - right next door to Oxbow. Good stuff

Bounty Hunter - good food. Good prices. Great wine list. Lots of good booze (whiskey, bourbon and tequila)

Del Dotto winery - I’m not a wine guy. Thought the cave tour was really cool. You get a ton of wine on the tour.


If you like beer then go to Russian River Brewery in Santa Rosa. Some great beers. Pliny the Elder is the most well known but there are other bees I liked a lot more.

 

[smealpsu2005]

Napa is nice but I’ve been living in Sonoma, (Healdsburg), for 16 months. Plenty of good wineries plus can go to Santa Rosa for Russian River Brewery and over to Bodega Bay for a peak at the Pacific and fresh seafood. If you are going to do Napa at least go to Calistoga and treat the wife to a mudd bath.

I will be in Sonoma (Glen Ellen) this week. Any must do restaurants or wineries in Healdsburg?

 

[WestSideLion]

Do the Keller eateries in Yountville: The French Laundry (you won’t be sorry), Bouchon, Ad Hoc or Addendum (for picnic fare to go). Really, you’re there. It would be a shame to miss them.

Fleury Estate Winery is fantastic. It’s lesser known, but just great juice.

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

to eat or visit? Looking for brunch and dinner spots. Also good wineries or two. Plus any breweries nearby? Though I might be abstaining from too much drinking. Really looking forward to seeing a new part of the country and hiking in Sequoia. I’ve been to Southern California, Portland, and Seattle many times but never to the Bay area.

Any suggestions will be appreciated. Only going for 6 days.

This should do it:

https://bwi.forums.rivals.com/threads/akb-things-to-see-and-do-in-napa.231239/

 

[Jedgar1]

to eat or visit? Looking for brunch and dinner spots. Also good wineries or two. Plus any breweries nearby? Though I might be abstaining from too much drinking. Really looking forward to seeing a new part of the country and hiking in Sequoia. I’ve been to Southern California, Portland, and Seattle many times but never to the Bay area.

Any suggestions will be appreciated. Only going for 6 days.

Try and see the Castello di Amorosa. Its quite amazing.
https://castellodiamorosa.com

If you have time get into SF and goto Fisherman's Wharf area. It's touristy, but still cool.

From the wharf you can rent a bike and ride over to the Golden Gate Bridge. You bike through the Presidio area and the views of the bridge are amazing. I will say that biking across the bridge can be a little stressful actually once it gets crowded, with bikers and pedestrians. Nonetheless, get to the bridge somehow (you can also drive across it and there's a visitor area on the Sausalito side with a good bit or parking). On the other side you can hike up the fort and get a great view from above the GG.

Among other things in SF: Alcatraz. The Cable Cars. Just driving around the city is an adventure as the hills and streets (Lombard) are like nowhere else. China Town can be walked to from the Wharf as well.

Yosemite is about 2-2.5 hours to the east and would be well worth your time to see.

SF and northern CA is one of the most amazing parts of the country. Enjoy!

 

[tomhawk80907]

I will be in Sonoma (Glen Ellen) this week. Any must do restaurants or wineries in Healdsburg?

Coppola’s gets panned by locals but the winery really is a beautiful place and there’s a lot of memorabilia. If you can afford his Archimedes it’s pretty damn good. Ferrari Carano on Dry Creek Road is nice and so is Jordan on Alexander Valley Road, although you have to make reservations.

For dining I’ll list several in no particular order. Baci, Braves, Barndiva, Spoon Bar, The Brass Rabbit. All are good. A lot of the wineries have locations around the town for tastings so if tasting is your thing you can hit a bunch. If actually seeing the winery is more appealing obviously harder to squeeze many in during a day.

 

[blion72]

to eat or visit? Looking for brunch and dinner spots. Also good wineries or two. Plus any breweries nearby? Though I might be abstaining from too much drinking. Really looking forward to seeing a new part of the country and hiking in Sequoia. I’ve been to Southern California, Portland, and Seattle many times but never to the Bay area.

Any suggestions will be appreciated. Only going for 6 days.

is that 6 days of actual time off - not including travel? if you have 6 days - 1 for wedding = 5 days to do things on your own. i would use them as follows:

• 1 day seeing the wineries on the main road between Napa and Calistoga. if you get up an hit the road early you can go up and back to Napa in a day. some of these wineries close early.
• There is a Napa wine train = $$$ but cool experience. i have done that on the evening run for dinner. you can do that at the end of one of your days.
• 1 day to Sonoma wine country - and you can get over to the Pacific from there Bodega Bay (popular movie spot = good seafood).
• 1-2 days to Seq or Yosemite. if you are moving you can do lodges there and check out of Napa location.
• IF you are flying from SF, i would relocate to motel near airport for last two nights. gives you one full day in SF and then fly AM of second day assuming you are not flying red eye back. if red eye then you have 2 days in SF area. SF is loaded with so many things - get travel infor and decide what you like. personally i like Marin county, Livermore are or Silicon Valley area.
• a very long option instead of SF would be to try Monterey area - Pebble Beach. it is a hike south.

i have been to the N CA area probably over 50 times and still trying to see everything.

areas of SF has alot of homeless and they are having some exotic diseases.

 

[pa108]

We just came back from a visit to Kings Canyon/Yosemite/Napa/Bodega Bay.

More info in this thread here:
https://bwi.forums.rivals.com/threads/ot-yosemite.236375/#post-4177669

Bodega Bay was cool. Take the Bodega Head trail; you can hear the sea lions barking up a storm.

I'm probably in the minority here, but I found Napa to be a bit pretentious and overpriced. Maybe my palate isnt educated fully, but I found the wines at 3 different tastings to be no better than in Northern Virginia or Canada (Hamilton/Niagara Falls). But it certainly is beautiful. Went on a hike Sunday morning and ran into some very friendly locals. Also went to the Stone Brewery. Again, the beer was good, but not better than the microbreweries in the DMV (in my opinion).

 

[ILLINOISLION]

Strongly support the couple of Bodega Bay recommendations!

Six days.....I’m jealous! Few visitors get to spend that much time in this area. You’ll have a good time no matter which of the many great suggestions you follow that have been made in this thread.

AND REMEMBER:

You ask for recommendations, we respectfully want a travel report from you once you get home. (When’s your trip?)

 

[PSU_Chicago]

plenty of great places to eat and wineries in Napa. Pick a road .... If you want tours, pick a large sparkling and non sparkling. Otherwise do tastings. Tours take time and are repetitive.

Try to get some reservations for restaurants now.

 

[PennsylvaniaPride]

We were in Sequoia and Kings Canyon 3 years ago....loved both parks!!

No thoughts of Yosemite coming from Napa?

Kings Canyon is a beautiful ride. We spent one night at Cedar Grove Lodge. If pressed for time you can do this as a day trip from Sequoia.

https://goo.gl/photos/L1vh7Xqy71vZznTb8

In Sequoia the Congress Trail IS A MUST. Most impressive trees on the planet. Moro Rock is also a must with some terrific scenery. Stay at the Wuksachi Lodge, best accommodations in the park. Yes, there were some fire issues, but they didn't impact anything we did on the trip.

https://goo.gl/photos/Bg9Xpxypw4vyYarW6

Thanks so much!

 

[PennsylvaniaPride]

Strongly support the couple of Bodega Bay recommendations!

Six days.....I’m jealous! Few visitors get to spend that much time in this area. You’ll have a good time no matter which of the many great suggestions you follow that have been made in this thread.

AND REMEMBER:

You ask for recommendations, we respectfully want a travel report from you once you get home. (When’s your trip?)

July 4 through the 10th!

 

[PennsylvaniaPride]

is that 6 days of actual time off - not including travel? if you have 6 days - 1 for wedding = 5 days to do things on your own. i would use them as follows:

• 1 day seeing the wineries on the main road between Napa and Calistoga. if you get up an hit the road early you can go up and back to Napa in a day. some of these wineries close early.
• There is a Napa wine train = $$$ but cool experience. i have done that on the evening run for dinner. you can do that at the end of one of your days.
• 1 day to Sonoma wine country - and you can get over to the Pacific from there Bodega Bay (popular movie spot = good seafood).
• 1-2 days to Seq or Yosemite. if you are moving you can do lodges there and check out of Napa location.
• IF you are flying from SF, i would relocate to motel near airport for last two nights. gives you one full day in SF and then fly AM of second day assuming you are not flying red eye back. if red eye then you have 2 days in SF area. SF is loaded with so many things - get travel infor and decide what you like. personally i like Marin county, Livermore are or Silicon Valley area.
• a very long option instead of SF would be to try Monterey area - Pebble Beach. it is a hike south.

i have been to the N CA area probably over 50 times and still trying to see everything.

areas of SF has alot of homeless and they are having some exotic diseases.

Thanks so much for the suggestions! I will definitely try to do a lot of it.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

PP - Lived in Marin County years ago and been back playing golf in Napa (Silverado). Some outstanding suggestions in this thread, you can’t go wrong.

Have a G R E A T trip!

 

[lions15psu]

You will be near Santa Rosa so I HIGHLY recommend going to Russian River Brewing...there is nothing like having a pint of Pliny The Elder fresh from the source!

 

[Beachwineguy]

Have brunch at Domaine Carneros. Fantastic view.

 

[Boss56]

Only suggestion I have is: Get the hell out of California as fast as you can.

 

[step.eng69]

We were in Sequoia and Kings Canyon 3 years ago....loved both parks!!

No thoughts of Yosemite coming from Napa?

Kings Canyon is a beautiful ride. We spent one night at Cedar Grove Lodge. If pressed for time you can do this as a day trip from Sequoia.

https://goo.gl/photos/L1vh7Xqy71vZznTb8

In Sequoia the Congress Trail IS A MUST. Most impressive trees on the planet. Moro Rock is also a must with some terrific scenery. Stay at the Wuksachi Lodge, best accommodations in the park. Yes, there were some fire issues, but they didn't impact anything we did on the trip.

https://goo.gl/photos/Bg9Xpxypw4vyYarW6

Wonderful pictures, thank you for posting. The General Sherman Tree brings back memories of my high school days. The boys had to take shop three years in school. The shop teacher, Mr. Vonsavage, was alos the basketball coach & assistant football coach.

I hated shop, and if you didn't pull your weight in making the various projects Vons made you stand at a drafting table and write verbatim about the tree from the General Sherman Tree book for the entire shop period. After three years of shop, I could give lectures at a PhD lever about the great tree.

Since I was on the football & baseball teams, Vonsy would treat one his athletic star players with kid gloves and give me special treatment. On shop days that Vons felt I needed a little extra love to make it through the period, he brought out his 2_1/2 foot long, 4 inch wide, inch thick, aerated oak paddle and beat the $hit out of ass and thighs before standing me at the drafting table to write the General Sherman Tree.

In the basement was a small room adjacent to the shop that had afew cracker_candy machines and an old horizontal floor refrigerator that housed chocolate milk in 12oz cartons. Using some of the shop tools available, we were able to open the milk cartons, insert straws and have free chocolate milk.
The last time I ever had free milk was the day Mr. Vonsavage caught us.

 

[PennsylvaniaPride]

Only suggestion I have is: Get the hell out of California as fast as you can.

Lol, I love visiting CA.

 

[PennsylvaniaPride]

Strongly support the couple of Bodega Bay recommendations!

Six days.....I’m jealous! Few visitors get to spend that much time in this area. You’ll have a good time no matter which of the many great suggestions you follow that have been made in this thread.

AND REMEMBER:

You ask for recommendations, we respectfully want a travel report from you once you get home. (When’s your trip?)

This week!