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| Wine
Country - Our World Famous Wine |
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An
hour’s drive north of San Francisco is a
region of incomparable beauty. While
California’s wine country actually
stretches much further north, south and
east, Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino
Counties are justly famous for producing
some of the finest wines in the world. A
unique combination of soil, geography
and climate makes for the superb growing
conditions. The Wine Country offers
everything from world-class restaurants
and spas to antique shopping and
unlimited recreational opportunities.
Many wineries offer tours and tastings,
some for a fee and others free of
charge. Use our printable map of the Bay
Area to map out the counties of our
Wine Country. Click here for
Napa Valley Wineries.
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NAPA VALLEY |
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Napa County, once a farming area
producing a variety of different crops,
is primarily known today for its wine
industry, with a history dating back to
the early nineteenth century. Napa
Valley wines climbed in acclaim in the
1960s to the comparative rank of wine
regions in France and Italy.
Drive north over the Golden Gate Bridge
and take Hwy 37, then north on Hwy 29,
to the City of Napa which offers
shopping along brick-lined streets,
charming restaurants and regularly
scheduled special events.
Copia, the new American Center for
Wine, Food & the Arts, is located at 500
First Street. A ride on the Napa Valley
Wine Train, 800-427-4124, take you for a
scenic tour through the Napa countryside
while you enjoy gourmet food and fine
wines. Be sure to head to the charming
town of Calistoga, famous for its hot
springs and mud baths. Visit the Old
Faithful Geyser, one of only three Old
Faithful Geysers in the world; then walk
through the ancient Petrified Forest
located nearby.
Nearby excursions include St. Helena,
with the Napa Wine Museum, located at
473 Main Street, featuring exhibitions
about the land, people and industry of
the Napa Valley, and Napa Valley State
Park. Lake Berryessa, with swimming,
fishing, and camping, makes a great side
trip. Whether traveling on the west side
of the valley on Hwy. 29, or east along
Silverado Trail, you'll find many
interesting spots to view and visit.
Call the Napa Valley Vistors
Bureau for more information;
707-226-7459.
Click on the links
below to view for more information: |
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SONOMA |
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Sonoma Valley is the closest wine region
to San Francisco, just 45 minutes north.
Often called The Valley of the Moon
(According to the Miwok and Pomo tribes
that lived in the valley, the word
“Sonoma” meant "valley of the moon"),
Sonoma Valley is home to some of the
earliest vineyards and wineries in the
state, and offers visitors not only the
change to visit world renown wineries
but also a wide range of year round
events and recreational activities.
Take Hwy 101 north to Hwy 37, left onto
Hwy 121. Bear left onto Hwy 12 to the
town of Sonoma. The 3-acre Sonoma Plaza
is the largest town square of its kind
in California and is a National Historic
Landmark. Rimmed by preserved adobe
buildings, it is a favorite place for
shopping, dining and picnicking. Visit
the
Mission San Francisco Solano, the
last mission built in California, dating
to 1823.
Train Town, located on Hwy 12 one
mile south of Sonoma, provides a fun
family excursion. In nearby Glen Ellen,
Jack London State Historic Park,
2400 London Ranch Road, offers scenic
views, hiking, picnic areas, horseback
riding, a museum, and Wolf House. Sonoma
Valley Regional Park, 13630 Sonoma Hwy
12, offers paved and dirt trails for
hiking, bicycling and horseback riding
through oak woodlands, picnic areas with
tables, and beautiful wildflower
displays in spring.
In addition to over 145 wineries, Sonoma
County is know for its air includes 170
specialty food growers.
Sonoma County Farm Trails give
visitors a chance to buy from local
farmers; call 707-571-8288 for a free
map.
Another direction to reach Sonoma is to
continue north over the Golden Gate
Bridge on Hwy 101 beyond Hwy 37. This
takes you through Petaluma (worth a stop
for the antique shops) at the south end
of Sonoma County, then onto the city of
Santa Rosa, 55 miles north of San
Francisco. Points of interest include
Luther Burbank Home and Gardens and
Charles M. Schulz Museum.
Click on the links below
to view for more information: |
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MENDOCINO |
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Because of its somewhat remote location,
Mendocino County’s reputation as a
wine-producing region was slower to
develop and gain recognition. Long
famous for its redwood forests, today
Mendocino County is the world leader in
certified organically-grown grapes.
There are over 15,000 acres of vineyards
in the County, with 25% of them growing
certified organic grapes.
As you drive north of
Santa Rosa, you will begin to see
vineyards along the highway as you pass
by the towns of Healdsburg and
Cloverdale, then into Mendocino county,
and through charming Hopland, with wine
tasting rooms and a new visitor center.
Call 707-744-1379 for information.
Continue north on Hwy 101 to Hwy 128,
which takes you west to the coastal
towns of
Mendocino and Ft. Bragg.
Continuing past Hwy 128, north up Hwy
101 to takes you to Ukiah, location of
the historic Vichy Hot Springs resort;
then onto Willits, home of the
County Museum and the
Skunk Train.
Click on the links
below to view for more information: |
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