travelchat

Towards the end of July we made yet another of our fabulous annual Sonoma/Napa trips to a house we rent in Kenwood adjacent to a winery. God's country is an understatement. The weather was perfect except for a couple days when it hit 100 degrees. That's when the pool was a blessing!

Wineries visited:
Rutherford - Napa Valley
Traditionally, on the first day we begin with the first of many traverses across the harrowing Trinity Road from Sonoma to Napa, stopping at Oakville Grocery for some yummy$ picnic supplies. Then on to the winery where we skip the tasting (three boys under the age of ten preclude this leisurely activity) and purchase a bottle of their wine and (also a bag of those delish chocolate covered blueberry candies) which gets us into the picnic area for our reserved space. The vista is breathtaking and we look forward to this, our favorite, tipping off point.

Frog's Leap - Napa Valley
A charming spot for a family tasting experience. We chose to do our tasting outdoors and we and the boys happily ambled around the sizeable property which includes masses of flowering plantings, peach, apple and pomegranate trees (we were offered the opportunity to pick what we could eat while there) a chicken/rooster hutch, large vegetable garden with many outside areas of seating and picnic tables. The outside bar worked well for when we were ready to taste the next of the four varieties offered at this organic winery/farm. We received a warm reception with our boys and they were offered juice boxes to sip which made for happy campers all around. No picnic facilities here, for the record. Lots of folks with their dogs.

Clos Du Val - Napa Valley
A gorgeous winery where we had made a reservation for our final day, picking up Oakville Grocery supplies for a picnic lunch there. Ooh la la - this winery can provide lunch catered by The French Laundry. The umbrella shaded tables are set out on an elegant sprawling lawn with magnificent views over the vineyards. There are plush cabanas for group tastings also. Again, we eschewed the tasting and purchased a wonderful bottle of Pinot Noir Reserve.

Restaurants:
Girl and the Fig
Bouchon
Terra
Glen Ellen Star
Ad Lib
Palooza
Cafe Citti
El Mulino
Hana

Activities:
Train Town
Russian River Canoe Trip
Sonoma County Fair
Petrified Forest
Sonoma Market Night
Michoacana Ice Cream Shop

We set out each morning after breakfast for a half day activity and lunch, returning to home base for afternoon swimming. Some evenings we dined as a family, other nights were for the grown ups, as we travel with our long time babysitter.

DD and son in law have been visiting the Napa Valley since they were young and unencumbered newlyweds. With the advent of the children my daughter has researched and planned carefully to encompass a wide variety of day trips for all of us. Last year we went to the Grossman Sticker Factory in Petaluma for a tour, reservation necessary, great fun. Train Town, Sonoma Market Night, Rutherford, The Girl and the Fig, The Sonoma County Fair, El Mulino and of course the ice cream shop, are places we return to time and again.

Sigh, now the long wait until next year!

Bostonblondie226

This sounds completely wonderful! I need some more Napa in my life some time soon! Glad you had so much fun!!

denisea

Sounds nice....been awhile since I was in Napa.

travelchat

Thanks Bostonblondie226 and Denisea, for your kind remarks. I think DD has done a fine job of finding activities for us as a family with young children. Most would not think this area of the country is good for kids but she has managed to include something new and unique each visit, along with our yearly favorites.

The Russian River canoeing was a stretch for us as it was very physically demanding. We had two blow up canoes, very uncomfortable sitting on the three web seats that were on a sideways sloped angle. I was in one with our four year old which my daughter rowed from the "captain's" rear seat position. In ideal circumstances with practiced rowers, the trip down river should have taken one hour. It took us three, between running into the sides of the river/bushes many times until we got the hang of it, which would bring down a shower of spiders upon us, getting stuck on rock formations in the shallows and having to "shove the canoe off" and several stops to rest, it took us three hours. But it was a great experience and the folks in charge were super nice.

travelchat

Bostonblondie226
I just realized that was your hilariously funny and entertaining Intoxicating Birthday-Day Trip to Napa TR. I was laughing out loud! What fabulous memories for you all. and your mom scored? Wow. Lucky gal.

lantana

Have only visited the Napa Valley once but it was truly a paradise. Thank you for your report. I envy your 10-day stay! I cannot wait to return one day ♥
Have you ever been to Indian Springs (or elsewhere) for a mud bath in Calistoga? My friend and I went and loved it so much we ret'd a couple of days later, blowing off some winery plans!

travelchat

Lantana
No, haven't gone in for any mud baths, while in Napa, just the involuntary one when we canoed The Russian River. But I would certainly be up to try!

Hope you get back to Napa at some point. It really is a marvelous area. The landscape seems surreal, it's that beautiful.

The series on Napa wineries called "Vintage" on PBS is excellent. Have you seen any of the programs? Perhaps it's available on Netflix or On Demand. Fascinating viewing. It was recently rerun here in Chicago and I watched it again.

lantana

Thanks for telling me about "Vintage", @travelchat. I will look it up!
I agree that the area seems surreal. Absolute perfection, IMO.
Canoeing the RR sounds fun!
Since you visit the area regularly, do look into Indian Springs for the mud baths sometime! Sitting out by the Buddha Pond after our treatments was pure heaven. https://www.indianspringscalistoga.c...s/buddha-pond/

Bostonblondie226

@Travelchat - Thanks for the shout out and glad you found my TR entertaining! After all of that wine, we were certainly laughing out loud as well during that afternoon in Napa!! As for Mom, all I can say is that she's a born flirt (and source of amusement for her daughters!)

Iwan2go

Thanks for the suggestions for young children - please pass on any others you've experienced. Our son and daughter-in-law live in Napa, and we'd love to have a family vacation there with their siblings and our grandchildren (now ages 3 and 5).

welltraveledbrit

Thanks for the TR.
I like Clos du Val very much too, I think their wines are an excellent value and the situation is charming. It's always one of the places I recommend to friends.