Best route: SF to Muir Woods to Calistoga
Apr 11th, 2005, 05:55 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Best route: SF to Muir Woods to Calistoga
We are planning on driving from San Francisco to Muir Woods, and then winding our way up to Calistoga, stopping at wineries (either in Napa or Sonoma.) Ideally I'd like to find a way to drive north up the coast a little from Muir Woods, then cross over on a smaller, more scenic road to Napa/Sonoma before heading north again up to Calistoga. Does anyone have any suggestions for the best route? Any and all advice would be appreciated! Thanks!
Apr 11th, 2005, 06:23 AM
#2
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 319
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You can start going north from Muir Woods along Hwy. 1 all the way to Bodega Bay. This would take about an-hour-and-a-half to 2 hours as you will be driving on a 2-lane highway by the coast. You can stop at Point Reyes and/or Bodega Bay, if you need to, for snacks, breaks or just to stretch out.
Then at Bodega Bay, you can take Hwy. 12 eastbound through Santa Rosa, a little bit of Hwy 101 northbound, and onto Hwy 128 and finally Hwy 29 to Calistoga.
Depending on your pace, the time of day you intend to start, your duration in Muir Woods and stops along the way, driving this on a single day will be a stretch. But, it’s a darn good drive – mixing scenic coasts, quaint towns and vineyard.
Then at Bodega Bay, you can take Hwy. 12 eastbound through Santa Rosa, a little bit of Hwy 101 northbound, and onto Hwy 128 and finally Hwy 29 to Calistoga.
Depending on your pace, the time of day you intend to start, your duration in Muir Woods and stops along the way, driving this on a single day will be a stretch. But, it’s a darn good drive – mixing scenic coasts, quaint towns and vineyard.
Apr 11th, 2005, 02:17 PM
#5
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,857
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi Nina 30-
Hwy 12 stops at Sebastopol and the Bodega Hwy will carry you to the town of Bodega, not Bodega Bay-you will have to backtrack to use this route
and there are no wineries on the Bodega Hwy.
I would modify this and continue through Bodega Bay up to Jenner. Take Hwy 116 along the Russian River through
Guerneville. Follow River Road on into Fulton (north Santa Rosa). Lots of wineries along here. Continue over Hwy 101 where River Road becomes Mark West Springs Road,which will intersect with the Petrified Forest Rd.
(turn left) and this will drop you down
into Calistoga.
If you want to extend this trip,
you can proceed north at
River Road/Mark West Springs on Hwy 101 to Healdsburg and take Hwy 128 through the Alexander Valley into Calistoga.
Another ideal route would be to turn inland at Pt.Reyes Station,take the Pt.Reyes/Petaluma Road into Petaluma. You will be on D Street. Follow this through Petaluma to Lakeville St.-turn right
follow Lakeville under Hwy 101 to where Lakeville becomes Hwy 116 EAST/
Lakeville Hwy. Here, you will hook a little south until you reach an intersection where Hwy 116 EAST splits
to the left-follow this to the western edge of the town of Sonoma.
Now 2 ways to go here-you can turn left on Arnold Drive, follow this through Glen Ellen
and intersect with Hwy 12 and the Valley of the Moon through Kenwood
(lots of wineries here)to the interesection of Hwy 12 and Calistoga Rd.(turn right) and head over the hill into Calistoga.
OR
Continue on Hwy 116 to the T-intersection of Hwy's 116/121/12. Head east
(turn left) and follow this into the town of Napa and Hwy 29. You can follow Hwy 29 up valley into Calistoga.
Along Hwy 121/12 you will find Nicholson
Ranch winery (at the intersection of Napa Road adjacent to the historic Stornetta Dairy)and Domaine Caneros
(bubbly!).
Of course, you could modify these last 2 routes with a stop in the town of Sonoma, and the many wineries there
and in the surrounding area.
Do get a good map of the area or pick up a copy of Wine Country This Week
(free at tasting roms and restaurants along the way)and you can easily plot these routes.
Have fun!
R5
Hwy 12 stops at Sebastopol and the Bodega Hwy will carry you to the town of Bodega, not Bodega Bay-you will have to backtrack to use this route
and there are no wineries on the Bodega Hwy.
I would modify this and continue through Bodega Bay up to Jenner. Take Hwy 116 along the Russian River through
Guerneville. Follow River Road on into Fulton (north Santa Rosa). Lots of wineries along here. Continue over Hwy 101 where River Road becomes Mark West Springs Road,which will intersect with the Petrified Forest Rd.
(turn left) and this will drop you down
into Calistoga.
If you want to extend this trip,
you can proceed north at
River Road/Mark West Springs on Hwy 101 to Healdsburg and take Hwy 128 through the Alexander Valley into Calistoga.
Another ideal route would be to turn inland at Pt.Reyes Station,take the Pt.Reyes/Petaluma Road into Petaluma. You will be on D Street. Follow this through Petaluma to Lakeville St.-turn right
follow Lakeville under Hwy 101 to where Lakeville becomes Hwy 116 EAST/
Lakeville Hwy. Here, you will hook a little south until you reach an intersection where Hwy 116 EAST splits
to the left-follow this to the western edge of the town of Sonoma.
Now 2 ways to go here-you can turn left on Arnold Drive, follow this through Glen Ellen
and intersect with Hwy 12 and the Valley of the Moon through Kenwood
(lots of wineries here)to the interesection of Hwy 12 and Calistoga Rd.(turn right) and head over the hill into Calistoga.
OR
Continue on Hwy 116 to the T-intersection of Hwy's 116/121/12. Head east
(turn left) and follow this into the town of Napa and Hwy 29. You can follow Hwy 29 up valley into Calistoga.
Along Hwy 121/12 you will find Nicholson
Ranch winery (at the intersection of Napa Road adjacent to the historic Stornetta Dairy)and Domaine Caneros
(bubbly!).
Of course, you could modify these last 2 routes with a stop in the town of Sonoma, and the many wineries there
and in the surrounding area.
Do get a good map of the area or pick up a copy of Wine Country This Week
(free at tasting roms and restaurants along the way)and you can easily plot these routes.
Have fun!
R5
Apr 11th, 2005, 03:07 PM
#6
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi, Nina!
You've gotten some great advice here, especially from R5 - she knows what she's talking about!
The only thing I would add is to check out the maps in
wineroad.com
It'll give you a much better idea of what the wine country roads in Sonoma look like. Get a copy of the local map as well.
Driving in Sonoma County is like driving around Europe - the maps can't show you everything!
Have fun!
You've gotten some great advice here, especially from R5 - she knows what she's talking about!
The only thing I would add is to check out the maps in
wineroad.com
It'll give you a much better idea of what the wine country roads in Sonoma look like. Get a copy of the local map as well.
Driving in Sonoma County is like driving around Europe - the maps can't show you everything!
Have fun!
