We are planning a trip in the fall - possibly the end of August to coincide with the IndyCar race or later for the crush. We will have 4-6 travelers. We were thinking that a house rental may be a good option, but we really don't know the area well enough to pick out the best "home base." It would be nice to have a good central location, possibly with amenities within walking distance. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks!

When you say "home base" --do you mean Napa and/or Sonoma?
Both areas will ,be very expensive..$250-$300 for 2 people,,therefore a house rental is a good idea AND the availability of a house may "decide" on home base...

Today post of "Sonoma Wine country-where to stay" on this same boeard -will give you lots of info on Sonoma

If you want walking distance to wineries and restaurants, try Healdsburg or the city of Sonoma.
Maybe St. Helena in the Napa Valley.
Yountville in the Napa Valley has nice eating places, but I don't think any wineries are in walking disance, except Domaine Chandon if you don't mind a longish walk.

Welcome to Foders

Meeting your desire to be able to walk to amenities. If you are booking during crush you will need to get rooms soon.

If you are in Napa Valley a good home base would be St Helena (best but lots of traffic) or the town of Napa (too large for us).

In Sonoma Valley it would be the town of Sonoma (great location), Santa Rosa (larger town with less character) or Healdburg (adorable town but a little inconvient for wine tours).

Napa vs Sonoma. Napa has very, very heavy traffic, but is beautiful, has great restaurants and more well known wineries. Sonoma is more rural, laid back and far less traffic but fewer well known wineries. What we have been doing lately is staying around Glen Ellen or Kenwood in Sonoma valley. We then have the rural feel but can quickly get to Napa via the Oakville Grade. And from that location you can tour wineries in Napa or Sonoma.

You can find good reliable home rentals on VRBO. I just did a bunch or research (6 of us were going to go down in March) and the nightly price for towns was expensive.

Here were some of the places I found.

VRBO 2000093
May be too far south..it is 20 miles south of Oakville

VRBO 17619
Next door to Clos du Val winery on Silverado Trail which is a perfect location for Napa Valley (less traffic)

VRBO 205746
On Spring Mountain Road (curvy and a little slow) 10 miles from St Helena and 10 miles from Santa Rosa but inexpensive

VRBO 179331
In Kenwood. Good location for Sonoma Valley close to oakville grade

VRBO 116250
Great Location Glen Ellen and Sonoma... probably next door to BR Cohn winery




Also check hotels:

El Bonita is in St Helena and the cost is $120.00 for weekdays and $140.00 for Friday
Secret Cottages in Glen Ellen are $139.00 for weekdays and $209.00 for Friday

This thread is of interest to me as well. My wife and I will be in CA in September and we are planning to spend up to four nights in Wine Country.

We haven't attempted to book any accommodation yet. I note the comments on the demand for accommodation during the crush. We will be there around September 10 to 14. Is that during the crush and will accommodation be at a premium then?

Thanks for all the responses! At this point, we are open to either Napa or Sonoma.

>>In Sonoma Valley it would be the town of Sonoma (great location), Santa Rosa (larger town with less character) or Healdburg (adorable town but a little inconvient for wine tours).<<

Difference of opinion here. There are LOT more wineries in & around Healdsburg than around Sonoma. Sonoma has some really ugly sprawl (Boyes Hot Springs) I've never considered Santa Rosa to be a wine country destination.

In Napa, many of the wineries charge tasting fees, one charges about $25 to just park in their lot, and last time we went to Mondavi - we needed a reservation for a tour. Few have picnic facilities. In Sonoma Co, fewer charge tasting fees, and many have picnic facilities. The Dry Creek Valley (Healdsburg/Sonoma Co) is my favorite winegrowing region.

Stu Dudley