landwlkr

Hi There--

I am looking for a great destination where I can spend my 30th birthday at the end of January. Around that same time I have to be in San Fran on business, so ideally the destination should be convenient to/from San Fran. Am I crazy to consider Napa this time of year? I've never been to the region, but it is defintiely on my top-10 "places to go" list.

If this is a bad idea, other suggestions on somewhere memorable where I can cross over into the next decade would be very welcome. I am a Bostonian and don't know the West Coast at all.

Thank you for your suggestions!
Terra

chucklesbythebay

The Bay Area can be rainy and damp in late January. Napa's wineries are an indoor/outdoor experience. My suggestion is take a four hour drive to Lake Tahoe or Yosemite NP...it is well worth it, even if you are not a skier...the Sierra-Nevada Mountain Range is gorgeous in the winter.

chucklesbythebay

Also, you could play it by ear...if your heart is set on Napa Valley, book a place in both Napa Valley and the Sierras. Then, wait for the weather report and cancel whichever does not work out. By the way, the Sierra-Nevada Mountain Range often has warm days (sometimes 50 + degrees) and cold nights...and the ground still is blanketed with snow (not slush).

landwlkr

Hi Chuckles,

Thanks so much for the advice. I am intrigued by your comments on the Sierras. Can you recommend a place to stay there? Thanks for responding!!
Terra

PamSF

I'd also consider staying in Calistoga or nearby. This can be wonderful in January. There are many spas and Indian Springs has a heated olympic sized mineral water pool. You can have the finery of the Valley with restaurants and wineries and relax in style. This is one of my favorite times of the year to be in the Valley as it is not as crowded. We spent a New Year's at Indian Springs with NY Eve dinner at Tra Vigne. We came back to the pool and swam all by ourselves under a full moon. It remains one of my fondest memories.

PamSF

BTW~as a former Easterner..the winters here are nothing compared to what you get in Boston..we can also have some absolutely clear and stunning days that time of year. I'd much rather visit Napa in January than hit the crowds almost any other time of year.

J_Correa

Good point about the different perspective on winter Pam.

In December my husband and I spent a weekend in SF. The weather was nasty - rainy, windy, cold. This was also the weekend of the SF vs Green Bay football game and there were a bzillion Green Bay fans in town. The folks from Green Bay were walking around like the sun was out or something while everyone else huddled in doorways and made mad dashes through the rain to get where they were going. I guess compared to December in Green Bay, the weather was nice - LOL.

landwlkr

Definitely good points! I know that the winter in San Fran area won't compare to what we experience in the Northeast! But I am glad to take a look at Calistoga and see what it has to offer.

Other advice is still welcome!

Thanks
Terra

myst

I think you should just watch and see, we don't get much rain even in winter and I like the wine-country year round. There are lots of intriguing wineries with great architecture and art galleries that make it cozy even in winter. Sonoma is a cute place to visit and I like Artesa, Hess and Niebaum Coppola for winery visits.

MichelleY

Another option, though further away is Monterey/Carmel/Pacific Grove. Monterey County also has wineries. Also the Monarch butterflies are wintering in Pacific Grove-- a true wonder to see.

coffeeaddict

I went to Napa a couple of Januaries ago for the first time and it was cold and rainy--not Boston cold and rainy, but as chuckles points out, wineries are an indoor/outdoor experience so it might get a bit wet if you are touring wineries. The upside is that it will be mostly deserted, so you won't feel rushed during tastings and you can ask as many questions as you want. Also, I'd imagine it'd be easier to score reservations at the higher-end restaurants--maybe even French Laundry???--since Napa is such a foodie haven.

Have you considered simply celebrating in SF? I'm not sure if you've been there before, but if you haven't, truly a great city with every conceivable thing to do in all seasons. Not need to leave the city if you haven't experienced it before.

If you have your heart set on Napa, you could land a good deal for hotels because it is the off-season. Don't be afraid to contact the hotel/inn directly and negotiate a lower rate, especially if you are staying more than two nights. A lot of places during that time will give you a free night if you stay two or three.

One place I'd highly recommend--especially if you are traveling with someone--is Belle de Jour Inn in Healdsburg, which is in northern Sonoma. belledejourinn.com--the hosts, Brenda and Tom, are great hosts and can give you all the area advice you need. It's less glitzy up there compared to Napa, but there's lots of great restaurants all around.

coffeeaddict

Another thing I just thought of--if you are thinking of driving four hours to the Sierras, why not just jump on a plane and go skiing in Utah or Colorado? Don't know if you are a skier, but if you've only skiied out east, then you really haven't skiied. You could stay, for example, in downtown Salt Lake (to avoid the crowds and peak season lodge prices) and drive to the three Park City resorts and the four resorts right in SLC's canyons. All less than an hour's drive from downtown. The views from the top are breathtaking--and because there's so many trails, they're never too crowded.

Then, of course--there's always Hawaii. No reason necessary to go there!

MonicaRichards

I like Napa in the winter. It's much less crowded, the hills are green and lush, and you can take some great photos of the pruned vineyards with the green hills in the background under and overcast sky..... The people pouring wine are much chattier in the winter and the whole area is just friendlier. What's a little rain, anyway, you're not going to melt!