Hi - My husband and I are planning our first trip to the wine country (we are 30 somethings looking to get away for a few days), and I don't know where to start - We can't do more than 3 days total - where should we go, stay, etc.? What are some good places for first timers?

My husband and I just returned from a 3 day stint in Napa/Sonoma. We spent 2 nights at the Mount View Hotel & Spa in Calistoga and 1 nite at the Hyatt Vineyard in Sonoma. In 3 days you will get a good taste of the area, but not really explore it in depth. We did get to alot of wineries tho . Calistoga was a good base for exploring the Napa area, we enjoyed it, but you need to realize you are not 'central' You are at the northern end of the area. The first nite we had dinner in Yountville, and it was a good 40 minutes back. I would have liked to have had one more day in Sonoma, we explored the southern area, I would have spent my 2nd day exploring around Healdsburg and the Russian River. The Hyatt was a great central location, in Santa Rosa, just off of 101. You need to look at your budget carefully when choosing hotels in Napa, they were not cheap. I would have liked to stay in St. Helena, but we thought the prices were crazy, I would rather pay less for a room, and spend more on food and wine

I prefer Sonoma, mainly because I find the people at the wineries to be friendlier and more willing to chat about their wines. I find the wineries on the Napa side much more commercial and less relaxed.

We got the Hyatt in Santa Rosa on Priceline for $75.00 per night (including all taxes & fees) after trying several times. Had to wait for several 3-day intervals, but the patience paid off.

I think you'll really like the Healdsburg area.

I've done the wine country 3 times and much prefer Sonoma Valley over Napa, though I'm glad I've experienced both. In Napa, you spend half your time in traffic. Sonoma's wineries are a bit more spread out, but the drives are beautiful. I especially love the Dry Creek and Russian River Valleys. I know that places are high, but there are many options. There are several reasonable Bed and Breakfast places and small inns. If you can go during the week (which is better) you can get a better rate at times. I got some great deals at luxurylink.com for Tu-Thursday stays. I have a trip report here from our last visit...go to search engine and type in "Wine Country" trip #3. You'll also find some old posts on here with good advice. Get a good book from the library on wineries or look at Wine Enthusiast and do a little research. If you love reds,look for the well-rated ones and go sniffing.Same for whites. Some of the big ones, such as Viansa, Chateau Soverain and Gloria Ferrer are fun, some of the small ones such as Foppiano are a blast, too. My fav is Meeker, which is in an old bank building up in Geyserville. tell Cynthia "hello".

Just returned last week from three days in Sonoma. By all means, stay in the town of Sonoma itself. You not only have wonderful wineries to visit, (and complimentary visits to many of them, from your Inn or Hotel) but the advantage of Sonoma itself, with it's lovely square, within walking distance of many of the Inns, and it's historical state park, as well as the ability to bike to many of the nearby wineries. We stayed at the Inn of Sonoma, as two block walk to the square. Very private, just lovely, with large rooms and balcony, a full buffet breakfast (which was delicious) wine and cheese in the evening, and gracious people very anxious to help. Large room, plush robes, perfect for enjoying the hot tub on the roof, and it's location makes it a wonderful place to enjoy the Valley- Enjoy your vacation- and by all means, stop at one of the tiny roadside stands that are selling strawberries and cherries from their farm- you have never tasted anything so good!