Sherri

I live in So Cal, so I haven't really been up to the wine country area much. My sister and I are planning a short trip for Mom's Bday in March. She is in mid-70's and fairly mobile. My sister mentioned the wine train - $330 for 3 for the dome lunch, but I have read mostly negative posts about it (my mom loves trains and we thought that would be an easy adventure for her). I am flying up on Sat afternoon and we will have all day Sunday to spend with her which is her Bday. Napa seems to generate negative comments (too touristy and large), so other areas (Sonoma or Healdsburg?) may be better. Not sure where to stay though. A hot air balloon ride plus lunch sounds different, though don't know if it would be too much for her. Has anyone ever done this in that area? We plan to spend around $700-$800 for two nights lodging including activities on her Bday. Any ideas would be appreciated.

FainaAgain

In March it may get dark during dinner time, and I've heard the food is not that great.

As your mom loves trains, I would still go for a wine train ride. There are lunch rides or non-food rides. Check the Napa Wine train websites.

Also, it's childish, but if your mom loves trains, take her to the Sonoma Train town - there is a website for it also.

It's just a mile or less off the plaza, short ride on a model train in a park, and in the middle of the ride everybody gets off to feed goats, sheep and llamas off hands, this is such a great experience!

Make sure you have quarters to buy animal food at that stop.

You know what, let me pull up my report for you.

FainaAgain

and here is the url

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34679514

Shanghainese

Viansa Winery is a fav, feels like you are in Tuscany for a few hours, many weddings are held there. 45-minute tour, the market place sells all kinds of yummy italian food, nice food gifts too.

Benzinger Winery has a tractor tour around the vineyards and a stop at the cellars, my post baby-boomer age guests love it.

Before you get to Napa (leaving from SF), Domain Carneros is a replica of a french chateau, and the spanish-owned Artesa Winery across the highway is a modern structure built into the mountain, both stunning.

Don't mean to be nosy, are all 3 of you going to stay in the same room? Check out Healdsburg Hotel, small yet lux, and the square is as nice as Sonoma, restaurant is reknowned nationwide.

Sherri

Thanks for your responses - you gave me some good ideas. To answer Shanghainese, we did plan to stay in the same room - perhaps a suite type hotel like Embassy Suites has. A bed with 2 queens would work too though - we get along great! The wine train still sounds fun, but for $330, I wanted to make sure that the money could not be better spent elsewhere.