One day in wine country - Help with itinerary
 

We're going to be in Half Moon Bay for a few days for a work conference for my husband next month, and unfortunately because of our schedule aren't able to spend more than 1 day in wine country and 1 day in SF after the conference. Friends went to Castello di Amorosa and had a great time. The pictures were gorgeous, so I really wanted to go there, but saw it was almost a 2.5 hour drive on Google maps. Not out of the question, but I didn't expect it to be so far.

Wondering if this schedule would be doable or too tiring:

Hit the road by 9, stop somewhere in the Sonoma area at one of the wineries there (no idea which one is best), which would put us just about 11am arriving there assuming no traffic. Spend 2 hours (?? don't know how long would you typically spend at a winery?) there, eat lunch around 1, then drive the 45 min to Castello di Amorosa. Guessing we'd get to Castello around 3/3:30. Spend a few hours there - they close at 6 - then eat dinner somewhere in that area (any suggestions?) and drive back to HMB.

Neither of us have been to Northern CA so I'm feeling a bit clueless...

Thanks!

Also, just to clarify, the only day we can do this trip is a Friday, so don't know if that makes a difference re: traffic, crowds, etc.

You know there are wineries/vineyards much nearer Half Moon Bay

http://scmwa.com
http://www.santaclarawines.com

(Traffic on a Friday will generally be really bad through the Bay Area)

If it is wineries you want to visit, then stay close as Janis suggests. If your goal is the Castello, then head there right away and plan closer to that. Traffic on Friday will be horrible. We stayed at the RC Half Moon Bay in June and met a couple who came down on Friday. It took them 4 hours just to get from SF due to traffic.

Traffic on Friday is horrific. Would you consider spending that night in wine country? If so, then you could have a much more relaxed time there - enjoy a few wineries and good dinner. Yountville is a great spot because you can generally walk to all restaurants from any of the inns there.

Thanks, glad I mentioned it was a Friday! Yikes- 4 hrs?!

We decided to stay in SF 2 nights instead, so now we will be doing a winery Thurs (Will pick one closer to HMB) and dropping off our car at SFO Fri morning, cab into the city (or is there a better way?) and check into our hotel. Guess we should leave early to avoid the Fri am traffic? Someone mentioned taking highway 1 as a better route to avoid traffic...

Leave HMB after 9 am to miss the major rush hour.