Recommendations -- Napa vs Paso Robles?
 

Hi! Looking to visit CA wine country in September on a girls trip (all women in their 50s that like to have fun). I'm looking for recommendations on whether we should go to Napa vs Paso Robles. Areas of interest: wine tastings, great food, possibly spa, cheese tastings/pairings, wine and/or cheese tasting education opportunities, and shopping. What are the pros and cons of the 2 regions?

Thanks!

Both are great, but where are you coming from? Paso Robles, the more laid back of the two, takes a while to reach (unless you fly to San Luis Obispo, a very small airport). Napa is just over an hour from San Francisco. Also, be aware that September is the beginning of the bad part of fire season in California. So far, it's been a mild season compared to the last five or six, but air quality can get really bad. Sometimes that doesn't happen until October (if at all). You never know where fires will be (one year bad in Napa/Sonoma, one year bad in Big Sur/Monterey, etc.). I live in the Bay Area, and I don't make plans that I can't change in Sept/Oct. So I'd pick the place that you find accommodations available that you like and you can reach from where you are, understanding you may need to change things last minute.

Thanks, traveler318! I'm coming from Oklahoma. I appreciate the info on fire season. I hadn't even thought about that.

Only been to Napa once but live in the Paso area so naturally I will recommend that! The only thing I would say Napa has over Paso is shopping. Downtown Paso is small but has cute shops, lots of great restaurants, and lots of tasting rooms. The wineries in Paso tend to be less expensive than Napa and there are some gorgeous ones here! Paso is known for being more laid back than Napa. Everything and everyone is pretty casual. Flying into San Jose would be a good option if you can't fly into San Luis Obispo. It's a pretty easy drive down the 101 to Paso. Paso also has the advantage of being close to the coast. You can visit cute Cambria (lots of shops here) for a day or go see Hearst Castle. The coast will also be much cooler than Paso so it's always a nice break. If you end up choosing Paso, I'll give you ideas about wineries, etc.

I agree about the beautiful drive along the coast. We stayed in Cambria. On another trip, we visited the Hearst castle. I LOVE Nepenthe along the coast.

https://www.nepenthe.com/

Back to your Napa or PR questions -
For quite a few years I'd do the Napa wineries (tacking on days to work trips) but it's been a long while since I've been there. But even back in the day, Napa could be really busy on weekends and we enjoyed going to the Sonoma valley instead.

So just tossing that out there as another option.

Lodging can be really expensive. One of the favorite places my co-worker/ friend and I stayed at over the years was in Glen Ella, CA.
Jack London Lodge -
https://www.jacklondonlodge.com/
The rooms used to be more "frilly" but it would be a great place for.a girls trip if you want lodging that's fairly moderate in cost.

Totally random, but my favorite wineries -

Truett Hurst - Sonoma
https://www.truetthurstwinery.com/

https://www.clospegase.com/frequently-asked-questions
Clos Pegase - Napa
I had no idea why I loved the grounds and building so much until I learned later that Michael Graves designed it.

St Supery - Napa
https://www.stsupery.com/

I loved Ravenswood but it is no more.

Depending on your dates - the Sonoma Barrel Tasting weekend would be a lot of fun
https://www.wineroad.com/events/barr...ting-weekends/
March 2 & 3, 2024
Tickets on Sale January 17, 2024

The loop from the Jack London Lodge to CP to SS and back to Jack London is 1.5 hours. You could stop at many other Napa wineries in that loop.

We also enjoyed visiting Jack London State Historic Park (near the lodge)

We would fly into Oakland for winery trips (instead of San Francisco). Smaller airport. Easier to get in and out of the area.

Keep in mind - I'm no "expert". These are just some places I've enjoyed on previous trips.

Just quick --

" . . .Glen Ella, CA". Its Glen Ellen

"I LOVE Nepenthe along the coast."

One cannot get up to Nepenthe from Cambria/Paso -- part of Hwy 1 has been closed for months, (one would have to drive all the way yo Salinas, then through Monterey and back down the coast to Nepenthe -- close to a 4 hours drive from Cambria and 3+ hours starting from Paso. Double those for the round trip.

It can be blistering hot (over 100F) in both places in early September. Even later in the month, you could have 90-100F days.

. . . and fires / smoke -- especially in/around Napa

If you decide on Paso Robles, check out nearby San Luis Obispo dubbed the "Happiest Town in America". It has a lively downtown, old mission and a great farmers' market (esp. on Thursday nights when it becomes part farmers' market, part music fest, and part street fair).

We stopped doing wine tasting when the wineries started charging excessive tasting fees, as they became overwhelmed with "girls trips" and bachelorette parties.

Pre Covid we would go to Lompoc Wine Ghetto and Santa Rita Hills.

Now I just taste at friends and family who have amazing wine cellars of their own (one is also part owner of a winery).

Thanks to all for your feedback and ideas!
AustinTraveler, we have finalized our decision and chosen Paso over Napa. I'd love to hear your ideas and suggestions for wineries!

Napa, Sonoma, Healdsburg would have been my choice. The redwoods on the hillsides are beautiful. But a more expensive area to visit.

Here are some of my favorite wineries in Paso. I would Google each one to see what you think and what fits your group.

Calcareous, Niner, Halter Ranch, Tablas Creek, Paix Sur Terre, Venteux, Opolo, Parrish Family, Daou, and Villa San Juliette. I could list a dozen more!

Join this FB group for more information:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/pasorobleswinefanatics

I would do a bunch of searching in the group and then ask specific questions.

You're going to love Paso!