Sacramento to Sonoma or Napa Valley for Scenic Drive
 

I just learned that I have a free afternoon tomorrow while working in Sacramento. I have a rental car and would like to do a scenic drive in "wine country". Which would be a more scenic drive, Sonoma County or Napa Valley? Please suggest a route with approximate driving times to/from downtown Sacramento. I am not a big wine drinker but would consider stopping at one or two wineries if time allows ( more interested in scenic drive) I will be leaving Sacramento at 2:00. I just learned about this opportunity and haven't had time to do research myself. Thanks for the help.

Why not travel up into the Amador county wine region. It is much closer than driving all the way to Napa/Sonoma. Or even closer - to some of the wineries around Clarksburg on the Sacramento river.

I'll warn you that traffic on I-80 west of Sacramento to where you turn off to go up the Napa Valley - especially between Davis and Vacaville will be bad due to construction and uneven pavement. Last Sat (when there is usually much less traffic than on weekdays) It took me an hour just from the Sac county line to Vacaville - which normally is a 30 min drive. My guess (because of the traffic) it would take 2 hours to get to Napa on Thurs.

But if you travel east of Sacramento to Plymouth - you can see LOTS of vineyards, wineries, and some cute goldrush era towns/villages. The drive to Plymouth should take under an hour from downtown Sac.

Should have said >>In the middle of the day, the drive to Plymouth should take under an hour from downtown Sac<<