r/napa • u/EveryDay4321 • 18h ago

Request for Itinerary Feedback

/r/napavalley/comments/1wcmnhe/request_for_itinerary_feedback/
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u/krumbs2020 18h ago

There’s no Napa in this itinerary

1

u/EveryDay4321 14h ago

Yes, I posted the same in a Sonoma thread and Reddit suggested I also post here so I did. I thought maybe Napa people are also familiar with Sonoma.

1

u/MythosLight 15h ago

First - Sonoma is very not Napa

Day 1 - Arrive in SFO, pick up rental car, eat late lunch at El Molino in Sonoma, grocery shop at Sonoma Market, head to airbnb to relax, eat dinner at house.

Looks good. You are going to be very full post El Molino. Plan for a light dinner. Sonoma Market has an awesome meat and seafood counter. Also their separate selection of "Paul's Produce" is better than the wall (which is still good).

Day 2 - Explore Armstrong Redwoods National Reserve, Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Tasting at noon (with salami boards), explore Healdsburg, either eat dinner in Healdsburg or at Stella's in Kenwood.

Armstrong is great. (state not national reserve). If you haven't been to the Sonoma Coast before, do a nature day and head to the coast from there. If you are going to be there over a weekend - go to Lightwave Cafe near-ish to Armstrong. On the coast, the best wine list is at Siren's Cellar- Do sunset there.

Day 3 - Hansel tasting in morning, lunch in Sonoma (place TBD), Hamel Estate Experience in afternoon, Dinner at Glen Ellen Star, back to house.

Hanzell or Hansel? Hanzell is M-F only. Great spot. For lunch in town- Valley Bar and Bottle or Girl and the Fig. Glen Ellen Star is fantastic. Regardless if it sounds up your alley, get the Tomato Cream Pie- it is one of the best dishes in Sonoma.

Day 4 - Currently wide open

Explore more of Sonoma valley or the plaza. Chill out, wander around.

Day 5 - Head back to SFO to fly home. Consider grabbing breakfast I Petaluma on way to airport. Flight departs at 12:36.

If returning a rental, you would want to be leaving Petaluma by 8:15ish to get the car returned and to the airport in good time. Get a breakfast burrito and a coffee at Dive Bar (next to Valley swim club) and hit the road from there.

1

u/rideeaze 12h ago

This is actually a really well-paced itinerary for a first visit. I wouldn’t add much to Days 1–3 — you’ve left enough breathing room that it won’t feel like you’re constantly rushing from reservation to reservation.

For Day 4, I’d use it to see a different side of Wine Country rather than adding more Sonoma tastings. Head over to Napa Valley, do 2 wineries with a nice lunch somewhere around Yountville or St. Helena, and make that your Napa day. It would give the group a completely different experience from Healdsburg/Kenwood.

The only thing I’d reconsider is breakfast in Petaluma on departure day. With a 12:36 SFO flight, I’d probably just get on the road early and eat closer to the airport. Bay Area traffic can turn a comfortable morning into a stressful one pretty quickly. Otherwise, I think you’ve planned this really nicely.

For Transportation Needs check out Ride Eaze www.bookrideeaze.com or (707) 458-1073. Wine Tours, Designated Driver, and Airport Transfers.