My Guide to San Francisco, Sonoma and Napa

We just got back from a week in California! Believe it or not, this was actually my first time traveling to California. Shocking right?! Since Cory and I really enjoy wine we’ve had Napa on our travel bucket list. So we planned a week to explore San Francisco, Sonoma and Napa for our second anniversary. Despite my broken foot we had such a wonderful time, and I honestly can’t wait to go back to California. Many of you reached out for recommendations for your upcoming trips to the area, so I put together this blog post. I hope you find this helpful if you’re visiting San Francisco, Sonoma or Napa.

Guide to San Francisco, Sonoma and Napa

San Francisco

When Cory and I booked this trip to California we knew San Francisco was going to be a short visit with Napa and Sonoma being our primary destination. We flew from Grand Rapids to San Francisco and spent the weekend exploring the city. Obviously with my broken foot we kept walking at a minimum and decided to rent a car for the entire week. Oh Happy Day has a wonderful blog post with a 3 hour driving tour of San Francisco that we enjoyed using. We didn’t hit every place on this driving tour, but it was super helpful for laying out the best spots to visit in the city. I can’t wait to visit San Francisco again (when I don’t have a broken foot) and explore more of the city. PS dress warmly (depending on when you visit) as mornings and evenings can be very cool in San Francisco.

Where to Stay

We stayed at Hotel Emblem located in Union Square in San Francisco. Cory and I are big fans of the Viceroy Hotels & Resorts, and this hotel is located in a great area. We loved the modern feel of the room, and the fun amenities.

Where to Eat

Angler – Our first dinner in San Francisco was at Angler. If you love seafood as much as we do, you’ll love this restaurant. Everything is cooked in a wood burning hearth, the the fish was so fresh (they told us stories about our swordfish being caught the day before).

ONE65 – Cory and I are pastries and coffee people for breakfast. Don’t get me wrong we enjoy brunch on occasion. But when we’re on vacation I scope out the best croissants in the city. By far our favorite spot was ONE65 in Union Square for a croissant in the morning.

Swan Oyster Depot – Again if you love seafood you have to go to Swan Oyster Depot. This place is VERY popular and expect to wait in line. They don’t take reservations and the restaurant is very small. But trust me the wait is 100% worth it. We came here on a Saturday and couldn’t get a table, so we took food to-go. The smoked salmon and shrimp were amazing!

flour + water – For homemade pasta and amazing pizza head to flour + water in the Mission District. Cory and I LOVED the Margherita pizza here.

Foreign Cinema – For a fun dining experience don’t miss Foreign Cinema. We had a drink and dessert here and the menu looked awesome for dinner. Sit outside and enjoy a movie while you dine!

Things to Do

See the Golden Gate Bridge (obviously). We drove over the bridge on our way to Sausalito for lunch at Scoma’s. Here are seven place to get a photo of the Golden Gate Bridge.

We took a drive to Treasure Island to get a view of downtown San Francisco and the bridges. If you have time this is worth stopping to see.

Seeing the Painted Ladies is a must when you’re in San Francisco. Cory and I brought our lunch from Swan Oyster Depot to enjoy in the park while we gazed at the beautiful homes.

Take a drive down Lombard Street or just view the road. We waited around 30 minutes to drive down Lombard Street, but it was worth it.

Visit Chinatown while you’re in San Francisco. We drove through Chinatown and it was really cool! Here is an article with some great things to do in Chinatown.

We visited Pier 39 to see the sea lions and that’s about all I would recommend going for. While we visited it was extremely busy and lots of tourist type shops and restaurants. We left after being there for 10 minutes and I don’t need to go back again.

We drove by Fisherman’s Wharf but didn’t get out of the car. With my broken foot we really had to pick and choose what we could do. Here is some information if you visit Fisherman’s Wharf.

Sonoma

Our next destination was Sonoma! We used our rental car to drive from San Francisco to Sonoma, and it was very easy to navigate. It’s really hard to say if I liked Sonoma or Napa better because each has it’s pros and cons. Personally I felt like Sonoma was a little more laid back, and the wineries (the few that we visited) more casual compared to Napa. I would definitely recommend checking out both areas while you’re visiting, but obviously depends on how many days you have planned.

Where to Stay

We stayed two nights at El Dorado Hotel in Sonoma. The hotel is in a great location in Downtown Napa and the rooms were lovely. They also have a pool and a wonderful restaurant on site.

Where to Eat

El Dorado Kitchen – Like I mentioned above the El Dorado Hotel has a great restaurant on site. El Dorado Kitchen was perfect for dinner and we loved the back patio area.

the girl and the fig – Definitely make a reservation for the girl and the fig for dinner while you’re in Sonoma. We enjoyed sitting outside and the food was really good.

Sonoma Market – Cory went to the Sonoma Market for a grab-and-go breakfast one morning. They had a yummy blueberry muffin and croissant here.

Sweet Pea Bake Shop – We got croissants at Sweet Pea Bake Shop the other morning we stayed in Sonoma. The croissants were amazing and would definitely go back.

Carneros Deli – For a great sandwich stop by Carneros Deli!

VJB Cellars– We stopped at VJB Cellars for lunch on our way from Sonoma to Napa. The paninis are amazing and the pizzas looked really good.

Wineries to Visit

Ram’s Gate Winery – The first winery we visited was Ram’s Gate Winery. This winery is STUNNING and the wine was really good. Ram’s Gate is perfect if you enjoy Pinot Noir or Chardonnay wine. We also ordered their charcuterie board which I would highly recommend.

Gundlach Bundschu – If you’re visiting with friends head to Gundlach Bundschu. We loved the relax and casual outdoor space, and the wine was great.

Napa

We made it to Napa! A few tips and tricks for wine tasting in Napa (and Sonoma). Make sure you have reservations! Almost all the wineries require reservations so plan ahead. I would suggest rising two wineries a day, and plan to spend 1-3 hours there. Some wineries also have charcuterie or food options if you’re interested. I would also suggest adding variety to the types of wineries you visit. For example doing a sparkling winery and then a winery that focuses on reds.

Where to Stay

Rancho Caymus Inn – We stayed at Rancho Caymus Inn in Rutherford for one night. We absolutely loved this hotel and the amenities. They have a pool and breakfast (which was amazing) was included. The room was also spacious and very comfortable. If we come back to Napa (which we definitely will) we would totally stay here again.

Carneros Resort and Spa – The last two nights we stayed at Carneros Resort and Spa which is located in-between Sonoma and Napa. This resort is STUNNING and offers so many amenities like multiple pools, restaurants, a spa and more. If you’re traveling with kids, girlfriends or celebrating something special with your significant other this is the place to stay. You almost don’t need to leave the resort and can just enjoy your time relaxing. We stayed in a Harvest Cottage and really enjoyed the outdoor space with an outdoor bathtub and shower and fire pit.

Where to Eat

Long Meadow Ranch – Our dinner at Long Meadow Ranch was probably our favorite in Napa. The farm-to-table menu was amazing and we loved everything we ordered. I would highly recommend making a reservation for dinner here.

RH Wine Vault – Cory and I love visiting Restoration Hardware when we travel to different cities. Yountville has the RH Wine Vault which was great for a relaxing afternoon snack and glass of wine.

Gott’s – Gott’s is a must if you’re visiting Napa! They have a few locations and we visited the location in St. Helena for lunch. This place is popular (but totally worth it) so be prepared to stand in line. The burgers, fries and milkshakes were delicious. They also offer pickup if you call ahead.

Bottega Napa Valley – If you love Italian food don’t miss Bottega Napa Valley. Make a reservation as it was very busy when we dined here. Food was fantastic and fun ambiance!

FARM at Carneros – We dined for dinner at FARM while we stayed at Carneros Resort. Our food was very good, but we had better dinners while we were in the area. If you’re staying at the resort this is a great spot for dinner or drinks, but I wouldn’t go out of your way to dine here.

Boon Fly Cafe – Boon Fly Cafe is also located at Carneros Resort. We LOVED our breakfast here and would highly recommend dining here. Get the donuts!

Oxbow Public Market – If you’re in Napa make sure you visit Oxbow Public Market for some fun dining and shopping. We enjoyed the Hog Island Oysters for an afternoon snack.

Bouchon Bakery – Obviously a visit to Bouchon Bakery is a must in Napa. We stopped in the bakery for some pastries and they were delicious! This is a popular spot so be prepared to wait in line.

Wineries to Visit

Duckhorn – Cory and I both enjoy Duckhorn wine so we loved visiting the winery in Napa. The property is gorgeous, and we really liked our tasting. If you’re a fan of Duckhorn wine I would definitely recommend visiting!

HALL Wines – We did a tour and tasting at HALL Wines in St. Helena and had a great time! It was fun taking a tour and learning more about the winery and the process of making the wine. I would recommend this winery if you want to take a tour!

Alpha Omega – Alpha Omega was by far our favorite winery that we visited. We actually joined the wine club we loved the wine that much. The winery is beautiful and the wine was fantastic. I would definitely recommend visiting Alpha Omega!

Stags’ Leap Winery – We loved the wine and the history of the property at Stags’ Leap Winery. Take a walk through the property and check out the speakeasy.