It’s easy to turn coastal waters into flowing wine when you drive just a mere hour northwest of the San Francisco Bay. As one of the most renowned wine destinations globally, Napa Valley is a must for any connoisseur or even casual indulger who finds themselves in Northern California. Unfortunately, with prestige comes a price. Those looking to spend a weekend in Napa are likely going to be looking at numbers in the quadruple digits. Of course, when touring any wineries, you want to ensure safe, sober transportation to and from your stops. While those who can afford it may hire private drivers or even jump on the luxurious Napa Valley Wine Train – no doubt worth it to those with deeper pockets – if you’re on a budget (like moi), you can still enjoy this beautiful region without one of your friends having to sit out on the fun to act as DD. Keep reading to discover two alternative ways to explore California’s premier wine country on a budget!
Take A Tour that Leaves Out Of San Francisco
One way to experience Northern California’s wine country is through a guided tour leaving out of San Francisco. While there are tours that leave directly out of Napa Valley and are therefore closer to the wineries, you’ll have more budget-friendly lodging options in San Francisco. When perusing GetYourGuide and Viator, make sure you are looking at tours that include the price of the tastings. As always with tours, I recommend a small group tour over a large group or a private one. You’ll get an attentive experience and the opportunity to make new friends along the way.
From San Francisco: Muir Woods Wine Tour with Napa & Sonoma
In April of 2021, my mother and I took THIS TOUR out of San Francisco and had an amazing time. Our guide was fun, even passing us the aux, and the people we were with all came together, dancing to music and shouting out song recommendations by the end of the trip. The tour collects and drops everyone back off at their respective hotels, which was convenient even if it added a little time to the day.
John Muir Woods
One of the reasons we opted for this particular tour was that its add-ons – stops at John Muir Woods and The Golden Gate Bridge – helped us make the most of our time on just a two-day trip to San Francisco. The $15 entrance fee to John Muir Woods was not included in our tour price but was well worth the money. Starting the day by walking through the iconic redwoods was otherworldly. The tour company clearly thought this through, knowing that we would want to be sober for this experience and that maybe – just maybe – drinking wine at 9 am was a little early. We did the main loop via the second bridge, which took just thirty minutes. This trail follows a gentle stream, crosses small, picturesque bridges and, of course, allows you to enjoy the towering redwoods. The oldest trees in this forest are 1,200 years old, making them older than Genghis Khan and relatively young for redwoods.
The Wineries
On our tour, we visited Kieu Hoang, Muscardini, and Mayo Family Winery. The visits were predominantly tastings, meaning you shouldn’t anticipate extensive tours of the facilities themselves. At Kieu Hoang, we were allowed to walk through the vineyard and snag some memorable photos as they told us about the grape growing process. At Muscardini, we enjoyed our wine and discussion of flavors on their comfortable patio. At Mayo Family Winery, we were told of the barreling process within their storehouse. Each location provided several succulent pours. We were thoroughly impressed with the wineries the tour company chose for us. As Kieu Hoang Winery is now permanently closed, you can expect this tour will visit different wineries they currently have agreements with, but you can trust you’ll be sipping on deliciously smooth wine.
Lunch in Sonoma
Midway through the day, our tour stopped in beautiful downtown Sonoma for a lunch break. While you could disperse and eat wherever looked good to you (lunch is out of pocket), Mary’s Pizza Shack was a popular choice for our party, and several groups from the tour shared nearby tables. Knowing we were on limited time, the staff hurried to make our orders without skimping on the deliciousness. Of course, we paired these alcohol-absorbing pies with more alcohol from their local wine list. If you’re not in the mood for pizza, there are plenty of other options right in the historic main square. Adjacent to Mary’s Pizza Shack is the Sonoma State Historic Park. Though you won’t have time to fully explore, try taking a couple of minutes on your way back to the bus to walk around the buildings and read the placard on the history of the 1823 Franciscan mission and the birth of the town.
The Golden Gate Bridge
Our tour included a stop at the Golden Gate Bridge, an iconic staple you can’t miss seeing on any trip to the Bay area. Early morning fog means this stop happens upon the tour’s return. The only unfortunate side of this was that we were a bit boozed up for the stop, but it was still amazing and helped us make the most of our short time in San Francisco. We had a few minutes to enjoy the view and take pictures (you don’t need much more than this), before returning to the bus for our hotel drop-offs.
Staying In Napa Valley
For our second budget-friendly option, we’ll explore staying in Napa Valley. While Napa is the most famous town in Napa Valley, there are six towns in total — Napa, Yountville, St. Helena, Calistoga, Angwin, and American Canyon — that travelers can visit to enjoy the region’s hundreds of wineries. You can’t go wrong with whichever town you choose to explore. Our decision was easy because the two top wineries my friend/travel companion and I wanted to go to were located in Calistoga. Staying in Napa Valley can be expensive, but it can also help you make the most of your time. Visiting off-peak to secure cheaper accommodation and making use of public transportation can help keep your budget on track while you enjoy peak California luxury.
The Calistoga Wine Shuttle
What sealed the deal for my friend and me on Calistoga was their wine shuttle (though some other towns also have shuttles — find routes HERE). The Calistoga Shuttle via Vine Transit is an on-demand shuttle service that costs only $1 per person, per ride (exact change required). This is where you can really save and make this trip possible, as ride-share apps are not popular in the region and private car hires are expensive. You’ll call (707) 963-4229, give them your pick-up location, and let them know where you would like to be dropped off. The wait time is approximately 15–30 minutes so you’ll want to plan your tastings accordingly. Rides are subject to availability. If it is a busy time of year, you may be waiting as they drop off and pick up other visitors, but we never waited long and were always the only ones aboard the shuttle. Visiting in November (Napa’s off-season), we enjoyed the lack of crowds and festive fall foliage as our friendly drivers provided us with a safe way to sip across the town. Check their website for current hours and service areas.
Oxbow Public Market and Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company
As Calistoga is located at the tip of Napa Valley, you’ll likely drive through the other towns to get there (maybe even inspiring a future trip). If you left out of San Francisco early that morning you’ll surely be hungry by the time you are passing through the city of Napa. Lucky for you, Napa is home to Oxbow Public Market, a food hall and shopping center full of unique vendor stalls. This is a beautiful place to start your time in the Valley, stocking up on souvenirs and lining your stomach with good food in preparation for the wine to come. For this, we suggest the hearty bagel sandwiches from Loveski’s Deli. As you’ve officially entered premier wine country, you can expect prices will reflect that so don’t feel bad about just stopping at the market to meander before grabbing some grub from a grocery store. To see a bit more of town, and to get caffeine to fuel you through your tastings, head to Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company. You’ll have plenty of traditional and specialty options, my recommendation being the Snickerdoodle latte.
Castello Di Amorosa Winery
Saving plenty of money on transportation, you can use your extra cash to go to more luxurious wineries. Top of the list, and probably the most beautiful in all of Napa Valley, should be Castello di Amorosa Winery. Castello di Amorosa Winery transports you out of California to a Tuscan castle halfway across the world. To enter the property, you’ll need to have a wine-tasting reservation. We opted for the cheapest tasting option, a $50 five-wine standing reserve tasting that allows you to explore the castle grounds at your leisure. The wine was delicious, but the grounds were the highlight here. We loved walking along the castle walls, through the muraled rooms and stone passageways, and amongst the vines outside where we were greeted by the resident goats as well as other farm animals.
Château Montelena
Just on the other side of town, you’ll once again feel like you were transported to Europe, but this time to a Parisian château. Tastings at Château Montelena are by appointment only and start at $60. We loved the communal feel of being grouped with others as we learned and chatted about the various wines, and boy do they know how to do wine here! Instead of trying to force consistency, they work with the strengths of each specific year’s climate. While you won’t be exploring the inside of the château, there are gardens featuring a pond and an Asian-inspired gazebo on the grounds to amble through and prolong your relaxation. And of course, grab some photos out front to act as the perfect souvenir.
Calistoga and the Calistoga Inn
The bus can drop you off at Calistoga Inn, Restaurant and Brewery, where we stayed for the night. Choose Calistoga Inn for its competitive price and convenient location, and stay for the quaint, quiet, and comfortable accommodations. Be aware when booking that not all rooms come with a private bathroom, but the facilities down the hall are large and we never once bumped into other guests. The onsite restaurant and brewery — complete with fire pits — were beautiful and smelled delicious, but we opted to walk to the nearby, and budget-friendly, Hyrdo Grill. After dinner, amble through any cute boutiques in town still open (most close at 5 pm) before returning to Calistoga Inn for the night. Before your morning departure, enjoy lattes and pastries from Bella Bakery.
If you have additional time and funds, consider staying an extra day to continue exploring the immaculate and unique wineries of Calistoga, including Tank Garage Winery (in town inside of a preserved and renovated 1930s gas station), Davis Estates (beautiful yet cozy decor, almost resembles an impressive ski chalet), and Hourglass Winery (enjoy a tasting underground), Sterling Winery (futurist design and impeccable views), just to name a few. Just double-check before booking that your chosen wineries fall into the Calistoga shuttles zone — be safe and have fun!
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