Beyond Tasting Wine in Napa and Sonoma

What can visitors do in Napa and Sonoma besides drink wine? The question looms large for the legendary San Francisco Bay Area wine regions as well as for other wine areas around the country as they face recent mounting challenges.

Gen Z, people ages between 21 and 28, consume less wine than previous generations partially because wine -- and wine tastings -- have increased in cost, and global tariffs aren't helping matters. The grapes might be grown on U.S. soil, but corks, barrels and other materials hail from different parts of the world. Then, in early 2025, the U.S. surgeon general once again sounded the alarm on the health risks of alcohol consumption, even in moderation.

Two quintessential Bay Area wine communities are addressing these issues by rewriting the rules of the wine-country getaway. Yountville, the glamorous culinary star situated in the heart of Napa Valley, and Sonoma Valley, with its parks, gardens, vineyards and historic sites located within a 17-mile stretch of sprawling Sonoma County, are leaning into broader, richer travel experiences. These encompass a range of activities and underscore the many beauties and benefits of the regions, including -- but not limited to -- their wonderful wines.

Yountville is a bit like entering a wine-country fairytale. No need for a car here. Just hit its pristine, flower-rimmed streets on foot. Everything is within easy walking distance -- a large, eclectic collection of public art, a range of beautifully maintained hotels no matter the price point, elevated retail and yes, access to balloon rides over the horizon, floating across the serene, elegant hills at dawn.

This is the town made famous by Thomas Keller, one of the most influential chefs ever to wield a cleaver. Dine at his three-Michelin-star French Laundry and catch a glimpse of the French Laundry vegetable garden across the street. Maybe get a taste of Keller through Ad Hoc + Addendum, his family style restaurant, or join the line outside his superb Bouchon Bakery -- definitely worth the wait.

Venturing beyond the Keller empire, walk down the block and grab a creative spin on the Italian beef sandwich and a glass of cabernet at The Kitchen at Priest Ranch, a casual place that serves their own wines. Cross the street to The Estate Yountville, a 22-acre complex anchored by the luxury Hotel Villagio, where you might pick up a "White Lotus" vibe around its pool.

Amble past the hotel fountains and through the brick courtyard to stop and linger over the Spaghetti ala Sophia Loren, cooked in tomato water, at Bottega Napa Valley, a full-menu Italian restaurant. Cross the street again for one of the beers (yes, beer) at Mad Fritz Taproom, brewed from local water sources and masterminded by Nile Zacherle's creative instincts.

Nearby Hestan Vineyards' tasting room showcases not only its award-winning wines at good prices but also its professional cookware line, used at the French Laundry and available to the public.

Yountville's sophistication is matched by its surprisingly friendly service and atmosphere, a quality everyone can value. It is as refined as Sonoma Valley is casually charming. Nonetheless, Sonoma Valley knows how to leverage the county's spaciousness, historical roots and the gifts of its spot on earth.

The iconic Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa sits atop a natural thermal spring, rich with 27 different minerals. These healing waters feed the hotel's five pools, including the 98-degree Watsu pool, where a trained practitioner moves you through the waters until every stress magically seems to disappear. The spa's famous Roman Bathhouse, with steam, sauna, mineral pools, hot tub and an optional spa ritual that ends with a bucket of cold water dumped on your head is included with any treatment. A reasonably priced day pass provides access to the Bathhouse facilities.

Under normal circumstances, Sonoma Botanical Gardens merits a visit simply because its 61 acres contain the largest collection of temperate-climate Asian plants in North America and Europe. But through Oct. 31 it also hosts "Winged Wonders," a fantastical sculpture installation of 12 giant bamboo birds so large that adults and children can walk within them.

For history, the picturesque Sonoma Plaza, which resembles the town square in "Back to the Future," boasts buildings from the California Gold Rush days. The renovated Bartholomew Estate Winery is housed in a mission-style building from 1922. Although now known for its beautiful grounds so large that horseback-riding rims its periphery, this winery was once the site of various historical shenanigans. Laurel Glen, which pours its cabernet from grapes planted in the 1960s, sits in the heart of Glen Ellen, where author and adventurer Jack London lived for 11 years.

For Sonoma beauty with a twist, Coursey Graves Estate merges sweeping views of Bennett Valley alongside French impressionist-styled life-size tableaus on its lake. Another way to see beautiful Sonoma Valley vistas and learn its history is with PushPak. This team of brothers conducts tours on trikes, venturing into private vineyards, botanical gardens and past historical houses. They offer wellness tours as well as traditional wine-tasting tours and a treasure-trove of Sonoma Valley historical knowledge.

As for dining, Sonoma has many options, but a new standout is the Valley Swim Club that opens for lunch. There's not a drop of water in sight, but the menu draws inspiration from East Coast seafood shacks. True to its Sonoma Valley location, it boasts farm-to-table ingredients and attention to flavor details and freshness.

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WHEN YOU GO

yountville.com

nvaloft.com

thomaskeller.com

theestateyountville.com

botteganapavalley.com

www.madfritz.com

yountville.civicplus.com/238/Art-Walk

sonomavalley.com

sonomabg.org

pushpakmotors.net

fairmont.com/en/hotels/sonoma/fairmont-sonoma-mission-inn-spa.html

www.courseygraves.com

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Divina Infusino is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.