Looking for an excuse to get out of town? It’s time to head to Santa Rosa, Alexander Valley, and Bolinas for any of these three daytrip experiences that are all about wine, food, and yoga.
Depart from the typical tasting room experience and check out the stunning grounds of this Alexander Valley winery in their new Estate Tour & Tasting. For three hours, you’ll get carted around in a luxury van to various scenic locations on the property, with specially prepared food and wine pairings along the way (featuring ingredients grown on site, including their olive oil); there are three stops total. You’ll also learn a lot about the trees, plants, birds, and animals—oh yes, and you get a closer look at the vines as well. Get your camera ready—the view from the glass pavilion has quite the view. $120 per person, and reservations are available from mid-April through mid-November.
Looking for something a little off the beaten path? This Sonoma Valley winery has some unexpected breathtaking views (our current fall weather and “color” make it a perfect time to go), a comfortable tasting room, and best of all is their destination-worthy wine and food pairing, a total steal for $45. You’ll enjoy six well-paired courses with a guided wine tasting (the winery is certified sustainable—I ended up bringing home bottles of their chardonnay and claret). Chef David Bush really pulls out all the stops, with seasonally inspired dishes sporting fun flavors too (including Korean-style fried chicken). And that view! Be sure to make a reservation for a seating ahead of time.
If you love yoga, food, and nature, one of these day trips will be right up your alley. Wild Soul puts together farm-to-table lunches—often on a farm in Bolinas—with guest chefs (a recent event featured Charlie Hallowell of Pizzaiolo), the potential appearance of musicians, plus a farm tour, and a yoga class. Oooh, so earthy. You can just go for lunch, but the yoga class will help you build up your appetite (and put you in a mellow and happy frame of mind). The events draw a friendly crowd, and an upcoming event will even include sailing. Costs range from $65–$115.
Marcia Gagliardi is the founder of the weekly tablehopper e-column; subscribe and get more food news and gossip at tablehopper.com. Follow her on Twitter: @tablehopper.
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