| We've often described the Northern California Wine | | | | of each other along Route 12, the main road in the |
| Country as a 'Disneyland for Adults', but that doesn't | | | | Valley. Hint: Bring a soccer ball or a Frisbee. There are |
| mean you have to leave the children behind. For many | | | | some great lawns in the Valley of the Moon. |
| people, visiting wineries is only one day of their trip to | | | | Visiting Napa with Children |
| San Francisco. After all, with all of the attractions it has | | | | Napa is a great place to visit because everything is |
| to offer, the Bay Area is a great destination for the | | | | close together. The whole valley is only thirty miles long |
| whole family. A daytrip to the scenic counties of | | | | by five miles wide, and while there are other wineries |
| Sonoma and Napa provides an opportunity to enjoy a | | | | tucked up in the hills, the variety of wineries that are |
| relaxed pace with stunning views, wonderful tours and | | | | easy to reach is wonderful. However, it is not as |
| interesting wineries. The wineries and their gift shops | | | | agriculturally varied as Sonoma. Napa is another half |
| are admittedly more interesting to the adults than the | | | | hour farther from the Golden Gate Bridge, but the ride |
| kids, but they will still enjoy the trip because it is, after | | | | brings you through the beautiful Carneros district with |
| all, farm country, and what kid doesn't enjoy that? | | | | its vineyard covered rolling hills that have a distinctly |
| Sonoma especially takes great pride in their agricultural | | | | Tuscan feeling. Napa is closer to San Francisco via the |
| diversity, so as you travel around you're going to see a | | | | less scenic Bay Bridge. |
| wide variety of plantings, orchards and livestock in | | | | Napa has a bit more of a city style than its country |
| between the vineyards. | | | | cousin Sonoma, but there are several places that |
| We're seeing increasing numbers of children in Wine | | | | children will especially enjoy. Everyone enjoys |
| Country. While it is still a relatively small number, | | | | spectacular architecture and great views, something at |
| parents are finding ways to make it work. The secret | | | | which Napa excels. A classic example of this is the |
| to having a great time together in Sonoma and Napa is | | | | Artesa Winery, with its hilltop site overlooking Carneros |
| to realize that while many wineries are not suitable or | | | | and the Bay. Artesa is close to San Francisco and |
| enjoyable for children, there are many others that are. | | | | despite not being built with children in mind, the feeling is |
| Sonoma and Napa have over seven hundred wineries, | | | | relaxed enough and the variety of places to explore |
| of which about half can be visited easily so there are | | | | extensive enough that everyone in the family will be |
| plenty to choose from, as well as many other family | | | | charmed. They even have an elevator for those with |
| attractions. | | | | strollers. |
| One of the most kid friendly and adult enjoyable | | | | Just to the north in Yountville is Domaine Chandon, one |
| destinations is the Plaza in downtown Sonoma. If | | | | of Napa's original makers of sparkling wine. This is a |
| you're coming from San Francisco over the Golden | | | | favorite for groups and people with children because |
| Gate Bridge you'll be at this historic and charming place | | | | the grounds are gracious and accommodating, with |
| in a little over half an hour. This is the 'Philadelphia of | | | | lawns, ponds and wildlife. Up on the patio, they offer |
| California', because it is the place where the Republic | | | | snacks along with their elegant sparkling wines and the |
| of California declared its independence from Mexico. | | | | tables make it easier to keep everyone together. The |
| It is helpful to know that there are the counties of | | | | springtime tadpole explosion in the ponds will keep any |
| Sonoma and Napa, and the cities of Sonoma and | | | | child entertained. |
| Napa. | | | | One of the most enjoyable family wineries is Francis |
| Even though Sonoma is a small city of about nine | | | | Ford Coppola's Rubicon in Rutherford, about half way |
| thousand people, it is big on history. It is the only city in | | | | up the Napa Valley on Highway 29 (St. Helena |
| California that enjoys all three of these distinctions; it | | | | Highway). He took the historic Neibaum/Inglenook |
| was an official Pueblo, or city under Mexico, it was a | | | | building and surrounded it with gardens that have all of |
| Franciscan Mission (the twenty-first and final), and it | | | | the graciousness of a southern Italian villa. The exhibits |
| was the military headquarters for the entire West | | | | and old barrel rooms upstairs are enough to entertain |
| Coast under both Mexico and the United States. | | | | most children. During the summer they provide model |
| Around the Plaza, which is the largest in California, | | | | sailboats to send gliding on the fountain pool in front of |
| there are numerous historic sites as well as nice | | | | the building. There is a small café, with outdoor |
| restaurants and shops. In the Plaza there are great | | | | seating, a great gift shop and of course some |
| picnic tables near the playgrounds and the newly | | | | wonderful wines. |
| restored duck pond. | | | | Just to the north is the V. Sattui Winery which in this |
| The tourist bureau sits on the Plaza in an old Carnegie | | | | context is most valuable for their great deli offerings |
| Library building and it can provide additional information | | | | and large picnic area. Napa does not have a lot of |
| for a great day with kids. A unique attraction called | | | | picnic areas. On a Saturday in season it can get busy, |
| Train Town is just two minutes back down Broadway, | | | | but finding food, wine and picnic tables all together |
| the road that led you to the Plaza. This is a small | | | | certainly makes the logistics of blending wineries with |
| old-style amusement park suitable for young children | | | | children much easier. The wineries have dramatically |
| up to approximately age ten. There is a small train to | | | | more traffic on Saturdays than Sundays. |
| ride and a traditional merry-go-round and it harkens | | | | The Wilds of Calistoga |
| back to a time before special effects were digital. | | | | For the San Francisco-based traveler, unfortunately, |
| There is even a petting zoo. | | | | two of the most interesting wineries for children are all |
| Around the Plaza are several winery tasting rooms | | | | the way at the northern part of the valley, just south |
| where you can taste some excellent wines without | | | | of the 'old west' style town of Calistoga, which is a |
| spending all day getting there. Then you can nip back | | | | great, kid-friendly place to visit onto itself. These two |
| to the playground before moving on to the next | | | | wineries are not suitable for infants in strollers, but for |
| winery. Five minutes from the Plaza is one of the | | | | children eight years and older they are a fun |
| Sonoma originals, the Sebastiani Family Winery, with | | | | experience. First is Sterling Vineyards, famous for its |
| their great old barrel room, one of Sonoma's best gift | | | | aerial tramway that carries visitors to its hilltop winery. |
| shops and some very nice wines for you to sample. | | | | Many years ago it was the first large winery to |
| They also offer a trolley tour of Sonoma that explains | | | | charge for their tastings. The price includes the tram |
| about its wonderful history. Just to the south of town is | | | | ride. Between the tram, the gift shop and the tasting |
| the Larson Family Winery, on the old Sonoma Rodeo | | | | you need to allow an hour and a half to enjoy the |
| site. This was where the champion race horse | | | | place. Get there early to avoid the lines. |
| Seabiscuit stabled overnight when he was racing on | | | | Just across Highway 29 is one of the newest, large |
| the West Coast. It has a farm-like setting with llamas | | | | wineries in Napa, although it was built to look old. The |
| and sheep. Horse rides through the vineyards can | | | | Castello di Amorosa is built like an authentic castle, |
| arranged in advance, bocce courts and picnic areas | | | | from real stone and hand wrought iron. The vision, the |
| round out the experience. | | | | forty million dollars and thirteen years it took to build |
| From the Plaza you can head north on Route 12 up | | | | produced a remarkable place. Children are restricted to |
| the Valley of the Moon, a scenic route. Voted | | | | the early morning tours so you should check their |
| Sonoma's best tour, the Benziger Family Winery in | | | | website for the schedule. The tour with tasting takes |
| Glen Ellen offers a wonderful mix of agriculture, | | | | about two hours. The admission for Rubicon, Sterling |
| education and fine wine. Their vineyards are tucked in | | | | and Castello di Amorosa all range between $20 and |
| a pretty little valley on Sonoma Mountain just down the | | | | $25, although they offer discounts for children and |
| road from Jack London's old ranch, now a park. | | | | young adults. |
| Their tour, aboard a tram attached to the back of a | | | | Napa gets hot in the summer, but very dry, so there |
| tractor, winds its way up into the vineyards where | | | | are very few flying bugs. During the Winter it gets |
| they explain the biodynamic approach to agriculture, a | | | | rainy, but not very cold. Both Spring and Fall are |
| remarkable system that is increasingly popular with | | | | gorgeous, and harvest time, from late August through |
| many high-end wineries. Next you visit the barrel caves | | | | mid-November, is a very busy, exciting time in Wine |
| and finish up in the winery for a tasting. Admittedly | | | | Country. |
| wineries are about adult enjoyment, but there are | | | | Small, private wineries are often at people's homes, so |
| often children on the Benziger tour and they always | | | | for the collector, traveling with children, you should ask |
| seem to enjoy themselves. | | | | your potential hosts if children are welcomed. If you |
| Please don't make the mistake of bringing children to | | | | want to get to the smaller wineries with children, |
| trendy wineries where they have nothing of interest | | | | consider hiring a guide with a car or SUV (avoid limos |
| for kids. They will spend the hour while you are tasting | | | | due to the need to sit sideways or backwards which |
| wine bored with nothing to do. The wineries that are | | | | increases the possibility of carsickness). While there |
| kid friendly have made a big effort to be so. At both | | | | are limo services in San Francisco, many of the |
| the Sonoma Plaza and Benziger you'll find good picnic | | | | experts live in Wine Country but they pick up clients in |
| tables, so pick up some sandwiches either at the Plaza | | | | the city. Hiring a driver greatly reduces the stress and |
| or at the Glen Ellen Market. | | | | increases the enjoyment. Explain that you have |
| Many of the wineries in the Valley of the Moon are kid | | | | children and ask them for a guide that is comfortable |
| friendly as long as you have an adult willing to keep an | | | | with that. Some guides are parents and actually like |
| eye on them. The grounds are gracious and park-like | | | | children. For them it's something different and in fact |
| allowing for a little outdoor enjoyment in beautiful | | | | we remember every tour we've ever done with kids. |
| surroundings. Some of those that come to mind are | | | | Touring with children is educational and a lot of fun, as |
| B.R. Cohn, Imagery, Landmark and St. Francis. Chateau | | | | long as you go to wineries that they'll find interesting |
| St. Jean and Ledson Winery both have deli markets | | | | too. So enjoy your day with the kids in Wine Country. |
| and picnic tables on site. They are all within five miles | | | | |