Things to do in Napa-Sonoma area

My family will be in the Napa-Sonoma-Calistoga area of California on
Sunday 9/28. It seems that virtually everything in that area caters to
the wine-drinking tourists. We don't drink and are wondering if there
are any attractions or activities in that area that we would be
interested in. Thanks for any suggestions.

In article ,
tenplay wrote:
My family will be in the Napa-Sonoma-Calistoga area of California on
Sunday 9/28. It seems that virtually everything in that area caters to
the wine-drinking tourists. We don't drink and are wondering if there
are any attractions or activities in that area that we would be
interested in. Thanks for any suggestions.

Calistoga has a geyser, and west of there (on the road to Santa
Rosa) is a petrified forest. There are also state parks in the area
where you can hike.

On Sep 11, 12:47*pm, tenplay wrote:
My family will be in the Napa-Sonoma-Calistoga area of California on
Sunday 9/28. *It seems that virtually everything in that area caters to
the wine-drinking tourists. *We don't drink and are wondering if there
are any attractions or activities in that area that we would be
interested in. *Thanks for any suggestions.

Not knowing what you would be interested in doing, still there are
plenty of other stuff to do. Lots of fine dining. Outdoors type
activities such as hiking and biking. Visiting the wineries
eventhough you don't drink. We don't drink either but always enjoy
the beautiful grounds of many of the wineries. Spas in Calistoga are
famous (hot springs, mud baths, etc.). There is always shopping.

tenplay wrote:
My family will be in the Napa-Sonoma-Calistoga area of California on
Sunday 9/28. It seems that virtually everything in that area caters to
the wine-drinking tourists. We don't drink and are wondering if there
are any attractions or activities in that area that we would be
interested in. Thanks for any suggestions.

Depends what you're interested in. Sonoma has the last California
Mission. Lots of parks in that area for hiking/biking. The wineries can
be interesting even to non-drinkers. The Diageo winery has an aerial
tramway that goes from the parking lot up to the winery, but it's not
free and not cheap.

"http://www.sterlingvineyards.com/en-row/VisitSterling/"

I think I'd spend the day in Sonoma and that area, and avoid Napa.

In article ,
tenplay wrote:
My family will be in the Napa-Sonoma-Calistoga area of California on
Sunday 9/28. It seems that virtually everything in that area caters to
the wine-drinking tourists. We don't drink and are wondering if there
are any attractions or activities in that area that we would be
interested in. Thanks for any suggestions.

I am in that area this weekend.

Lots of things.

Many expensive. Some requiring advanced reservations.

Aside from the afforementioned hiking, biking, geyser.

Eating.
COPIA is there. I just visited the market.
If you are into Michelin 3 Stars Thomas Keller's French Laundry (I've
never been, booked months in advance, etc.). Read or listen to what
Tony Bourdain writes or reads about the place (Cook's Tour).
Slightly cheaper and easier to get to is the CIA. I think I paid $75
each for a lunch there. And they teach classes and they have spooky
cooking stuff. And some classes are on TV. AKA Greystone.

Ballooning if you are willing to get up at 4 AM.

Mud baths.

And I don't drink wine either.
The process and the industry have a certain interest in their own right,
but then I've got friends who inherited an old wine empire (what a mess).

Flying over Napa is fun.

There's a Schatz Bakery (Erick's kids moved into N CA) in Calistoga.

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Like plants? Santa Rosa has the Luther Burbank Home and Gardens
(it's also possible to visit the farm up toward Sebastopol where he
did a lot of his work).
http://www.parks.sonoma.net/burbank.html
http://www.wschs-grf.pon.net/bef.htm

I don't know if Burbank ever worked on peanuts, but one of Santa
Rosa's other claims to fame certainly did:
http://www.schulzmuseum.org/

The Pacific Coast Air Museum has some aircraft and exhibits:
http://www.pacificcoastairmuseum.org

The drive up'n'over to Bodega Bay is one of those great sub-day
excursions if you like scenic drives.

All in all, plenty of choices even if you don't indulge in or
particularly care about wine... google away and enjoy your day!

In article ,
tenplay wrote:
My family will be in the Napa-Sonoma-Calistoga area of California on
Sunday 9/28. It seems that virtually everything in that area caters to
the wine-drinking tourists. We don't drink and are wondering if there

I was in that area this weekend.
....
Aside from the afforementioned hiking, biking, geyser.

COPIA is there. I just visited the market.

And I don't drink wine either.
The process and the industry have a certain interest in their own right,
but then I've got friends who inherited an old wine empire (what a mess).

It amazes me that people (middle and upper class) would pay $20 to go
amid a set of vines, snip grape bunches, and put them into a vat and
stomp their feet on them. Not the vines, bunches and stomping, that
they would PAY to do this. But then, gleening in a friend's vineyard
yesterday, the gringos who did this yesterday left a fair number of
chardonnay bunches. So maybe they should pay. ;^)

There's a Schatz Bakery (Erick's kids moved into N CA) in Calistoga.

The Calistoga Schatz is gone. That leaves 3 others in Ukiah (of which
I've only visited one of those).

I think I also left out the park in S. Sonoma with the little rail way
(which I've not had time to visit yet).


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