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Day 1 San Francisco
Meet at the Radisson Hotel San Francisco Airport at
9:00 a.m. After introducing ourselves, we’ll head
north across the Golden Gate Bridge to the gentle
countryside of Napa and Sonoma Counties. Our first
stop is just east of the town of Napa at Seguin
Moreau Cooperage where the centuries-old art of
coopering, or barrel making, will be explained to
us. Winemakers have long known the importance that
wood, especially oak, plays in the making of a
superior wine. It’s a unique opportunity we know
you’ll enjoy. After a hearty lunch, we’ll travel a
short distance to Skyline Wilderness Park for a walk
to Lake Marie and the Buckeye ridge trail. Enjoy
hilltops of old-growth oak, sunny meadows and groves
of buckeye, madrone, bay laurel and alder. Most
likely, you’ll also be enchanted by sightings of
deer and wild turkey. 4 miles and 681 feet elev.
gain. Before heading to our lodging, we’ll stop at
several of the area wineries for samplings of the
area’s best reserve collections. (L, D = Lunch
and Dinner are included)
Day
2 Bothe-Napa State Park & Niebaum-Coppola Winery
A hearty deluxe continental breakfast prepares us for
today’s delightful walk in Bothe-Napa State Park, only a
short drive from our lodging. Historically, this area
is the former home of the Mutistul Wappo tribe who
inhabited the area intermittently before 1856 and
gathered plants for food, medicine, ceremony and
basket-making. Our route to the summit of Coyote Peak
follows a small stream for much of the way and takes us
through magnificent groves of redwood and Douglas fir,
oak, redbud and elderberry. 5-mile loop and 600 feet
elev. gain. After our walk, we’ll enjoy a sumptuous
picnic lunch before heading to our afternoon wine
tasting at the Niebaum-Coppola Winery, owned by the
famous filmmaker, Francis Ford Coppola. Formerly the
Inglenook Winery, the wines are superb and the tour of
the grounds excellent. (B, L)
Day
3 Dry Creek Vineyards, Michel-Schlumberger Vineyard,
Lou Preston’s Vineyards & L ake
Sonoma
Bordering Napa are Alexander and Dry Creek Valleys, both
noted for their quality vintages
and
idyllic settings. Our first stop is at
Dry Creek Vineyards for a tour of their estate and an
introduction to the winemaking history in this area,
including stories about the effects Prohibition had on
operations. You’ll have to pace yourself this morning,
since our walk today follows our several tasting stops.
We’ll also visit the Michel-Schlumberger Vineyard for a
tour and a special tasting of some exquisite wines,
including Ward’s favorite, the 1997 Reserve Cabernet.
Absolutely wonderful! A stop for some fresh baked bread
and lunch at Lou Preston’s Vineyards rounds out our
morning of tasting. Our walk today takes us high above
the shores of Lake Sonoma, and meanders gently through
open forest and meadow. We’ll have excellent views of
Lake Sonoma and plenty of time to savor the pastoral
scenery and quiet mood of the hardwood forest. Several
small streams cross our trail and provide good watering
sources for the native wildlife.
(B,
L, D)
Day
4 Korbel Winery and Champagne Cellars, Goat Rocks
State Park & Armstrong Woods State Preserve
We begin our day with an exquisite breakfast
buffet that includes, among other delicacies, fresh
squeezed juices, warm croissants, quiche, fresh fruit
and the chef’s daily special. Our journey for the day
begins with a short stop at the Korbel Winery and
Champagne Cellars for a unique tasting opportunity and
then it’s off to Goat Rocks State Park on the Sonoma
Coast for a walk along scenic bluffs overlooking the
Pacific. Our grassy trail follows the contours of the
coastal ridge and is bordered by a variety of colorful
wildflowers. Before heading back, we’ll stop for a walk
through Armstrong Woods State Preserve, a magnificent
ancient forest with towering redwoods reaching heights
of over 300 feet and diameters of over 14 feet. Cool,
shady and quiet, we think you’ll find this experience a
very special one. (B, L, D)
Day 5
Glen Ellen and the Valley of the Moon,
Jack London State Park, Benziger’s Winery & The Olive
Press in Glen Ellen
We’ve explored the Napa, Dry Creek and Alexander Valley
vineyards. Now it’s time to head south to Glen Ellen and
the Valley of the Moon and the many distinct vineyards
of Sonoma. Jack London State Park is the site of our
walk today as we visit Wolf House ruins, Jack London’s
dream mansion which, unfortunately, burned to the ground
before he had a chance to enjoy it. Our trails take us
through groves of redwood, vineyards and through various
historical sites on the former London property.
Afterwards, we’ll enjoy a tasting and vineyard tour at
Benziger’s Winery where we highly recommend the 1999
Sauvignon Blanc, the 1998 Reserve Merlot, and the 1998
Reserve Cabernet. You might also want to try their
“biodynamic” 1998 Wadensvil Pinot Noir. So many great
wines to taste! To top it off, we’ll make a short stop
at The Olive Press in Glen Ellen for a tour of their
custom pressing operation as well as a sampling of their
various oils. Their location allows the area’s freshly
picked olives to be brought to press within one day of
harvest.
(B,
L, D)
Day
6 Viansa Winery & San Francisco
Another wonderful breakfast gets us ready for our
morning exploration of the Viansa Winery. Viansa, owned
by members of the Sebastiani family, is noted not only
for its premium wines but for its dedication to wetlands
protection. We’ll enjoy a walk through the Sebastiani
family’s 95-acre wetland before heading back for a final
tasting delight. Lunch is on your own in the historical
square in Sonoma before we head to San Francisco for
flights home. Return to San Francisco by 4 p.m. (B)
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Tour Rating:
Walker – Walks cover 4 – 7 miles per day on
unpaved, but well defined trails that are generally
gentle to moderately rolling.
If you have limited
hiking experience, this destination is a good choice for
you.
Walking The World® Guide
Local Guide
5 nights lodging (double occupancy)
All ground transportation while on tour
All meals except two lunches (L) and one dinner (D)
Wine Tasting as scheduled
All admission fees to scheduled stops
Olive Oil Press visit
Cooperage visit
Walking The World® T-shirt or hat
Unique and original Journal of your trip
Loads of good fun, humor, and companionship
Comments From our
2003 Guest:
"Jay, our guide, had a wealth of knowledge about the
area, the wine, etc." Pat D. TX.
"Both Inns were were beautiful and the staff
accommodating. Excellent choices." Faye K., Calgary
"The food was too much and too good!" Linda L., TX.
APPLY FOR TRIP NOW!
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