Kickin' it in Cali: My San Fran-Napa Valley Wine Country Getaway

Image: S. James

An unseasonably cool breeze whips through my rental car as I zoom up I-80 on my way from the San Francisco International Airport to The Meritage Resort & Spa in southern Napa Valley.

After a six-hour flight from New York City, the fresh air is a welcome reprieve. The one-hour drive, which features glimpses of The San Francisco Bay, grassy knolls and rugged mountainous terrain, goes by in a flash. And before I know it, I pull up to a palatial 158-room resort that looks like an estate plucked straight from a Tuscan painting. I can't wait to check in!

Image: Courtesy of The Meritage Resort & Spa

My superior king room is fit for, well, a king. It's spacious, comes equipped with a marble bathroom and a large terrace, which overlooks the pool and rolling hills of grapevines.

Image: Courtesy of The Meritage Resort & Spa

Image: S. James

Image: S. James

Acquainted with my surroundings, I decide to flick on the flat screen and slip into the fluffy California king bed for a quick nap. But alas, jet lag and an unexpected hail storm rock me to sleep and I'm in for the night.

I begin my first full day at the resort at Spa Terra, an opulent oasis located in the 22,000 square foot underground Estate Wine Cave. (Spa Terra is the only underground spa in the US.)

Image: S. James

I change into a plush robe and head over to the sitting room to sip on lemon water and flip through a tattered book of Tuscan art and architecture while I wait for my massage room to be prepared. The sitting room is quiet, save the waterfall cascading down the back wall.

 Men's Locker Room: S. James

My terra massage is everything and more. My masseuse, John, a New York native, works the cricks out of my neck, relieves the tension from my muscles and makes sure my joints are in working order during the stress relieving 50-minute rubdown. I cap off my spa day where I started: In the sitting room, except this time I trade the lemon water for a glass of champagne. Ah!

Stress free and hungry, I head downtown to Angele, a modern French bistro.

Image: S. James

I nosh on house made chicken boudin blanc, potato puree, broccoli rabe and caramelized apples.

Photo: S. James

With a full belly, I'm ready to do what everyone comes to Napa to do: Taste wine, of course!

Still reeling from my cavernous massage experience, I head back to the Estate Wine Cave to hit up Trinitas, a wine tasting room located across from Spa Terra. I indulge in a four wine and chocolate pairing flight that makes my taste buds swoon.

Image: S. James

Tipsy, but not totally wasted, I take a 5 minute walk over to Patz & Hall for round two. Their tasting salon is modern and comfortable. It feels like I'm popping by a friend's house for a glass of merlot.

Image: S. James

I try a flight of their single-vineyard chardonnays (they produce 14 pinots and 9 chardonnays) before stumbling back to my room to sleep off my booziness.

Sobered up and eager to venture out, I gas up the rental and head to San Francisco for a quick dinner at the Thai food chain eatery, Osha, and a late night stroll through SoMa and The Castro District before heading back to Napa.

Brunch is always a staple wherever I go. I hear good things about Dottie's and Mama's in San Francisco but when I get there, I'm met with long lines and an hour plus wait time. Huffy, hungry and frustrated, I head back to my car and spark up conversation with a local who gives me the lowdown on a coffee house just over The Golden Gate Bridge in Sausalito. I take heed and head over, but not before taking in the jaw-dropping views from The Golden Gate Bridge.

Image: S. James

Image: S. James

Image: S. James

Image: S. James

Sausalito is a quiet, picturesque waterfront community full of million dollar homes and die hard cyclists. Just across from the Richardson Bay sits The Lighthouse Cafe a.k.a. "the greatest little place in town." It's a teeny, tiny coffee house where the line cooks serve up huge helpings.

Image: S. James

I eat to my heart's content - and then some. I try the large banana pancakes. And when they say large, dammit they mean it!

Image: S. James

I wobble back to the car and venture 70 miles north to Calistoga to visit Chateau Montelena, a world class winery that's been in business since 1882 and put the Napa Valley wine country on the map when its 1973 chardonnay won the 1976 Paris tasting.

The well-kept grounds of the chateau are quiet and serene with stroll-worthy brick red bridges that provide trails over Jade Lake.

Photo: S. James

Inside, the chateau is bustling with happy tasters and great customer service.

Image: S. James

On what's a beautiful, sunny afternoon, I decide to take the long way back to the resort. I drive down Highway 29, the main drag back to town, where the majority of the wineries and vineyards call home.

Back at the resort, I unwind and kick it by the pool for a bit before dinner.

Dinner is at Siena, the resort's premier signature restaurant where the dishes are inspired by Tuscan ingredients and prepared with organically grown and raised meats and vegetables.

Image: Courtesy of Siena Restaurant 

Light chatter, classical music and the smell of fresh bread lingers in the air. It's a slow night at Siena so the service is both quick and impeccable. I dine on rainbow trout atop a bed of pasta with sauteed sweet grape tomatoes and a glass of chardonnay made from the grapes grown out back.

Image: S. James

It's still early, but so is my 6:00am flight back to New York City the next morning. I decide to call it a night.

I order a glass of wine to go and on the way back to my room, I crane my neck to peep the sunset from the porthole style windows that line the walls in the hallway.

I swirl the wine in my glass and give it a quick sniff as I stroll down the corridor. Wonderful!

I smile and sip slow, savoring the taste of northern California.

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Check out some of the wonderful places mentioned in this post:

Angele
Patz & Hall
The Lighthouse
The Meritage Resort & Spa