• What is Northern California known for?
    • Northern California is world-famous for its incredible wineries, spectacular scenery, and fabulous hotels.
  • Why is Sonoma Valley a popular weekend getaway?
    • Sonoma Valley is just a one-hour drive from San Francisco, making it a popular weekend escape from the city.
  • What does Napa Valley offer visitors?
    • Napa Valley, located just north of Sonoma, is a beautiful weekend destination offering vacationers a choice of wineries, delicious food, and relaxing spas.
  • Where are the best places to stay in Northern California’s wine country?
    • Our list includes the best places to stay in St. Helena, Yountville, Healdsburg, and other charming towns.

Sip, Spa, and Savor at the Lavish Meritage Resort and Spa

Sip, Spa, and Savor at the Lavish Meritage Resort and Spa

© Meritage Resort and Spa

The Meritage Resort and Spa is a Tuscan-inspired wine country getaway with 467 rooms, suites and vacation rental rooms. Guest rooms have high ceilings, luxurious bathrooms and plush beds.

Ask for a room with a balcony overlooking the vineyard so that you can enjoy a delicious breakfast with a view. Spa Terra at the Meritage Resort is a unique 22,000-square-foot spa located in the Estate Cave 40 feet underground. The spa is the ultimate hideaway for couples with its 12 treatment rooms, lounges, whirlpools and water walls, all underground. Siena Restaurant has a beautiful outdoor patio and an indoor dining room with murals depicting the Palio di Siena horse race.

875 Bordeaux Way, Napa, California 94558, Phone: 844-283-4588

If You Crave Rustic Luxury with a Culinary Twist, Stay at the Farmhouse Inn

If You Crave Rustic Luxury with a Culinary Twist, Stay at the Farmhouse Inn

© Farmhouse Inn

Farmhouse Inn is a luxury California bed and breakfast in Sonoma's Russian River Valley wine growing region. Tour a famous winery on your weekend getaway, hike along farm trails, visit the Armstrong Woods State Reserve to admire giant redwood trees, or take a scenic drive down the coast.

Other activities include canoeing along the Russian River, shopping, ballooning and biking.

Schedule an appointment at the Spa at Farmhouse and sample treatments that incorporate herbal and all natural spa products. If you are planning a romantic trip, a side-by-side massage for couples can be arranged.

The 25 luxury guest rooms and suites at Farmhouse Inn are individually decorated, some with wood burning fireplaces, private saunas, and double jetted tubs. The restaurant has a focus on organic and sustainably farmed fruits and vegetables and is therefore able to create intensely flavored dishes. All of the ingredients are literally gathered from farms on the same road. The area surrounding the property has some amazing scenery which makes the drive all the more special. If you decide to fly, the Sonoma County Airport is not far from the hotel.

7871 River Road, Forestville, California 95436, Phone: 800-464-6642, Video

Relax in Wine Country Sophistication at Hotel Healdsburg

Relax in Wine Country Sophistication at Hotel Healdsburg

© Hotel Healdsburg

Hotel Healdsburg is a stylish getaway in downtown Healdsburg, featuring gourmet dining, a spa, outdoor pool and 55 elegant accommodations. Explore Healdsburg with one of the complimentary custom bikes offered by the hotel.

Charlie Palmer's Dry Creek Kitchen at Hotel Healdsburg serves seasonal wine country-inspired cousine paired with award-winning wines. Pizzando is an Italian eatery offering great pizzas, vegetables and meats. Guests receive a complimentary breakfast in the morning.

25 Matheson Street, Healdsburg, California 95448, Phone: 707-431-2800

Dine and Unwind in Downtown Sonoma at El Dorado Hotel and Kitchen

Dine and Unwind in Downtown Sonoma at El Dorado Hotel and Kitchen

© El Dorado Hotel and Kitchen

El Dorado Hotel and Kitchen on the Sonoma Square offers a central location for exploring Sonoma Valley. The hotel has a solar heated swimming pool with plush cabanas, open from May to October.

The 27 stylish guest rooms feature complimentary WiFi, iHOME iPod clocks, reusable water bottles and Certified Organic personal care products from EO. El Dorado Kitchen serves fantastic seasonal dishes with ingredients from local Sonoma farms.

The outdoor courtyard lets you enjoy the surrounding beauty of California's Wine Country, while indoors you can admire all the work that goes on in the open kitchen.

405 First Street West, Sonoma, California 95476, Phone: 707·996·3030

If You Want Boutique Style and Vineyard Vibes, Book North Block Hotel

If You Want Boutique Style and Vineyard Vibes, Book North Block Hotel

© North Block Hotel

North Block Hotel in Yountville has 20 chic guest rooms with a patio or balcony, luxurious soaking tubs and glass showers. Ask for a room with a fireplace if you are planning a romantic getaway to Napa Valley.

The Francis & Alexander Spa at North Block offers a diverse menu of treatments such as facials, massages and body wraps.

Dine at Redd Wood, a stylish Italian restaurant at North Block, serving delicious wood-fired pizzas, pastas and perfectly roasted meats. The outdoor patio is especially romantic, surrounded by citrus trees and Napa Valley views.

6757 Washington Street, Yountville, California 94559, Phone: 707-944-8080

Escape to European-Inspired Tranquility at Kenwood Inn

Escape to European-Inspired Tranquility at Kenwood Inn

© Kenwood Inn

Kenwood Inn and Spa is a Mediterranean-inspired getaway in Sonoma wine country. The inn has 29 guest rooms and four luxury suites, furnished with custom-made furniture from Italy.

Gas fireplaces and unique art work create a romantic atmosphere. Ask for one of the rooms on the second floor to enjoy the best views of Sonoma.

Kenwood Inn has two heated saline pools, a whirlpool and a spa offering treatments from Caudalie, utilizing vine and grape seed extracts. The spa has four massage rooms, a facial room, Wine Bath with vineyard views, a fireplace lounge and a terrace overlooking the pool. The Restaurant at Kenwood Inn serves Italian dishes using fresh ingredients from local farms and the hotel's garden.

10400 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood, California 95452, Phone: 800-353-6966

Indulge in Secluded Elegance at Meadowood Napa Valley

Indulge in Secluded Elegance at Meadowood Napa Valley

© Meadowood

Meadowood in St. Helena is a luxury 250-acre resort with fabulous restaurants, a diverse choice of activities and secluded accommodations surrounded by calm country views. The resort has 85 cottages, suites and lodges with romantic touches such as fireplaces and outdoor terraces.

Meadowood's restaurants serve a seasonally changing menu using ingredients from the resort's own garden. If you are celebrating a special occasion, the Chef's Tasting Menu at the Restaurant is a must-try. The resort has a nine-hole golf course, a 11,000 square foot spa, 7 tennis courts, croquet, two swimming pools and whirlpools.

900 Meadowood Lane, St Helena, California 94574, Phone: 877-963-3646

Elevate Every Moment at the Iconic Auberge du Soleil

Elevate Every Moment at the Iconic Auberge du Soleil

© Auberge du Soleil

Auberge du Soleil is set in the heart of Napa Valley, surrounded by rolling hills and vineyards. The hotel has a beautiful outdoor pool, Auberge Spa and an incredible outdoor sculpture garden.

Terraced guest rooms and suites feature Mediterranean-inspired decor, original contemporary art and private outdoor terraces for relaxing with a view.

The 7,000-square-foot Auberge Spa utilizes ingredients from California's Wine Country. Arrive early for your treatment to enjoy the signature water ritual: a soak in three springs overlooking the Napa Valley vineyards. Couples can book the luxurious Melisse spa suite with a fireplace, private outdoor garden and its own hot spring.

180 Rutherford Hill Road, Rutherford, California 94573, Phone: 707-963-1211, Video

If You’re Dreaming of Scenic Views and Private Cottages, Stay at The Carneros Inn

If You’re Dreaming of Scenic Views and Private Cottages, Stay at The Carneros Inn

© The Carneros Inn

The cottages at The Carneros Inn are spacious and romantic, complete with wood-burning fireplaces and outdoor terraces with gas heaters. Explore both Napa and Sonoma Valleys from this charming inn which is located between the towns of Napa and Sonoma.

Book a table at the Hilltop Dining Room which serves wine-country inspired cuisine with spectacular views of the vineyards.

The Carneros Inn spa offers a diverse menu of treatments, including massages, hot stone therapy and aromatherapy. The outdoor swimming pool is a great place to relax after your spa treatment. (707-299-4900)

4048 Sonoma Highway, Napa, California 94559, Phone: 707-299-4900, Video

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