Blanketed by vineyards warmed by the sun, dotted with chateaus and gourmet restaurants, Wine country is an easy day trip from San Francisco . California 's Napa and Sonoma valleys are two of the most famous winegrowing regions in the world. Hundreds of wineries are nestled among the vines, and most are open to visitors. But even if you don't want to wine-taste, the country air, rolling countryside, and world-class restaurants and spas are reasons enough to come.

Napa is definitely the more commercial of the two regions with dozens more wineries, spas, and a larger selection of fine restaurants, hotels. But the quintessential Wine Country activity is a trip on a hot-air balloon. Sonoma is often thought of as the "other" Wine Country. Forever in the shadow of Napa Valley , Sonoma offers a very different experience yet still manages to maintain a backcountry ambience. Now because Sonoma has a lower density of wineries, restaurants, and hotels it is far less traveled than its neighbor. But this offers a more genuine and peaceful escape.

The varied terrain of California with its mountains, valleys and deserts provides an almost limitless array of microclimates suitable for growing nearly every variety of grape. Today, California wineries produce many different types of wines. California chardonnay and sauvignon blanc make excellent white wines, while Cabernet Sauvignon produces an outstanding red wine. Most of the restaurants in the wine growing regions offer good selections of the local wines.