Calistoga Wine Trip

Stop by Petaluma on your drive up from SF and try some amazing Peruvian food! The cocktails are creative and delicious, and don't miss the ceviche! If you make it at the right time, you might even catch some live music and join in on the outdoor swing dancing at the restaurant next door. Make reservations - this place gets packed around dinner time. Free parking is available at a public garage around the corner if you can't find street parking.

The Calistoga Motor Lounge is much cuter than the name implies. Set on a quiet street just a few blocks away from the main town street with three heated pools, delicious on-site restaurant, and ample hammocks/fire pits for the whole family, it's easy to use this beautiful low key hotel as a base for your wine country trip. The rooms are large with extra seating space, and have cute touches like a homemade hula hoop doubling as both toy and decoration. Take out the free bikes for a leisurely ride into town, or grab a "s'mores kit" from the front desk and make good use of the fire pits!

Grab breakfast here Sunday morning before you head back home. The cafe has tons of outdoor shaded seating, and a great selection of pastries, sandwiches, and frittatas in addition to the typical coffee and espresso drinks. Gluten free options also available, and be sure to read the sign out front to learn the history behind the name "Calistoga!"

If there's one place you need to go wine tasting in Calistoga, this is it. Three floors of tasting rooms in an enormous castle built from the ground up with bricks imported from Italy and hand-painted frescos lining the walls make for a beautiful setting for wine tasting. The tastings are a bit pricey, but most include a tour of the castle and grounds, along with ample variety of wines. From sparkling to white to red to dessert wines, all members of your party are bound to find something they enjoy at Castello di Amorosa. If you have a chance, try their chocolate as well - it pairs amazingly well with their wine.

This winery is incredibly old and was one of the first wineries in the Napa area. It has some amazing history, including beautiful landscaping changes to the grounds, and chardonnays featured in old movies. The tastings are short but generous, and the setting is beautiful, be it outside overlooking the grounds or inside in the air conditioned cellar.

Go here for some amazing Cajun food (and I would know, after living in New Orleans for 2 years!). The restaurant transported me back to my memories of hot summer nights, iron wrought fences, cobblestone courtyards, and of course, incredible food. The Chicken Gumbo Ya-Ya and Shrimp Etouffe were delicious, as were the oysters and veggie-based salads we had as appetizers.

Set in the middle of town, this place is a great spot for shopping for home goods! Candles, throw blankets, placemats, and vases can all be found here. The staff chooses each product carefully and often has a relationship with the brand, so be sure to ask any questions you may have!

A cute antique store all the way at the end of the main street of Calistoga, but not to be missed! 16 different collectors contribute to the large ground floor of a house that makes up this store filled with all sorts of antiques. From kitchenware to fabrics to wall art, you're sure to find something to take home with you.

Check out this spot for brunch on Saturday morning, and fill up on some delicious french toast and eggs before a day of wine tasting. Set outside in the middle of town next to a river, the scenery is great and the food is even better. Make reservations ahead of time if you can!