Willamette Valley is teeming with life, offering epic adventures ranging from waterfall tours and tree climbing to hot springs and wine tasting, thanks to its sprawling vineyards and tasting rooms. And they offer all of it in style. Here is how to experience all of the wonder in the region without having to rough it.
Given Sonoma is 1,800 square miles with more than 425 wineries and vineyards within its county lines, tasting one’s way through the Northern California wine country can be a daunting task. As a result, smart oenophiles carve out time to explore the region in sections, often combining the northern Sonoma County American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) of Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley, and Dry Creek Valley – often called The Wine Road – given their proximity and diversity of varietals and experiences.
In 1978, Chef Sally Schmidt and husband Don purchased a building in Yountville in northern California’s Napa County, which would become The French Laundry. Its future would not only help put the entirety of Napa on the map but changed the course of the culinary world. And the area around it? The Town of Yountville is an outdoor oasis and the epicurean epicenter of Napa’s wine country.
Dramatically nestled onto a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel is more than a dreamy, Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Award winner; it is a blissful homebase that goes out of its way to create unforgettable memories for all those who enter. Here are the top nine musts – from booking an appointment with the Fifth Avenue Club Laguna Beach to savoring a 16-course chef’s tasting experience – when visiting.
