California Wine Country Without Crowds

Above, a Napa Valley vineyard. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in the late 1970s and 1980s, I would try to get up to California's Wine Country (Napa and Sonoma Valleys) whenever I could.

I enjoyed sampling each years' vintages in the tasting rooms of several wineries and bring home boxes of different wines. During my college years, my mom and I would pop open a bottle two at home on weekends while my dad was out bowling. Good times!

I generally would go in the autumn months when there are less people crowding the tasting rooms. 

Speaking of avoiding crowds in Wine Country, that is the subject of a new article by Travel + Leisure.

They begin it with:

If you love sipping a perfect pinot on a sunny, 75-degree August day in California's wine country, you're far from alone. Literally. Because one unwelcome addition that idyllic day is practically guaranteed to come along with? Hundreds of other people — all vying for the same wine-tasting seats, the same coveted hotel rooms, and all waiting in the same endless lines for brunch at Bouchon. Over-touristed travel is rarely fun, and in the middle of a pandemic, it can feel downright dangerous. The good news: There is a way to do wine country without the crowds.

According to the Napa Valley tourism bureau, the area welcomes about 3.85 million visitors per year, the majority of whom come through during the area's busiest (and sunniest) months, from summer to early fall. Luckily, as wise travelers will tell you, high season isn't the only season — in wine country or elsewhere. 

One tip from me. If you have an RV, stay at Bothe Napa State Park in Napa Valley. I've stayed there a few times, even during rainstorms which can be frequent during autumn. The park has a nice campground.

Above, Bothe-Napa State Park campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read the full article, go here.