Wine Country & Bodega Bay For The New Year

Anyone who knows me knows that I love a good last minute adventure.  You know?!  That get-up-and-go mentality.  Lucky for me my boyfriend Liam also loves a good last min adventure just as much as I do, so we decided to take one last trip before reigning in the new year.

There’s just something so thrilling about adding that kind of excitement to your world, and fortunately travel companies all over the internet give you an opportunity to jump headfirst into whatever adventure you’re about to indulge in.

So, this past weekend, Liam and I tossed around a few ideas for New Years Eve and couldn’t quite settle on one thing.  Do we stay in San Francisco for our first New Year living in the city?  Do we get away and go to Southern California?  With our minds running wild with ideas for a New Years getaway, we had to decide on something before it was too late. With time running out, we landed on a trip that perfectly represented how we wanted to sendoff 2016 – a trip North to explore Wine Country, which is a short 45 min drive from our home in SF 🙂 .

During our trip, we stayed at the Double Tree by Hilton in Rohnert Park which is located in the heart of Sonoma County (also near Santa Rosa and Petaluma – less than an hour drive from Napa).  When traveling, Liam and I typically skip hotel chains, but this Doubletree really surprised us in a good way.  It was very close to shopping, restaurants, and if you’re into a little gambling, Graton Resort & Casino  is right around the corner!  This hotel had a Tuscan feel to it that was simply beautiful. Oh, and it’s super dog friendly for those of you with furr babies 😉 .

Upon arrival, we met up with some family at Muscardini Cellar’s – a cute little boutique winery located off Sonoma Highway.  We stumbled upon it by chance since most wineries were closed for New Years Eve and fell absolutely in love with it!  The tasting room was great, dog friendly and our sommelier’s were incredibly knowledgeable and entertaining (frequent dance breaks between pours) to say the least.  They had amazing reds to offer and a really lovely sparkling almond flavored wine.  A few bottles of their Barbera came home with us, and at midnight we raised a toast over a few glasses of their almond flavored bubbly.

On New Years day we checked out of our hotel and decided to take a drive over to Bodega Bay – a cute little fishing town 45min away from where we were staying.  It was a beautiful day out, so I decided to wear this cute little For Love & Lemons Gracie Maxi Dress form Shop Resurrection (one of my favorite online boutiques).  On our way, we stopped at DeLoach Vineyards which is located in Santa Rosa.  The winery had a cute garden and outdoor tasting area.  During our time there we tasted some reds and even a few delicious whites, which turned out to be a delightful surprise as whites aren’t usually my favorite.  The property was gorgeous and the staff there were incredibly pleasant, so it made our time there even more enjoyable.  Sub-note; this winery was dog friendly as well!  I highly recommend stopping by their tasting room if you’re in the area.

After our visit to DeLoach Vineyards, Liam and I continued onward to the darling little fishing town of Bodega Bay.  I’d heard so many wonderful things about this town but never had the chance to experience it for myself until this little trip.  We got there a bit before sunset, which left us with enough time to enjoy amazing seafood at Fishman’s Cove Deli – I haven’t stopped dreaming about their clam chowder since!  Once we were done with dinner, Liam and I took a nice stroll along the shore before heading back home to SF.  I can’t wait to go back there and explore more of what that town has to offer!

If you’re looking to book a hotel during your next spur-of-the-moment adventure, I highly recommend downloading the app Hotel Tonight for amazing last-minute deals (available on the App Store or Google Play).  And if you have any suggestions on wineries, spas or other adventurous things to do in Wine Country, shoot me a comment below – I would love to her your recommendations <3 !