Here’s a Wine Lover’s Epic Day in Napa Valley’s Equally Charming, Budget-Friendly Neighbor

Are you are here looking for a day trip to one of the best places in the country for wine? After all, it’s what this area is known for. 

Napa Valley is the most famous of the USA’s wine regions, but that fame comes, well, crowds and commercialization. 

Sonoma is much more relaxed. The town is smaller, with several tasting rooms you can easily walk to. Once you are in tasting rooms, they tend to be quieter than Napa’s options. And the whole point of wine tasting is to chill out and try new bottles of bubbly. 

I also found it much easier to chat with the tasting room staff, as they aren’t rushing to serve 30 other people at the same time. And it’s just so much cheaper overall. 

During my van life years, I’ve been to both valleys back-to-back, and curated a highly focused one day in Sonoma itinerary with the help of a more wine-inclined Fiona from Finding Fiona. This features the best experiences from our getaways, so let’s look at the best way to spend a day in Sonoma, what to do, eat and drink!

Sample Day Trip to Sonoma Itinerary 

For a quick guide to your day in Sonoma, here’s the itinerary in one short list.

Morning

• Get up early and go for a ride with Sonoma Ballooning
• Follow up with breakfast at Sunflower Caffe
• Explore local history at Sonoma State Historic Park
• Alternative Option: Go shopping in the boutiques around Sonoma Plaza

Afternoon

• Taste local wineries: Roche, Sigh, and Walt Wines

Evening

• Head to dinner at Tasca Tasca for Portuguese tapas.
• End the night with more drinks and live music at Murphy’s Irish Pub.

Recommended Places to Stay in Sonoma, California

📍Luxury: Ledson Hotel
📍Mid-Range: Inn at Sonoma, A Four Sisters Inn
📍Budget: Best Western Sonoma Valley

Quick Facts to Visiting Sonoma

Sonoma is a wine lover’s paradise with over 400 wineries! Like nearby Napa, it’s also steeped in history, being the birthplace of the state’s wine industry and known for its farm-to-table dining experiences. You just won’t have to shell out as big the bucks.

Quick Facts	Details
Location	Northern California, United States
Best Time to Visit	September to November (Harvest Season)
Where to Stay	Downtown Sonoma
Best Hotels	📍Luxury: Ledson Hotel 📍Mid-Range: Inn at Sonoma, A Four Sisters Inn 📍Budget: Best Western Sonoma Valley
Famous For	Wine production, farm-to-table dining, historical landmarks
Population	Around 11,000
Time Zone	Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)
How to Get Around	Rental car, bicycle rentals, very walkable once you’re there. Use DiscoverCars to find rental car deals
City Airports	Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport (34 miles from downtown) San Francisco International Airport (60 miles from downtown) Use Expedia to find the best flight prices.
Don’t Forget!	Get a Sonoma County Tasting Pass for exclusive deals at various wineries across the region.

Things to Do with One Day in Sonoma Valley

Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride

If you can manage an early start and have room in your budget, go for a sunrise hot air balloon flight with Sonoma Ballooning. You’ll need to get yourself over to Sonoma Skypark, which is about a 10-minute drive from the main street. As the flights are timed to coincide with sunrise, this can mean that you need to arrive as early as 5:10 am in the summer or a much more relaxed 6.30 am in winter.

If you can force yourself to get up that early, prepare for epic views as you watch the sunrise over the valley. 

Just be aware that this is an activity you must book; you can’t just rock up on the day to get a ticket, and there are no refunds if you are late or don’t show up. Make sure you set multiple alarms and double-check the meeting time!

Sunflower Caffe

Once you are back in town (or if you skip the hot air balloon and just wake up for breakfast, no judgment here), head to Sunflower Caffe. 

Sunflower has a slightly unusual system in that you order at the counter at the entrance first. Then they take you back to a table on the patio outside. I tried the Granola Waffle with a latte, and it was terrific. If I’d been here for longer, I would have gone back again. It’s a popular place, so if they don’t have tables available, you can also order takeout.

They also sell some cute merchandise inside as you walk through to the patio (I’m still annoyed with myself for losing my Sunflower baseball cap within 3 days of buying it…)

Sonoma State Historic Park

Fill up the rest of your morning with a wander around Sonoma State Historical Park for more info on the history of California. The park is a collection of buildings within the center of Sonoma. There is a small admission fee, which gives you access to all the sites for the day. 

Buy your ticket at Sonoma Mission, which is on the other side of the Plaza from Sunflower. Then, leisurely explore the Mission, Sonoma Barracks (also on the Plaza), and General Vallejo’s House (a 15-minute walk from the Plaza). The San Francisco Solano Mission was the last one to be established in California in 1823, and the museum showcases artifacts and art from that time.

Alternative Option: Sonoma Overlook Trail

• Length/Duration: 2.5 miles/1-2 hours
• Elevation Gain: 400 feet
• Difficulty: Moderate

If you’re not into history or wine (who are you?!), there’s this hiking trail that takes in some lovely views over the valley as an alternative to the Historic Park. The Sonoma Overlook Trail begins at the end of First Street West, one block west of the plaza, so you can still walk over after breakfast. 

Afternoon Wine Tastings

Wine tasting is the main event in the town of Sonoma. After all, California is the USA’s most significant wine region, producing far more than the runner-up: the wines in Washington State.

I’m recommending a few of my favorite and best wineries in particular, but there are lots of tasting rooms in the center to choose from. Some of them are open by appointment only, so make sure you check their websites to confirm what their opening policy is.

Also, drink enough water between tastings. You’ll only be trying a small amount of each, but it’s easy to underestimate how much you have consumed overall. This is part of why Sonoma is better; you can walk between all the tasting rooms (unlike downtown Napa), so no designated drivers are needed. 

If you are traveling solo, wine tasting makes it so easy to strike up a conversation when you have a shared interest with the people around you. I’ve found first-hand that tasting room staff are also very welcoming to solo visitors.

Roche Winery

Roche Winery is just off the Plaza (it really is a very walkable town). This is a great one to start with, as you can order charcuterie boards as an alternative to a full lunch. 

At Roche, you pick the selection you want to try rather than being given a pre-selected flight. The tasting includes 4 wines from a list of around 8, including white, red, and sweet wines. Most don’t include a sweet/dessert wine, so this was a nice change from other tastings I had done in the past.

There is also a tasting menu for their reserve wines at a higher price point, but there are often a few competition winners on that list. I would generally recommend the non-reserve tasting unless you are more of a connoisseur and prefer to pay the extra to try these older wines. For a casual time, the standard list is still of great quality.

Reservations are recommended, but you are welcome as a walk-in if they have available space. 

Walt Wines

Walt is just around the corner from Roche, in a bungalow converted to a tasting room. They focus on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which makes it a good option to compare wines of the same varietal but different years and vineyards. You can also upgrade to include a chocolate pairing!

Walk-in tastings are sometimes available, but I recommend making an appointment as they can get quite busy, so you won’t always find a spare table without pre-booking. 

Sigh

Sigh is unusual in that almost all the wines they serve are sparkling. It’s more a bar than a winery tasting room, as they don’t make their own wine. You can order a variety of sparkling wines and champagne by the glass, and they also serve wine flights. Their list has a good range of price points, from affordable Italian prosecco to bubbles from famous French Champagne houses such as Veuve Clicquot.

Sigh is also unusual as it doesn’t take reservations; seating is first come, first served. This can make it a little unpredictable as to whether you will get a table or not. Still, a glass of wine or two of bubbles in an Instagram-worthy setting is certainly worth the try. 

They run Trivia Nights on Mondays and live music on Sundays. You can also order a range of nibbles to keep you from drinking on an empty stomach! 

Evening: Where to Eat & Nightlife

Tasca Tasca is quite literally next door to Sigh and serves Portuguese-style tapas. The menu is arranged so you can order either 3, 5, or 7 items from their menu at a set price (although there is a small surcharge for some of the seafood plates). 

The drinks list includes Port and Madeira, and they make a great White Port Tonic (unless, of course, you’ve had your fill of alcohol by this point in the day!)

I’ll admit that downtown Sonoma doesn’t have a huge amount of nightlife, but it’s the kind of place that is more about R&R than partying. If you still have the energy for an evening out, head to Murphy’s Irish Pub for some live music. Check out their website to find out who will be playing during your visit.

Where to Stay in Sonoma

There aren’t many budget options like hostels that still look nice, and staying in cheaper accommodation further out would mean the savings on accommodation get eaten up in transport.

So from a practical standpoint, it’s best to be within walking distance of Sonoma Plaza. As you’ll be drinking a fair amount, you obviously shouldn’t be getting back into a car to travel between places, unless there is a designated driver. 

This itinerary is designed with that in mind. Everything is within a few minutes of the plaza on foot, except for the Hot Air Balloon ride for those of you who are early risers.

Best Hotels in Sonoma, California

Hotel Name	Benefits
📍Luxury: Ledson Hotel	– Boutique hotel with opulent rooms and private balconies – Best location right on the plaza – Free parking
📍Mid-Range: Inn at Sonoma, A Four Sisters Inn	– Comfortable rooms with complimentary breakfast – Walking distance to the Plaza – Wine and cheese hour and a rooftop hot tub
📍Budget: Best Western Sonoma Valley	– Good value for money – Some rooms have fireplaces – Amenities like on-site pool and lots of parking

Places to Visit with More Time

Other Things to Do in Sonoma

• Jack London State Historic Park: Be outdoors in the beauty of Jack London’s former home and ranch.
• Sonoma Valley Museum of Art: A local gem showcasing contemporary and modern art.
• Buena Vista Winery: America’s oldest commercial winery, with tastings of its premium wines in a historic setting.
• Cornerstone Sonoma: An outdoor marketplace and cultural arts center featuring unique shops, private tasting rooms, and beautiful art-inspired gardens.
• Sonoma Raceway: Watch NASCAR and other motorsport events or even experience driving on the track.
• Bartholomew Park Winery: Wine tastings in a beautiful setting, with access to hiking trails throughout the estate.
• The Olive Press: Experience olive oil tasting at one of the most awarded olive oil producers in the nation, located within the Jacuzzi Family Vineyards.
• Go horseback riding through Sonoma Valley
• Take a Wine Trolley Tour: Go to some vineyards further afield in Sonoma or Napa Valley.

Day Trips from Sonoma

• Napa Valley (30 minutes) – Experience more boutique wine tasting rooms and acres of vineyards in Sonoma’s famous neighboring region.
• San Francisco (1 hour) – Visit the iconic city for the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and vibrant neighborhoods.
• Muir Woods National Monument (1 hour) – Get lost among towering redwoods
• Point Reyes National Seashore (1 hour) – Enjoy views of the Pacific Ocean, wildlife viewing, and hiking trails.
• Sacramento (1.25 hours) – Explore California’s capital with its rich Gold Rush history, museums, and the beautiful Sacramento River.
• Santa Cruz (2 hours) – Relax on beautiful beaches along the classic boardwalk in a laid-back coastal town.
• Lake Tahoe (3 hours) – Adventure awaits with outdoor activities like hiking, boating on clear waters, and skiing in a stunning mountainous setting.
• Yosemite National Park (3.5 hours): Renowned national park with its waterfalls, dramatic mountainscapes, and wildlife.

Is 1 Day Enough for Sonoma

Depends on how much your liver can take. A day trip to Sonoma gets you a delightful taste of this renowned wine country, but the county has incredible nearby landscapes, over 400 wineries, and miles of rugged Pacific coastline, redwoods, and the serene Sonoma Valley nearby. 

A single day lets you explore a few Sonoma wineries, enjoy a fine dining experience, or participate in a specialized activity like going on a wine trolley tour. However, consider extending your stay at least overnight to feel less rushed and check out lesser-known spots or an art gallery or two.

Best Time To Visit

Generally, the best time to visit Sonoma is from late spring through early fall, specifically May through October. These months have better weather, outdoor dining, and many events, like the highly anticipated harvest season in late summer and early fall.

However, to avoid the crowds while still enjoying good weather, the shoulder months may be better for you. Winter can be chilly and rainy, but there are fewer tourists, so hotel rates during the off-peak season can be significantly lower.

How to Get Here

Sonoma County lies on the California coast north of San Francisco. The region is well-served by transportation options.

Find great rental car deals with DiscoverCars and score the best flight prices using Expedia.

By Air: San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the nearest major airport. Another convenient option is Oakland International Airport (OAK) or San Jose International Airport (SJC), located just a bit further away but with less congestion and equally good connectivity.

By Car: Once on the ground, renting a car is the most flexible way to get to Sonoma and its surrounding areas. The drive from San Francisco or Oakland takes approximately an hour and a half, with scenic views of the Bay Area and rolling vineyards. 

By Shuttle: Alternatively, for those preferring not to drive, there are shuttle services available from SFO and OAK that can take you directly.

Final Thoughts: Sonoma Day Trip Itinerary

Sonoma is a perfect getaway for some delicious food and wine in beautiful surroundings. If you need a break from a city or a place to rest during a road trip, this is where you want to be. Napa might be more famous, but you have everything you could want with a much more relaxed vibe here.

If you’re planning on exploring more of California, don’t rush off without checking out our comprehensive guides to other exciting destinations in the Golden State.

Before you Close That Tab…Where to Next in California?

I’ve lived and vanlifed around, about, and through all of California for 3 years. If you’re looking for more information on California, check out these other destination itineraries.

• Perfect One Day In Lassen Volcanic National Park Itinerary
• Perfect One Day In Redwood National Park Itinerary
• Perfect One Day In Joshua Tree Itinerary For First-Timers
• One Day In Death Valley Itinerary For Adventurers
• Perfect One Day in San Diego Itinerary: What Not to Miss
• Perfect One Day in San Francisco Itinerary for First Timers
• Day Trip to Lake Tahoe: One Day Itinerary for All Seasons
• Perfect Day Trip to Sonoma Itinerary for Wine Lovers
• Perfect Day Trip to Napa Valley Itinerary for Wine Lovers
• Perfect One Day in Los Angeles Itinerary from a Local

MY FAVORITE TRAVEL RESOURCES

✈️ Find amazing guided tours and experiences with Viator to maximize your time! 🏘️ Plan ahead and secure your accommodation with Booking.com in advance. 🧾 Rent a car with Discovercars in advance and get the best prices for your day trip adventures.