Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting Around
between Middletown and Calistoga ($3, 35 minutes, three daily); on Thursday it connects
through to Santa Rosa. Buses serve Ukiah ($5, two hours, four daily), from Clearlake via
Lakeport ($3, 1¼ hours, seven daily). Since piecing together routes and times can be diffi-
cult, it's best to phone ahead.
Anderson Valley
Rolling hills surround rural Anderson Valley, famous for apple orchards, vineyards, pas-
tures and quiet. Visitors come primarily to winery-hop, but there's good hiking and bicyc-
ling in the hills, and the chance to escape civilization. Traveling through the valley is the
most common route to Mendocino from San Francisco.
TOP ANDERSON VALLEY WINERIES
The valley's cool nights yield high-acid, fruit-forward, food-friendly wines. Pinot noir,
Chardonnay and dry Gewürtztraminer flourish. Most
wineries
(
www.avwines.com
) sit
outside Philo. Many are family-owned and offer free tastings, some give tours. The follow-
ing are particularly noteworthy.
Navarro
(
www.navarrowine.com
; 5601 Hwy 128; 10am-6pm) The best option with award-win-
ning Pinot Noir and a delicious Riesling, picnicking is encouraged.
Esterlina
(
www.esterlinavineyards.com
) For big reds, pack a picnic and head high up the
rolling hills; call ahead.
Husch
(
www.huschvineyards.com
; 4400 Hwy 128; 10am-5pm) The oldest vineyard in the val-
ley serves exquisite tastings inside a rose-covered cottage.
Bink
(9000 Hwy 128; 11am-5pm Wed-Mon) Small-batch artisanal wines that get rave re-
views are served in the
Madrones complex
.
Sights & Activities
Boonville
(population 1488) and
Philo
(population 349) are the valley's principal towns.
From Ukiah, winding Hwy 253 heads 20 miles south to Boonville. Equally scenic Hwy
