Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Marin County & Wine Country
Loop your way around Northern California's Bay Area ( Click here ) , leaving hilly San
Francisco behind to drive across the thrilling Golden Gate Bridge over to the tawny head-
lands and ocean beaches of Marin County before stopping to sip at the world-renowned
wineries of Napa and Sonoma Valleys.
Why Go?
Marin County, just across the bay from San Francisco, has untamed beaches, crashing surf
and redwood forests for nature lovers. Stop for oysters and to sample locally made cheese
on your way out to windy, wild Point Reyes National Seashore. Then steer inland to
Northern California's most famous wine country, where star chefs preside over farm-to-
table restaurants and dozens of wineries pour out prized vintages, whether inside Sonoma's
rustic barns and tin-roofed sheds or Napa's exclusive barrel rooms. Finish with a volcanic
mud bath in the hot-springs resort of Calistoga.
When to Go
You can road trip here year round. Wine-country festivals happen in the balmy spring and
fall months. During the busy summer, temperatures are warm by the coast, hotter inland.
Winter, when rainstorms and colder temperatures arrive, is great for wildlife-watching
along the coast.
The Route
Follow Hwy 1 north over San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge into Marin County, hugging
the coast all the way to Point Reyes. Cut over inland to Hwy 101 flowing north to Santa
Rosa. Drop south on Hwy 12 through Sonoma Valley, then take Hwy 29 north from Napa
to Calistoga.
 
Search WWH ::




Custom Search