If you really want to enjoy the Wine Country experience make sure you plan on at least one picnic outing during your stay! I would recommend stopping at either Cucina Viansa in Sonoma or the Oakville Grocery in Napa to stock up on your gourmet picnic items. Both of these stores have a wide selection of excellent picnic fare as well as all of the necessary items to complete your outing. You might pay a little more for them, but it's worth it. Then check around with some of the locals or winery personnel for some of the more talked about picnic areas so you have an idea of what to look for. We heard about a fairly remote picnic sight at the Gundlach Bunschu Winery in Sonoma that we accessed by walking up and around the more customary picnic area. With a new bottle of wine and our fully stuffed cooler we had one of the best experiences during our stay!
Quick Tips:
If you plan on visiting a variety of wineries, make sure you plan your day in advance. Some of the wineries are located in far out places and it can really cut into your day if you are backtracking a lot, looking for different stops along your way. Best Way To Get Around:
To fully enjoy all that the Wine Country has to offer, I would recommend renting a car. We rented a convertible and really got to enjoy the California weather.