Getting from San Francisco to wine country can be painstakingly complicated for out-of-town visitors or first-timers to the valley. Lucky for you this Bay Area native has been traveling from San Francisco to wine country for a solid fourteen years and has tried EVERY mode of transportation to get there.
Every trip to the Bay Area should include a trip to wine country and trust me when I tell you that nobody wants to be the sober driver in wine country and Uber is NOT your friend when it comes to getting around wine country (especially post-pandemic). Booking a tour is another option, but not being able to control my itinerary makes me crazy, however, if you are the kind of person that likes to just sit back, relax and let someone else plan your day that’s an excellent option for you!
Let me introduce you to Gateway Global, the luxury ground transportation company in the Bay Area. I’ve been working with Gateway Global for the past 9 months or so and will never look back. If you are looking for a seamless experience book Gateway Global. In addition to a fleet of new and impeccably clean vehicles, they have some of the most professional and knowledgeable drivers in the Bay Area. In addition to a fleet of new and impeccably clean vehicles, they have some of the most comfortable seats with faux leather seat covers, making your journey a true delight.
One of the greatest advantages of using Gateway Global is the peace of mind it provides. When you’re exploring wine country, you want to fully immerse yourself in the experience without worrying about navigation or parking. With Gateway Global, you can relax and enjoy the picturesque scenery while their expert drivers handle the roads. These drivers are not only knowledgeable about wine country but also incredibly experienced and skilled behind the wheel. They prioritize your safety and comfort throughout the journey, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable ride, much like having a safe driver in Dubai, where luxury transportation is highly valued.
If you are flying into San Francisco and staying in wine country Gateway Global is based in Burlingame (just minutes away from the airport) and they can just snag you from the airport and bring you directly to wine country. Gateway Global offers services all over the Bay Area (not just wine country). Check out a full list of their services here.
Ready to book? Call Gateway Global and mention KATWALKSF for 15% off
Gateway Global
Terms and Conditions:
Mileage based pricing does not apply for the following:
Less than 200 miles one way
Routes with negotiated rates
Charges are based on one-way mileage, starting from the nearest Gateway Global company location to pick up and final drop.
Additional hourly charges will apply for extended or off-route stops or overnight stays.
A second chauffeur may be required based on customer needs.
Service, fuel and administrative fees will be applied to the mileage rate. Additional fees such as tolls, parking, driver lodging & meals will be added as incurred.
Prices and terms are subject to change at any time.
if you can’t get in with Gateway Global -> here are some other options
So you just planned your ultimate wine country vacation, but now you need to figure out what to pack and how to prep for your trip. Here are a few tips that should help you plan what to put in your suitcase this winter in wine country.
Layers
Dressing in layers is something I learned the moment I moved to San Francisco. One minute it’s foggy and freezing and ten minutes later the sun is out and you are quickly removing your jacket only to find it cold again a couple of hours later…
I have since learned to take my layering skills up north when I head to wine country. It is usually much colder in wine country compared to San Francisco in the winter so I’m usually bundled up, to begin with…AND once the wine hits I things usually start to get steamy and the layers are ready to come off.
That is why I always layer up.
Wine country layers for me = a jacket, a sweater, leggings, and boots with a beanie and scarf in my tote.
Jackets
It gets very cold in the morning and evening in wine country this time of year so packing a jacket is a must! If you scroll down you can see the variety of jackets that I packed on this trip. I packed quite a few for a long weekend (since I drove up from San Francisco).
If I could only pack one jacket I’d 100% go with a shacket -> and I just found a bunch on sale at Revolve
Faux leather leggings are my jam, especially during the winter. Why? They look and act like a pant but give you the freedom to eat what you want. However, all leggings are created equally, my friends. I learned this when another blogger recommended the Commando, Perfect Control Faux Leather Leggings. The tummy-smoothing panel sold me, but after two wears these leggings had a serious hole in them – NOT what you want to wear in wine country PEOPLE! I reached out to Commando hoping it was maybe a fluke, but haven’t really back -> SO stick with Spanx Leggings, my friends.
check out my love letter to spanx leggings here | use the discount code KATXSPANX
I opted for a chunky boot <- but these boots might not be comfortable for everyone. If you are looking for a bit of a smaller heel I would highly recommend these waterproof Chelsea Boots.
This is the most important tip! A tote is your best friend when you are wine tasting and the Cuyana, Classic Leather Tote is the perfect tote for wine tasting in the winter. Some say luxury and practicality don’t mix. This bag begs to differ. The silhouette is simple, but beautifully so. The pebbled leather is genuine Italian, lightweight and seriously soft, yet durable and sized just right for a weekend getaway to wine country in the winter.
Best Hotels in Napa
Archer Hotel Napa – This hotel is right in downtown Napa and is one of the newer hotels in the Napa Valley. The Archer is VERY dog-friendly and has the best rooftop view in Napa. The lobster corndogs are a must too!
Silverado Resort and Spa – This is not my favorite hotel in Napa because I have had very inconsistent experiences there, but this is my favorite option for last-minute bookings. It is a large property on a golf course, but you roll the dice every time you book Silverado
and you MUST eat at Restoration Hardware -> full blog post here
If you only have one dress in your closet, it should definitely be as flattering and as versatile as this Topshop wrap mini dress. This simply sophisticated dress was perfect for wine tasting last week in Napa (check out more from my visit to the Meritage Resort here) and for date night this week. Not only is this dress unbelievably flattering it is also only $55, comes in five colors and sold at Nordstrom.
Wine tasting in Napa can be a bit more formal than Sonoma so I wanted to make sure that I dressed the part while still staying comfortable! For this look, I wore a shape dress from ITEM m6 underneath my wrap dress. Now the dress can be worn with or without the shape dress, but for this day in Napa, I decided to keep it a bit more conservative with the scoop neck from the shape dress. The all-over smoothing and shaping construction also held in my tummy after an overindulgent dinner the night before at Morimoto (an absolute must for dinner when in Napa).
Now let’s talk about these shoes. Yes, they are very high (4.25″ to be exact), but they are also very comfortable. Like most heels of this high height, this shoe causes the foot to push slightly forward as you walk. To accommodate, M. Gemi suggests going a half size up. I went from a 38 to a 38.5 in these shoes and could not believe how comfortable they are. These are truly a pair of heels you can wear all day without having to store a pair of flats in your purse. Want to give any M. Gemi shoe a try? Save $50 off with the code: KAT50
Have you ever been to Livermore Valley Wine Country?
If you asked me this question two weeks ago I would have said, HARD NO. The only reason to go from San Francisco to Livermore was for the outlets, specifically the Gucci store at the San Francisco Premium Outlets (that just happens to be in Livermore). So when the invite came to join the Livermore Valley Wine Country for their Taste Our Terroir weekend I was a little hesitant and decided to do some research. Livermore is the birthplace of California Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon – two of my favorite wine varietals and it is less than an hour from anywhere in the Bay Area. So, I called one of my girlfriends and we decided to pack our bags and head to Livermore for the weekend.
The drive from San Francisco to Livermore Valley Wine Country on Saturday morning was quick…surprisingly quick. From my friend’s house in San Francisco’s financial district to Wente it was less than 40 minutes. I had always heard good things about Wente, so we decided to make it our first stop on our Livermore Valley Wine tour.
Now, let’s talk Wente: Founded in 1883, Wente Vineyards is the country’s oldest continuously operated family owned winery. Blending traditional and innovative winemaking practices the winery draws from approximately 3,000 acres of sustainably farmed Estate vineyards to create an outstanding collection of wines.
What do you wear to Wente?
First things first let’s talk about the weather! Livermore is hot. I’m talking almost thirty degrees warmer than San Francisco…so be prepared. Most of the wineries (including Wente) have indoor and outdoor options for tastings and I chose to taste outside at Wente both times because:
1. I love the heat 2. We had the dogs (and Wente is VERY dog-friendly) and 3. They had outdoor music.
Now let’s talk dress code in Livermore. It is not nearly as formal as Napa and most closely aligns with Sonoma when it comes to apparel – so casual. Think summer dresses, sandals, a statement hat, and shorts. There were a few parties that were pretty dressed up celebrating birthdays and bachelorette parties so you can easily get away with dressing up, but I love the fact that you don’t NEED to!
This look is from my second visit to Wente and if you follow along on Instagram you know that this dress has been on heavy rotation this summer. Now, I’ve easily worn this dress 3 or 4 times and this is the 1st time I have ever worn it correctly (shout out to my friend Lindsay for showing me how to tie it). It is actually quite simple to tie, but I do recommend having someone else do it to ensure that the ruffle details lay flat correctly. The 100% cotton feel of the dress was perfect for the Livermore heat and made me never want to take it off! And at $87 this piped ruffle dress with an on trend off-shoulder neckline makes this a summer wine tasting MUST.
Especially when the oh-so-talented Erika, of Whiskey and Lace, hosts it. This picnic was straight out of a Pinterest board. Erika did not miss one detail! From the stunning tablescape to the lemonade bar cart. Everything was perfect!
…the company was not so bad either!
Shop everything that you need to create your own wine country picnic from terrain.
I just discovered this site (Anthropologie’s sister site) and I am obsessed. Inspired by the idea of merging house + garden to create an experience for all of the senses. They have a variety of products and services to captivate your imagination and enhance your life. Perfect..right? All I need now is to get out of my studio apartment and find a house like this!
Lounging with my girl Alyson of The Beauty Vanity…and trying to control Benji!
Benji living his best life!
Who knew that this city dog could love wine country SO much!
“Pie is a good metaphor for life; or if you prefer, life is a good metaphor for pie. Both have structure and content, crust and filling. Both are better with a hot cup of coffee. And like life, pie is not meant to be perfect, it’s meant to be eaten.”