AboutWilliam Conde Expertise I wish to serve as a sort of guide to the North Bay area, with extensive experience in Sonoma County proper, and abilities to help with more general questions regarding the Marin and Napa County areas. For questions regarding what the area is like, what to bring, where to stay, etc., I'm eager and capable to help bring forth solutions to your regional queries.
Please note that while I can suggest many wineries to visit in the area, there are so many to choose from that I wouldn't be able to answer questions about each and every one. I can also suggest non-winery-related sights to see and locales to visit, depending on whatever sort of vacation, business trip, or other excursion you may have in mind.
Also, I am not a wine expert (I don't drink alcohol), so please don't ask me specific questions about such-and-such labels of wine.
Experience I have lived in the Sonoma County region for 10 years and wish to help others understand and appreciate the unique experience that is being part of this area. I am goal-oriented and love to help "fill in the gaps," so to speak, of the plans and ideas of those who are considering visiting this beautiful region.
Education/Credentials Licensed Pharmacy Technician; B.S. degree in Chemistry (Biochemistry Emphasis).
Expert: William Conde Date: 3/23/2007 Subject: Napa Valley
Question QUESTION: I'm 25, and my boyfriend and I are going to California for wedding in May. We're staying in Carmelita for a few days, but then venturing out! We plan one day for Los Angeles/surrounding area, and then plan to drive to Napa Valley and Monterey. Do you know about how long the drive is, and would you recommended driving/flying between cities? We also have free place to stay in Monterey, do you know how far the distance is between Monterey and Napa? We're big wine goers, and love to check that stuff out too. Anyway, any ideas/advice/suggestions you have would be great! We're from the Midwest, so we're clueless when it comes to California:)
ANSWER: Hello there,
I'm glad to hear you're coming to visit! California's a pretty big state, so it might surprise you to hear that the drive from LA to the Monterey region is about 7 hours or more. I'd definitely recommend flying between LA and Monterey (there's really not much to see on the way--mostly just fields and orchards and wide-open nothing); however, the drive between Monterey and the Napa region is pretty interesting, so you may want to drive that leg of the trip to save on expenses. I'd say it's somewhere between 2 and 3.5 hours of driving, though I haven't been that way in a while, so it could be a touch longer than that, in addition to potential issues with traffic (we have a -lot- of traffic in California).
In Napa, you'll find that there are literally wineries every five minutes of driving or so. As such, I can't really say "go see this one" or "you have to check out that one over there," particularly because I don't know what kind of winery you like to visit most. However, your options for that are extremely plentiful.
If you want to stay in a town that's suburb-ish, Napa is your best choice. There are plenty of regular commercial opportunities (including a factory outlet mall) if that lights up your board. If you're looking for something more town-like, however, a quick 20 minute drive north to St. Helena will suit you well. St. Helena is loaded with boutique shopping and exquisite restaurants--if you're looking for seriously luxuriant food, try the Culinary Academy's restaurant at "Greystone" on the north end of the town. St. Helena also houses some small hotels and homey bed-and-breakfasts that are great for travels on a leisurely trip.
Alternatively, another 20 minutes or so of northward driving will take you to the small town of Calistoga, which is even more quiet and secluded, and houses a number of bed-and-breakfasts situated immediately next to pleasant green scenery. Calistoga's restaurants tend to be a bit more inexpensive than those in St. Helena, but are still quite tasty. Calistoga is also home to some famous mineral springs, which have given rise to a number of pleasant spas that you may enjoy as a refreshment from your travels. Almost everything in Calistoga is within easy walking distance.
One singular experience in the Napa Valley is the Wine Train, which is something of a tour of the region on a richly-appointed train, including the option of meal service. I'd recommend you give it a try if you want to take a preliminary looksee around the St. Helena area before you decide what exactly you'd like to do in the area.
I hope that helps with your plans! If you have further questions, feel free to submit follow-ups, and I'll do my best to answer them. Enjoy your trip!
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QUESTION: Thanks so much for your help! Do you have any suggestions of where to stay in L.A? Also, what we can do besides the wine stuff maybe at night or during the day in Monterey and Napa?
Answer Hello again,
I'm afraid I must deliver my regrets regarding where to stay in the LA area. I don't know where Carmelita is; I used to live in Southern California, but it's been many years and my understanding of the region's geography is terrible. However, I'd recommend (if you can find one; I don't know where they all are) the Country Side Suites chain of hotels, or any of the other fine "Ayers" line of hotels. I've stayed at several in the past, and they tend to be excellent even while reasonably priced for the experience. Failing in that, an Embassy Suites is often a splendid choice.
Once you're in Monterey, you may wish to take the opportunity to visit the famous Monterey Bay Sea Aquarium. This facility rotates its selections with some frequency, but an attraction that just about everyone loves is their sea otter exhibit. California sea otters are positively adorable (even though they are, sadly, endangered), and many of Monterey's shops celebrate the cute creature. I've also heard that Nagomi Sushi in Monterey expands upon the "sushi boat" style of Japanese fare by using carved wooden sea otters instead of boats, upon which the sushi is placed and circulated past your table. If you like Japanese food, or aren't sure but are feeling adventurous, you may want to give this place a try.
Once you're in Napa, your options become a bit wider. While Napa itself is primarily oriented towards shopping and wineries, if you're willing to do a bit of travel, there are other fascinating places to visit within an hour or two of driving distance. For example, the pan-cultural San Francisco lies to the southwest, and if there's virtually anything you like to do or see, you can probably find it there. An extremely-popular place to visit while sightseeing is Fisherman's Wharf, home to seafood delights and sourdough aplenty. Alternatively, you may wish to visit the expansive Japan Center in the Japantown district to take a look at countless cultural items and practices of the Japanese persuasion; similar opportunities exist in Chinatown, or in the primarily-Italian North Beach region.
To the west is Sonoma County (my home region), where you can visit the Wells Fargo Center of the Arts in northern Santa Rosa, spend a day on the marina in Petaluma, or even jaunt to our coasts in the Bodega Bay region. The opportunities are extremely diverse; if you have something specific in mind that you're looking for, you'll have to tell me so that I can narrow down my suggestions.
Again, best of luck planning your trip! I hope it is filled with enjoyment and fun.
