Originally posted by: AreaCode707
Wine country, eh? What roads are you driving down?
Tourist traps:
http://www.oregonvortex.com/
Bigfoot country in Humboldt County
Wine County:
Check out Mendocino and Sonoma in addition to / as replacements for Napa. Napa tastings can be pricey (Sonoma can too). Mendocino is a little more sparse but they've got good wines and typically lower or no tasting fees.
If you're going to do Napa, I highly recommend the Silverado Trial starting at Highway 128 in Geyserville as one of the prettiest and best wine tasting routes. If you're not taking a tour bus, do what my husband and I do: only do one tasting per place, both of you taste it, and have the non-driver finish it off. Drive SAFE! Lots of people are on the road besides you.
Wineries:
Bennett Lane has FABULOUS wines worth the tasting fee
Parducci has a fun zin chocolate sauce and if you ask nicely, they'll make you a zinful shot with it and their zin
Jeriko makes a great sangiovese, and it's organic
Fetzer had a GREAT winery and gardens in Hopland but I think they closed it down
Navarro has good wines, and Boonville is a cute rural spot to stop for lunch
Avoid Cakebread; pricey wines and TOURIST CITY
Alexander Valley Vineyards has some neat wines and a nice little wine cave
Avoid Andretti; just not worth the stop, no matter what Wine Enthusiast says
Coastal views:
Check out the town of Mendocino. Beautiful bluffs, nice little downtown that's worth about a half day of walking around. They've got some good beaches to wander. Check out Glass Beach if you like collecting sea glass. There's debate on whether a ship carrying bottles sunk or if it used to be a dump, but either way it's a fun walk. Fort Bragg can be a nice spot too. The Sea Ranch (that's the name of the town, complete with "the") has some nice views. Bodega Bay and Half Moon Bay, much further south, are Bay Area hang out spots.