For my 30th birthday Jake was actually away for work in Palo Alto, California. This was the perfect excuse, so on my birthday I flew SOLO across the country, with Finn, 11 months at the time, to San Francisco where Jake met us for an awesome birthday celebration!
Logistics
I had Jake take the car seat and pack n play with him so those were not on my plate to check along with having a baby by myself at the airport. We were no longer able to use an infant car seat like we brought to Turks and Caicos, and the car seat we use at home is very heavy. We decided to buy this much lighter car seat for travel purposes, and also got this awesome travel bag for it that rolls and is wearable as a backpack.
At the airport, I strapped Finn into the Ergobaby, one hand on my rolling luggage, the other on the stroller, threw the diaper/carry-on bag in the stroller and went to check-in. I checked my 1 bag, rolled through security very easily (because I was wearing Finn) and headed to the gate. It all went much more smoothly than I was anticipating.
My flight was later in the day (6pm EST) which worked out well – Finn would sleep the majority of the 5 ½ hour flight. We didn’t buy him a seat (saving that money for wine!) and for the most part it was okay once I found a comfortable position. Once in Cali, we spent 2 nights in San Francisco (will be another blog post) and then headed straight for Napa in our rental car. The drive was a little over 1 hour; not bad at all!
Where to stay?
White House Inn: Super charming! The most adorable little boutique hotel – the owners are the sweetest people and so easygoing. We booked a room with a balcony which I highly suggest so you have somewhere to hang out while baby is sleeping. One night was absolutely perfect – we ordered Italian food from nearby Oenotri, sat out on the balcony drinking wine and listened to music, not disturbing the sleeping baby once! The breakfast was wonderful too; they do a variety of both savory and sweet small plates so you can sample around which was perfect for Finn. The grounds are stunning, and include an outdoor pool, hot tub, fire pit, gardens, and cozy little seating areas. Their decor has almost a classic Kate Spade vibe – it’s adorable.
The Wine and Food
I read a lot of blogs and searched for family-friendly wineries because there are several in Napa that do not allow children. I found napavalleyvitners.com to be a great resource, as you can filter and search specifically for family-friendly options, and there are a TON!
Castello Di Amorosa Winery: (very touristy, I know) but the castle and grounds were cool and they had animals which kept Finley intrigued. The tasting guide gave Finley some grape juice and crackers to munch on so he could join in on the fun! There was a little kids table near us with a coloring station which was awesome, too. All-told, a very easy entry into wine-tasting with a baby!
Sterling Vineyards: Another touristy spot but cool because you take an aerial tram ride and then do a self-guided tour of the winery, with a different wine to try in each area. It keeps you moving so kids won’t get bored sitting in one place. We initially didn’t know it was self-guided and weren’t prepared with a stroller. Thankfully, they let us borrow one – shaped like a shark, for that matter! You end the tour on a terrace overlooking the property, where we found a cozy little spot and ordered a bottle and cheese plate which Finn was a big fan of!
Rebel Vintners: Cool little wine bar in Downtown Napa, easy walking distance from everything, with board games and old-school Pacman which Finn couldn’t get enough of. Great, comfortable place to end your day
Be sure to try: Leaf and Vine 2013 Amador Zinfandel
Grgich Hills: We did grape stomping here and it was so fun! I definitely recommend! Finn recommends the cabernet grapes.
Be sure to try: Violetta Late Harvest and 2016 Plavac Mali, Grgic Vina
Gott’s Roadside: A Napa staple – you must have a burger here, enjoy eating al fresco (and a drink)! Enough said. Be sure to try: California Burger
Auberge du Soleil: Splurge, but a must! Since we had Finn we opted to have brunch at the Bistro on the terrace. The views were absolutely stunning! My pictures don’t do it justice (photography skills – an ongoing project).
V. Sattui: My favorite tasting of the trip! The best Zinfandels I have ever had hands down. This was also a great place to bring Finn because the layout of the grounds allowed him to crawl around outside and play! They have an artisan deli where you can grab everything you need to create the perfect picnic: sandwiches, paninis, salads, pastas, they make their our charcuterie, and have 200 different cheeses! For something sweet, they even have their own gelato and sorbetto.
Be sure to try: Pilgrim Zinfandel, Black Sears Zinfandel, Angelica, Madeira
If you get the jist, we found some reall great family-oriented wineries with great outdoor spaces and no appointment needed; we’ll save the more formal affairs for an adults-only trip! Also noteworthy is that Finn was 11 months old at the time, and not fully walking yet which certainly made things easier. Now that he’s two, tastings have been more challenging but doable as long as there is somewhere for him to walk around and explore nearby.
Other recommendations:
Bounty Hunter Wine Bar and Smokin BBQ
St. Claire Brown Winery and Brewery
Priest Ranch Tasting Room
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