napa valley or sonoma valley? (Santa Rosa, Burbank: renting, school, stores)

[aet08]

whats the difference, whats better for a couple going for xmas?
What is there to do? which would have better options for the holiday?
yes, i know there will be limited things to do because of stuff being closed.

[oddstray]

You don't need to choose. They're close enough that you can visit them both.

I haven't been there for a long time, but from what I remember Napa Valley has the wineries. Sonoma Valley has the mission. If you go farther up, towards Santa Rosa, there's Jack London State Historic Park.

I don't know which, if any, of the above would be open during the holidays. I also don't know which, if any, you would consider "better". So pick one (or more) and research opening hours.

[Zeitgast]

SF is a better bet. Weather is bad in wine country in Dec.

If you still want to visit do both specifically:

- Calistoga, St Helena and Yountville in Napa
- Healdsburg, Sonoma, Glen Ellen and perhaps Armstrong Redwood Forest in Sonoma

[cre8lite]

I don't know about Napa, but in Sonoma County there are so many options.... Luther Burbank Gardens in Santa Rosa; Korbel Winery tour out by the Russian River; the Charles Schultz museum in Santa Rosa; Petrified Forest in Calistoga; Old Faithful in Calistoga; Safari West in Santa Rosa; Fort Ross out on the coast; the "school house" in Bodega where Hitchcock's "The Bird's" was filmed; just to name a few

Amd there is PLENTY of wine tasting in BOTH counties....

[eastbayhopeful]

Napa and Sonoma are close enough together that you can visit both (but renting a car is an absolute necessity). Coming from a former resident, pretty much EVERYTHING shuts down Christmas Eve/Day in Sonoma. I would plan on staying in Napa and visiting whatever is open in Sonoma. Napa is a much bigger town with more to do in general. Sonoma is also still fighting to keep the mom-and-pop businesses open and most are closed on holidays. Some chain stores have made their way there but not enough to make Sonoma particularly convenient to stay in. Plus, there are a lot more accommodation options in Napa, as Sonoma has mostly small inns and B&Bs which can fill up quickly.

You did pick a good time to come though, I will never understand why people choose to come here in the summer - everything is brown and really ugly. At least you will get to see some greenery, even if it may get a little foggy or drizzly!

[DMenscha]

NAPA makes auto parts. Calaveras makes wine. At least that's what our bumper stickers say.

gocalaveras.com

We might even be able to offer you snow up country too during the end of December.