Your step-by-step guide to the most relaxing, delicious, and utterly indulgent escape in Northern California — from Indian Springs Resort to the rolling hills of Sonoma.
There are getaways, and then there are getaways — the kind that stay with you for months afterward, the ones you catch yourself daydreaming about while staring at your morning coffee. Our recent long weekend through California’s Wine Country was exactly that kind of trip. We flew into San Francisco, picked up a rental car, and gave ourselves the freedom to explore at our own pace — no shuttle schedules, no tour buses, no rushing. Just us, the road ahead, and some absolutely spectacular wine.
If you’ve never driven through the Napa and Sonoma valleys in the golden afternoon light, add it to your list immediately. You’re welcome.
Day 1: Arriving in Napa — St. Helena Boutiques & Winery Tastings
We headed through San Francisco and across the Golden Gate Bridge from the airport into the heart of wine country, rolling down the windows and soaking in the California sunshine as the vineyards appeared on either side of the road. Our home base for the first two nights was the legendary Indian Springs Resort and Spa in Calistoga. — but more on that in a moment.
First, we made a leisurely stop in St. Helena, and honestly, we could have spent an entire day there. This charming little town along the Napa Valley corridor is lined with beautiful boutiques, art galleries, gourmet food shops, and the kind of laid-back, sophisticated energy that makes you want to slow way down. We were dressed in our comfortable travel style as we strolled, browsed, and ducked into too many stores to count. If you have a weakness for beautiful things — gorgeous linens, handmade jewelry, artisan olive oils — consider yourself warned.
Then came Rombauer Vineyards, perched high up in the hills with views that are nothing short of breathtaking. If you’ve ever had Rombauer Chardonnay — and if you haven’t, stop everything — you know what we mean when we say it’s one of those wines that converts people. Buttery, rich, beautifully balanced. The view from their tasting room, looking out over the valley, is the kind of thing you’d see on a postcard. Go. Just go.
We also highly recommend adding Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars to your Day 1 itinerary — this is one of Napa’s most storied estates, famous for winning the legendary 1976 “Judgment of Paris” blind tasting and essentially putting California wine on the world map. The cave tour is fascinating, the Cabernet Sauvignon is world-class, and the views of the Stags Leap Palisades are stunning. History and great wine, all in one stop.
We are also looking forward to the re-opening of the Flora Springs Winery located in St. Helena. This winery is completing a renovation, but they hope to be hosting visitors again this summer. It is already on the schedule for our next trip!
After our tastings, we drove up to Indian Springs Resort and checked into our little cottage — and that was the moment the trip truly began. Indian Springs has been a Calistoga institution for decades, and the moment you arrive, you understand why. It has this wonderful old-world, Bohemian quality that you just can’t manufacture. Lush grounds, swaying palms, beautiful Buddha pond, mineral pools glowing in the early evening light. Dreamy doesn’t even cover it.
Day 2: The Ultimate Spa Day at Indian Springs — Plus V. Sattui’s Epic Charcuterie
This was the day we had been looking forward to, and it delivered in every possible way.
We spent most of Day 2 immersed in the old-world spa at Indian Springs, and I don’t use “immersed” lightly — we did mud baths (yes, you actually sink into warm volcanic ash mud), massages, salt therapy, linen wraps and facials. One treatment melts into the next in the most blissful way. We emerged feeling stress-free in the best possible sense.
After all that pampering, we spent the early afternoon by the Buddha Pond and in the resort’s gorgeous mineral pool — warm, restorative, and surrounded by swaying palms that make it feel completely otherworldly. This is the kind of spa day that people write about for years (including their cucumber lotion). We’ve been coming to Indian Springs for over thirty years, and it still has that same unhurried, old-world atmosphere that feels increasingly rare. It never disappoints.
In the late afternoon, we rallied ourselves for one of the best decisions of the entire trip: a tasting at V. Sattui Winery. V. Sattui is one of those places that feels made for a lazy, golden afternoon. Their wines are lovely — we especially enjoyed their reds — and their on-site deli and market is an absolute treasure.
We ordered ahead (highly recommend this!) and picked up their artisanal cheese and charcuterie platter — a gorgeous spread of V. Sattui salumi, Prosciutto di Parma, a selection of artisan cheeses, olives, nuts, and dried fruit. Then we wandered through their extensive retail store and added mustard, fresh bread, and a couple of their delicious prepared salads that paired perfectly with our wine selections.
We drove back to our cozy Indian Springs cottage, spread everything out, poured our wine, and just… sat. Sat and snacked and talked and laughed and refilled our glasses and didn’t look at our phones. If there’s a more perfect way to spend a Wine Country evening, we haven’t found it.
Day 3: Healdsburg & Sonoma Valley — Hiking, Brunch, and a Winery Tour to Remember
On Day 3, we checked out of Indian Springs and made our way toward Santa Rosa, where we settled in at the Flamingo Resort and Spa. This mid-century gem has a beautiful outdoor pool area and a wonderful retro energy to it — it’s been thoughtfully updated while keeping its original charm. Santa Rosa puts you within 15 minutes of the Charles M. Schulz Museum (a must for any Peanuts fans — Charlie Brown’s hometown!), as well as easy access to the shops and restaurants of downtown Santa Rosa.
But before all of that, the morning called for a hike.
We started Day 3 with a morning hike at Taylor Mountain Regional Park in Sonoma County — a wonderful, accessible hike with sweeping views over the Sonoma Mountains and valley below. It’s a perfect way to shake off any lingering spa-day bliss and remind your legs that they still work. The views at the top are genuinely gorgeous, and there’s something special about earning your wine and brunch by breaking a sweat first.
Speaking of brunch — Grossman’s Noshery & Bar in Santa Rosa was a great find. This is the kind of neighborhood spot that turns a meal into an event. Creative, generous, deeply satisfying. It’s the kind of brunch you talk about on the drive to your next stop, which in our case was one of the highlights of the entire trip.
We booked a tour and tasting at La Crema Winery in Healdsburg, and if you’re lucky enough to get Troy as your guide, you are genuinely in for something special. Troy’s enthusiasm for the wines, the land, and the whole La Crema story is infectious and completely genuine. La Crema produces elegant Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, and the winery’s focus on coastal growing regions makes for wines with a beautiful freshness and complexity. Don’t skip this one.
We ended Day 3 with dinner at The Matheson in Healdsburg — an upscale, farm-to-table restaurant that is every bit as good as its reputation suggests. Beautiful space, thoughtful menu, a wonderful bar featuring an impressive wine wall featuring 88 curated, rotating wines. Healdsburg as a dinner destination is always a good idea.
Day 4: Final Winery Stops Before Heading Home
On our last morning, we made our way through a few more exceptional wineries before pointing the car back toward San Francisco. Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma is one of California’s oldest wineries and drips with history — a gorgeous property and wines to match. St. Francis Winery in Santa Rosa is another wonderful stop, known for its rich reds and beautiful tasting room with mountain views. And for something truly special, Iron Horse Vineyards in Sebastopol is famous for its exceptional sparkling wines and sweeping hilltop views — it’s the kind of place that makes you want to celebrate absolutely everything.
The Bottom Line: Why California Wine Country Never Gets Old
Whether it’s your first visit to Napa and Sonoma or your fifteenth, this region has a way of making you feel completely taken care of. The food is exceptional, the wine is (obviously) spectacular, the scenery is almost unfairly beautiful, and there’s a generosity of spirit in this part of California that makes it feel genuinely warm and welcoming.
Indian Springs Resort, in particular, holds a special place in our hearts. Thirty-plus years of visits and it still feels like magic. That’s rare. That’s the real thing.
Start planning. Book the spa. Order the charcuterie platter. If you love wine, start planning this trip.
Have you visited Napa or Sonoma Valley? Drop your favorite hidden gem winery or restaurant in our feedback section — we’d love to add it to our next visit list!
And if you found this guide helpful, share it with someone who needs a little wine country in their life. 🍷
