I prefer Big Basin but its further away. Its a bigger park with more trails. Muir isn't bad though. It does get crowded so get there early.
On activities: Is Muir Woods worth the trip? We wanted to see some redwoods and probably spend a day or two outside. Open to other suggestions for parks that are a reasonable distance from the city.
I would fly into Oak if I were you. Smaller airport, faster security lines, and also has bart access.
Cheapest flight so far seems to be PHL -> SLC -> OAK on Delta for $394 per person (Google Flights).
We just did a trip to the redwoods and Napa, and I have to agree with all this. Napa was not that much fun for us. Sonoma was cool, but the farther north we got the more relaxed everything seemed to be.Skip Napa and do northern Sonoma instead.
Healdsburg is a darling little town, and beats the heck out of Napa. Wineries are $5 a tasting, usually comped if you purchase a $20 or so bottle, compared to $15 non-refundable with $60+ bottles.
The drive between Geyserville and Napa is about the prettiest drive in the entire area (128 to Silverado Trail) and is loaded with great wineries. You can stay in Healdsburg and do that loop just as easily as if you were staying in Napa. You can get a nicer hotel for the same price in that area, and the restaurants are less crowded. The wineries are less snooty and more welcoming, fewer tourists and less rush. Less industrial of an area too.
Skip Napa and do northern Sonoma instead.
Healdsburg is a darling little town, and beats the heck out of Napa. Wineries are $5 a tasting, usually comped if you purchase a $20 or so bottle, compared to $15 non-refundable with $60+ bottles.
The drive between Geyserville and Napa is about the prettiest drive in the entire area (128 to Silverado Trail) and is loaded with great wineries. You can stay in Healdsburg and do that loop just as easily as if you were staying in Napa. You can get a nicer hotel for the same price in that area, and the restaurants are less crowded. The wineries are less snooty and more welcoming, fewer tourists and less rush. Less industrial of an area too.
We just did a trip to the redwoods and Napa, and I have to agree with all this. Napa was not that much fun for us. Sonoma was cool, but the farther north we got the more relaxed everything seemed to be.
If OP has the time and inclination, I think he'll find that it gets even more relaxed and the wine better if he keeps driving all the way up to the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Their pinot noirs beat anyway either Napa or Sonoma produces IMHO and the sights along the way (like Crater Lake) aren't too shabby either. As with any suggestion though, it depends on what the OP's time, budget, and interests are.
If OP has the time and inclination, I think he'll find that it gets even more relaxed and the wine better if he keeps driving all the way up to the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Their pinot noirs beat anyway either Napa or Sonoma produces IMHO and the sights along the way (like Crater Lake) aren't too shabby either. As with any suggestion though, it depends on what the OP's time, budget, and interests are.
SFO to Willamette: 9 hrs 52 mins drive time.
I actually surprisingly didn't care for Willamette much. Trying too hard to emulate hoity toity Napa. (I'm also not the biggest Pinot Noir fan, but if I'm going pinot I think Russian River Valley or Anderson Valley produce pinots of roughly the same quality as Willamette, although with different character.) In Oregon I prefer the Rogue River area, and particularly the Applegate Trail. Very nice folks in that area. It's a great spring/summer trip - not sure I'd do it in the fall.
For tasting up north I found Walla Walla to be my favorite spot so far - I haven't been everywhere but the wine was better than Yakima or Columbia Valley, and it was less marketing-geared than Willamette. I haven't been tasting in BC other than a little bit in the Fraser Valley, but that little trip was a lot of fun, very different feel than anywhere else I've been.
Pretty drive out 116 to the coast. Not very vineyard-y but feels very much like a vacation. If you're going out past Guernville and you're into either champagne or history or both, time your trip to coincide with Korbel's winery tour. They've got a very neat little museum of their history and it's quite an enjoyable story.Thanks for all of the information so far. It's really, really helpful! Based on some suggestions here, I'm looking to fly into SFO and spend 3-4 days in the city, then rent a car and drive up to Sonoma and stay in a B&B (I've found a couple good deals so far). Maybe a day to drive up to the Healdsburg area and do a few tours, then another day to drive out to Sonoma Coast State Beach and hang out in Sonoma or Napa proper. Finally, one more day in the area (maybe somewhere between Sonoma and Healdsburg?) doing some more tours, possibly having a picnic or something.
Still working on the San Francisco portion of the trip, but I'm thinking maybe some walking tours or the Modern Art Museum? Open to suggestions.
FWIW, I'll be flying from EWR to SFO; seems to be the best option price-wise at the moment.
Pretty drive out 116 to the coast. Not very vineyard-y but feels very much like a vacation. If you're going out past Guernville and you're into either champagne or history or both, time your trip to coincide with Korbel's winery tour. They've got a very neat little museum of their history and it's quite an enjoyable story.
Healdsburg > Calistoga > Sonoma > Napa, IMO. Again, if you're a history buff, check out Mission Sonoma in (er) Sonoma. Or the old Adobe in Petaluma.
the "Bart access" involves a 15 minute bus ride. Virgin America has non-stop flight from PHL or EWR to SFO. Best terminal in SFO, check yelp, terminal 2.
Thanks for all of the information so far. It's really, really helpful! Based on some suggestions here, I'm looking to fly into SFO and spend 3-4 days in the city, then rent a car and drive up to Sonoma and stay in a B&B (I've found a couple good deals so far). Maybe a day to drive up to the Healdsburg area and do a few tours, then another day to drive out to Sonoma Coast State Beach and hang out in Sonoma or Napa proper. Finally, one more day in the area (maybe somewhere between Sonoma and Healdsburg?) doing some more tours, possibly having a picnic or something.
Still working on the San Francisco portion of the trip, but I'm thinking maybe some walking tours or the Modern Art Museum? Open to suggestions.
FWIW, I'll be flying from EWR to SFO; seems to be the best option price-wise at the moment.