8 Crush-Worthy Road Trips for Wine Lovers

The valleys north of San Francisco are full of those pilgrimaging to “wine country.” There’s plenty of press for big names, but pro picks by wine educator Maryam Ahmed are all about inclusion and hospitality. Don’t miss Brown Estate and Benevolent Neglect in downtown Napa. RD Winery, the first Vietnamese-owned winery in Napa, has a buzz-worthy pairing menu. In the neighboring Sonoma Valley, Extradimensional Wine Co‘s fun tasting room gets a nod along with the farming folk at Bedrock Wine Co.

Beyond the wine, both valleys have vineyard biking tours and mountainous paths ringing the valleys. Paddling the Napa River provides an intimate look at the valley’s crucial water source. Luxury stays are the norm for the region, but romantic glamping retreats in Sonoma create the best of both worlds.

Heading south to San Francisco, stroll one of the 150 miles of trails on the undeveloped Point Reyes National Seashore shoreline. Less than an hour south, the Muir Woods National Monument mirrors the massive Redwood forests of Northern California before you reach the Golden Gate Bridge.

Behind Napa and Sonoma, the country’s second-most visited wine region is smack in the heart of the Lone Star State. Texas Hill Country sun produces mineral whites and Spanish-style reds around eroding limestone and granite domes.

Fredericksburg–a haven for antique lovers, farm-fresh foodies, and music lovers–makes a good base with 60 wineries in the county. Pedernales Cellars’ owners helped bring Texas wine back, and the view is as winning as the wines. Adega Vinho offers Portuguese varieties in a mod setting. On Fredericksburg’s main street, stop in at Piccolina for a fresh-ingredient Italian ice topped with prosecco.

State parks cluster in these limestone hills. Follow the river through Pedernales State Park and camp under the International Dark Sky at Enchanted Rock. Mountain bikers have dedicated parks an hour north, and paddlers can take on the Guadalupe River. For a wild time, stay with white rhinos and giraffes at Longneck Manor, a global conservation partner.

Austin and San Antonio bookend this trip, and travelers can flex their time with a plethora of experiences in both cities. Wine lovers, don’t miss the Austin Winery.

Washington tops adventure destination lists with dynastic dominance. Less known: the state’s valleys and volcanic soils yield world-class wine. In Seattle’s Post Alley, The Tasting Room pours a tutorial on Washington wines. Once you’ve had your fill of the Sound, it’s off to the looming Mount Rainier. Stay at Crystal Mountain, a neighboring ski resort with VIP views, and beat the national park’s morning rush with a short drive to the Sunrise entrance.

Head east to Walla Walla, the state’s most famous wine region. There are more than 30 tasting rooms in downtown alone with a vibe for everyone. The Thief Shop, one of the best community wine shops in the country, is the place to get your bearings. Ready for a vino break? The Blue Mountains around Walla Walla have plenty of recreational diversions.

Driving north through the rolling and remote Palouse may bring out your inner Mario Andretti. Shake it off with a walk around the 200-foot Palouse Falls before ending your trip in Spokane. After one last blast in the mountains around town, visit Liberty Lake Wine Cellars for a highly-rated lineup and Winescapes Winery for dynamite French styles.

Oregon has over a thousand wineries, most rooted in the valleys down the state’s spine. Start this loop in the verdant Columbia Gorge just east of Portland: hiking and mountain biking trails snake around the river and Mount Hood. Local Loop de Loop and the Soca Wine Shop are top wine choices around Hood River for aromatic and complex pours. Add a little whimsy at the nearby Skamania Lodge with a treehouse or glamping stay.

To the south, Willamette Valley has a global reputation for Pinot Noir but offers other honed varietals. Options suit every taste, but the views from Domaine Willamette are as sparkling as its specialty. Beckham Estate feels like a ceramic studio, making terracotta amphorae for wine and beer. The 150-mile-long valley loves any excuse for a festival.

Push south to Crater Lake National Park or head to the coast, known for miles of public beaches, tide pools, rocky vistas, and open dunes. Once settled in Portland, Bauman’s Cider Company is a Portlandia palate cleanser from a 5th-generation homestead farm family.

Colorado’s wine country booms out west, where the high desert plateau reaches its canyons and mesas into Colorado at Grand Junction. Ten minutes east of this recreation hub is Palisade, packed with peaches and vineyards. Carboy and Colterris wineries have clout, and there is plenty to play with in Savage Spectrum and Ordinary Fellow’s fun lineups. Over the mesa, the West Elks wine region twists in narrow valleys. The Storm Cellar holds the literal high ground and hosts open-air dinners with local partners.

There is truly no wrong way to head east to Denver. The Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Great Sand Dunes cut a rugged southern route. Sweep north and hit the state’s famed mountain towns and Rocky Mountain National Park. Time it right in the summer for Vail or Breckenridge’s Wine Classics, casual showcases of some of the world’s best wines paired with outdoor fun.

While famous for brews, Denver rocks a quality urban winery scene. Infinite Monkey Theorem and Noble Riot embody the trendy RiNo art neighborhood. Peeking into downtown’s train station, Sunday Vinyl exudes a glam wine bar.

The world’s largest freshwater system creates the perfect climate for hardy hybrid vines to make quality wines. Start at Detroit Vineyards, one of the country’s largest urban wineries. North from the Motor City, the “Tip of Mitt” beckons with balanced whites, spicy reds, and seasonal cherry wine. Old Mission and Leelanau Peninsulas produce the region’s most distinct wine styles. Award-winning 45 North Vineyard and Winery, with a 3-mile hiking trail, is a stellar example. 

Kayaking, hiking, camping, and sailing are around every curve of the shoreline. Bike the Leelanau Trail or sled the Sleeping Bear Dunes. The famous car-free island of Mackinac is excellent for families, while Beaver Island offers less traveled trails.

Load your car on the ferry at Muskegon and lose sight of land as you cross Lake Michigan to Milwaukee. Take a swing north to Door County, Wisconsin’s beloved getaway, or fish like the pros on Lake Winnebago. Just don’t leave Milwaukee without savoring the delectable 4-course pairing menu with a coveted reservation at Ester Ev.

New Hampshire is not just leaf-peeping and the scrappy White Mountains. The state’s fruit orchards give winemakers plenty of range. The “proudly contrarian” Hermit Woods, on the way north from Boston to the mountains, masters berry wines without the sugar bomb. Their lakeside venue is worth a detour.

Lincoln serves as a recreational gateway, with hikes up the Franconia Notch and through the Plume Gorge. The apres-hike stop is the patio at Seven Birches Winery, which looks out onto mountain vines. Before leaving the Granite State, head east to Mt. Washington, famous for its erratic weather.

On Maine’s side of the border, the North Woods stretch to the state’s peak at Mount Katahdin, where you can join Appalachian Trail hikers at the top of this national monument’s untouched watershed. Less than three hours south, lumber meets lobster around Acadia National Park. More than a dozen wineries on Maine’s Wine Trail add appeal to the iconic coastline.

Deserts aren’t known for vineyards, but the Chiricahua mountains, 80 minutes east of Tucson, produce some of the state’s best vintages. Camp and hike among jagged stacks of hardened volcanic ash in the national monument. Nearby Willcox gives easy access to more than a dozen vineyards like Aridus Wine Company and Carlson Creek Vineyards.

Take advantage of the UNESCO-recognized food scene and Flying Leap Vineyard’s tasting room in Tucson. Or consider a detour south to Elgin for Los Milics’s renowned tasting room before returning to the city and basking under the urban dark sky park in Saguaro National Park. Further north, Scottsdale’s compact wine trail makes an easy city stay in the Phoenix area. Paddlers, the Salt River outside of town is a local favorite, with untamed horses and sandy stretches.

The wellness mecca of Sedona serves weighty reds like Shiraz from the area’s Verde Valley. Enjoy pristine paths between red buttes and the lush lagoon trails at the 423-acre Dead Horse Ranch State Park nature preserve. Then catch a sunset tram ride to Merkin Vineyard Hilltop Tasting room in Cottonwood for wine and gelato. And, of course, just over two hours to the north, the Grand Canyon is one of the world’s greatest natural wonders.