The week is coming to a close and a busy parent is probably tired and possibly dreaming about a nice glass of wine 😉 If you live in Northern California in general and San Francisco Bay Area in particular you are blessed with Sonoma and Napa in the vicinity. I already did reviews of family friendly wineries in Sonoma County and family friendly wineries and attractions in Napa Valley. But sometimes traffic can be bad and you are just not in the mood to spend 2 hours each way to get to these popular destinations. No problem! If you live in or visit San Francisco Bay Area there are great wineries right on the Peninsular that will save you a lot of time driving up North.

If you are new to wine tasting, I suggest you first read my earlier post about tips for preparing for winery visits, which will put you right at ease. If you think that wineries may not be the best option for a road trip with kids, I can assure you that this itinerary includes two great family friendly wineries with scenic views and hiking trails plus a visit to a hidden villa with botanical gardens. And once in a while parents are allowed to do something fun for themselves without feeling guilty!

Santa Cruz Mountains wine growing region is nestled on beautiful rolling hills among majestic redwoods and is mostly famous for Pinot Noir, Cabernet and Chardonnay grape varietals. The wineries that I recommend in this post offer both red and white wines that are of good quality and reasonably priced.

Stop 1. Picchetti Winery. This winery is located in Picchetti Ranch Open Space Preserve and next to the Stevens Creek County Park. Once you are done with wine tasting the opportunities for hiking are abundant (which will help clear your head before the drive to the next stop ;-)). There are open trails and shaded trails and kids will have fun at the water reservoir. You can even fish there!

Two things families will enjoy at the winery itself is a big shaded picnic area and resident peacocks. These are wild birds that love roaming the grounds because tourists feed them.

Stop 2. Savannah-Chanelle winery. This winery is just 6 miles drive from Stop 1 and is famous for its beautiful grounds and phenomenal scenic views. In summer Svannah-Chanelle organizes concert series during weekends. There are two picnic areas here, one where concerts are held (access is for a small additional fee during performances) and one near the tasting room (free for all).

For hiking nearby you can check out Sanborn County Park.

Stop 3. Another 4.5 miles drive and you will find yourself at a hidden gem of Santa Cruz Mountains – Montalvo Arts Center. Open and FREE for the public (except for special events), Montalvo comprises a cultural and arts center, a park, hiking trails and the historic Villa Montalvo, an Italian mansion located in Saratoga, CA. The mansion and estate were constructed from 1912–14 by California statesman and businessman James Pehlan. After Phelan’s death, the entire estate was donated to California as a park and then a cultural and arts center as it exists today. The atmosphere here is very laid back and relaxing. Montalvo is not too famous in the Bay Area and not overrun by tourists yet.

What you can do at Montalvo:

• stroll in the park/botanical garden with beautiful marble sculptures;

• explore around the villa which has several interesting installations and fountains on the grounds; (tours inside the villa is by advance reservation only and for a fee)

• hike multiple wooded trails;
• attend a performance at an outdoor theater;
• view art exhibitions organized by the arts center.

This itinerary nicely packs in one leisurely day, pleasant and relaxing. For more information about Santa Cruz Mountain Wine Trails, please visit HERE.

For a great wine tasting card to take with you for tasting (wineries don’t usually provide any and if they do they are dismal), please, visit my SHOP page. I have designed this handy card so that it is easy to use for both experienced wine lovers and beginners alike. You will receive a PDF file which you may re-use as many times as you like.

If you prefer just to enjoy nature, hiking and art without wine tasting then this itinerary will be an Adventure Under $10.

If you found this family trip itinerary useful, please do me a little favor and share this information with others, for there’s a good chance that it will help them with their travel plans. 🙂