Praise The Lord, hallelujah!
Happy hump day!
Hope you are having a great day! I know I have been a little out of touch lately because I decided to (partially) unplug from social media during our anniversary trip…and then a few days after it ended.
It was sooo nice but happy to be back!
We spent our second year wedding anniversary in Calistoga, CA and it was beautiful! The weather was perfect, the wineries were fun to explore, and the nearby towns were darling.
In this post, I plan to cover details about the trip. Last year, on this post, I shared about our first year adventure as a married couple. However, for this blog post, I am sharing details about our trip because I plan on sharing more about marriage later this week.
About where we stayed
We stayed at Calistoga Motor Lodge. It is a retro-inspired hotel with pretty cool views from the pool. Our room was facing the mountains so that was incredible to wake up to as well. We spent most of our time outside of the resort except for the first night. I am not sure what the pool environment was during the day, but I will say this, if you are looking for an adult-only resort, this isn’t it. This place is a family-friendly option with two pools and one hot tub to choose from.
Pros:
- Great location – close to wineries and the cute Calistoga town.
- You can walk to the nearest hiking trail, Oat Hill Mine Trail.
- The staff will replenish snacks, water, and coffee every day.
- There is a spa onsite.
- The pools are fed from underground hot springs, which I find to be pretty cool.
- Our room was spacious (probably bigger than our apartment haha).
Cons:
- The walls were thin and could hear our loud neighbors. Not fun.
- I didn’t think the pillows were comfortable…but Jose thought they were fine. I guess we have different taste in pillows sometimes.
Also, just fyi, they are currently under construction. They are in the process of building a restaurant and additional rooms. Again, we didn’t spend much time at the hotel during the day so the construction noise didn’t bother us.
We met a local couple at our last dinner and they suggested staying at the Solage so we will most likely consider their suggestion next time.
Where we ate
OOooOOOo, only my other favorite thing to talk about other than clothes or shoes…FOOD. I LOVE FOOD, therefore, I did extensive research on where to eat. Here is a list of the musts:
- Sam’s Social Club: Please come here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You will not regret it. On a serious note, we came here for breakfast and we were not disappointed. I really wanted to come for lunch and dinner too but chose to explore other options. They have a really nice patio to enjoy a meal and/or drinks. Our waiter was super nice, he surprised us with mimosas and churros!
- Brix Restaurant and Gardens: Not only do they serve delicious food, they also offer incredible views. But who are we kidding? Napa Valley is plain gorgeous. Personally, I loved walking around the gardens after eating dinner. We wrapped up the evening by the fire with a glass of wine. Quite the romantic place for a special celebration.
- Auberge du Soleil: Another place with amazing views. We came here for lunch and immersed ourselves in the nature setting it has to offer. Honestly, I cannot wait until we are able to afford to stay here.
- Bosko’s Trattoria: Craving Italian food? This place was a real hit. They have wood fired pizzas too!
Wineries we visited
- V. Sattui: We stopped here on the way to Calistoga because it was on the way to the hotel. We didn’t go out of our way and it was one of the few wineries that stayed open until 6 p.m. The tasting was so much fun (thanks to our bartender). We bought a few things from the deli to eat in the picnic area and also took some things back to our hotel. Highly recommend to stop by for cheese, crackers, bread, and wine.
- Vincent Arroyo Winery: This was one of my favorite wineries because they offered an intimate experience by providing a tour of the property, explaining the winemaking process, and giving us undivided attention. Their property was beyond stunning with incredible views of the mountains. You can actually catch a glimpse of the views on my IG highlights. They only take appointments so be sure to schedule yours!
- Robert Mondavi Winery: Not going to lie, I was going to skip over this one because I wanted to explore non-touristy wineries but so glad we didn’t pass it up! A beautiful estate with awesome group tours! I think there was about 20 of us and they still managed to feel everyone included.
- Solorio Family Wines: Last but not least, our top favorite wine tasting and tour. The owner, Mario, was incredibly sweet for inviting us to his home to taste his homemade wine. I shared this experience with you through IG stories because I thought it was cool to meet someone who was making their own wine at home. His passion for winemaking shined through and we were happy to have met him. He answered all of our questions and made us feel right at home. Mario – thanks again for an amazing experience!
Off the grid
Here is a list of things you should consider for your next trip to wine country:
- Pack your favorite snacks, a blanket, and a camera, and go hike Oat Hill Mine Trail. We did this on our actual anniversary date and it was THE peak of our trip. I mean, I feel we had many peaks but for sure this activity took first place. We picked a spot on a mountain, set camp, and paused for a moment. It was a moment for connection, away from all the noise. It was sweet and a memory I’ll never forget.
- Go to Castello di Amorosa for wine tasting and/or tour. We didn’t do the wine tasting (or tour) this time but it’s such a beautiful property we had to visit for a walk. We did the wine tasting about two years ago and I remember it being a great experience.
- Visit all of the nearby towns, specifically St. Helena and Calistoga. They’re both adorable places filled with shops, restaurants, and museums. We actually watched The Lion King at St. Helena’s movie theatre, Cameo Cinema, and enjoyed the old time feeling! Oh, the seats were comfy and the ticket prices were not bad at all!
- If you fly in to Sacramento, please do yourself a favor and drive through the backroads (Highway 128) so you can catch a glimpse of Lake Berryessa. The most beautiful lake I have ever seen. I wouldn’t mind going back just to hang out at Lake Berryessa for a few days.
That’s a wrap for today! If you have any questions about our trip, pleeeeease never hesitate to reach out 🙂 I am happy to help!
Hope you have a beautiful evening – I am going to go for a little run outside because this weather is everything to my soul! I think we brought a little of Cali weather to Texas…and if this is what it takes, we will visit every July!
