Napa and Sonoma Valley with Kids

If you are interested in visiting the Napa Valley/Sonoma area but have rejected the idea because you have children, you have been wasting time! It is such a common misconception that couples think they can’t bring their kids along on their wine tasting adventures. There are a number of places that are family-friendly allowing you to take your desired vacation while bringing the kids along for the experience! Stop delaying your vacation and start deciding which remarkable, family-friendly activities and wineries you are going to choose!
Activities:

• The Petrified Forest in Calistoga is just north of Napa. It is a great place for children to marvel at a variety of petrified trees that are incredibly old and large.
• The Old Faithful Geyser of California is in the heart of the wine country, also located in Calistoga. The kids will  love to adventure through the bamboo and pampas grass in the setting of Mt. St. Helena and the Palisades mountains to get to the uprising stream of bubbling hot water where they will encounter the skyward outpour that is “the geyser”.
• Enjoy a tour of Napa or Yountville on a Segway! On the Segway Tour, you and you children can experience the thrill of Napa together or you can just rent the Segways by the hour! (Child must be at least 90 lbs. to drive their own Segway)
• The Scientopia Discover Center is located in the city of Napa. It’s great for younger kids to check out exhibits, play with toys, and enjoy arts & crafts.
• The Jelly Belly Factory is located in Fairfield. Enjoy a free real-working factory tour that teaches you the secret to creating the famous Jelly Belly beans. It’s fun and interesting for everyone!
• The legendary Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo is near Napa. You can’t go wrong if you take them to a theme park!
• Safari West is also located in the heart of the wine country. The African Jeep Tour experience will give your family a taste of the Serengeti! The kids are guaranteed to enjoy this enchanting world of nature and wildlife!
• Lake Sonoma is a perfect place to stop for a couple days on your family trip if you have the time. Not only is the location naturally beautiful with meadows and wildflowers, but the amount of activities offered are sure to keep your children enthralled! Your family can participate in camping, fishing tours in the hatchery, kayaking, hiking, swimming, picnics, and more!
• Bothe Park in Napa Valley is another great natural place for the whole family. This park offers horseback riding, hiking, games for the children, and a large swimming pool under the trees!
• If you plan on coming during the holiday season, the town of Calistoga has one of the most old-fashioned Christmas parades fully decked out in lights that will have your kids merrier than ever!

Family-Friendly Wineries:

• Castello di Amorosa features a tour of the castle and dungeon that the kids usually love. While the adults do some wine tasting, the kids do some juice tasting!
• Sterling Vineyards has a tram ride to the hilltop where the winery is located with gorgeous views! This is great for families, because it is self-guided, so you can go at your own pace.
• Cline Cellars is located in a farmhouse that was built in the 1850’s. This top-pick winery is great for families to enjoy a nice picnic on the lawn with spring-fed ponds, willow trees, gardens, and thousands of roses surrounding you.
• The Clif Family Winery combines their love for the outdoors and wine all into one with the Vino Velo shop that provides wine tasting and bicycles for the whole family to enjoy. Your family can take a nice ride along the winery after the adults get a taste of the Climber Red wine or maybe the Kits Killer Cab Sauvignon.
• The Tudal Family Winery is perfect for families! This winery has places for the kids to explore while you taste what the Tudal Family has been fermenting. They can visit the bocce court, the flower and vegetable gardens, or the collection of historic farm tractors, tools and novelties!
• The Napa Valley Wine Train is a classic for any Napa visitor and also kid-friendly on select nights that are dedicated to Family Fun (ages 3-12 only)! This is offered twice a month during the school year or on Sundays during the summer. For each adult, one child travels free, which is always a plus! The children will be entertained by a professional care provider in a separate car with own dinner plans while the adults enjoy their dinner together!

In general, there are a variety of agencies in the area that provide licensed nannies or babysitters who can take care of your children at your hotel if you wish to go out for a romantic night.  As you can see, these are only SOME of the endless things you can do with your kids in the Napa Valley and Sonoma areas, so don’t put off your adventures anymore.