September and October are my favorite times to visit California. Summer still lingers, the rains are not yet here but the sun has lost some of its fire and has settled for a more gentle warmth.
Fall is the perfect time to tour the wine regions of Northern California, as the grape vines change from green to gold and red, and the harvest begins.
Many vineyards here are welcoming to families with young children and some are hosting special events to celebrate another fruitful year.
These are some of my favorite vineyards to visit with small children in tow.
Belden Barns
Nate and Lauren, the owners of the beautiful working farm and vineyard Belden Barns, invite you to their annual Grape Stomp. Nate says: “We do this to celebrate harvest and give families a chance to get out into the vineyard to actually pick grapes and bring them in to stomp them – with bare feet.
“We also have a great nature scavenger hunt for kids that want to partake and a farm tour where folks can taste a variety of vegetable crops straight out of the field with insight from our farming partners.
“Kids can have a great day outside in a natural setting getting a better understanding of how food is grown.”
Nate and Lauren have two young children of their own and are passionate about educating the next generation in sustainable, healthy food.
The Stomp is on Saturday October 5 from 11am to 4pm. All ages can attend. Those 21 and older require a ticket.
5561 Sonoma Mountain Rd, Santa Rosa, 415-577-8552. Tastings by appointment.
ACORN Winery
September and October are great times to visit ACORN, a small vineyard tucked away in the Russian River Valley, according to Betsy Nachbaur, who owns the farm with husband Bill.
“The grapes are ripe enough to taste good, and if at all possible my husband likes to take families for a vineyard walk, to taste grapes, see owl houses, and maybe a jackrabbit or two.” Betsy says.
“We are totally ‘kid friendly’, and more importantly, welcoming to families with children. First of all is our attitude: we attempt to convey a sense of welcome to all of our guests, not just wine tasters!
“For the youngest (and their parents) we have a changing table in our restroom. For older children’s’ indoor amusement, we have Lego, crayons (and paper), and for outside engagement, balls and cornhole. As our tasting room (a converted garage) opens to the outdoors, older more independent kids (with their parents ‘ok’) can freely explore the vineyard, try to catch lizards, and climb the hill.”
Tastings are by appointment only, one group at a time, so families needn’t worry about their children disturbing others, Betsy adds.
Reservations for tastings can be made on ACORN’s website. When you sign up you will be asked for credit card information, but not be charged. This is the time to add a note of your children’s ages.
12040 Old Redwood Highway Healdsburg, CA
For more information or to make an appointment, call 707 433 6440.
Landmark Vineyards
Nestled in the Sonoma Valley, Landmark has agricultural pedigree: it was founded in 1974 by a group including Damaris Deere Ford, the great-great granddaughter of John Deere.
During the summer and until October 6th, Landmark offers a unique family activity: horse-drawn carriage tours through the estate, led by third-generation farmer, Pat Prather. The tour includes Sonoma wine history as well as winemaking techniques and viniculture practices.
Tours are available every Saturday between May 5th and October 6th between 12pm-3pm, no reservations required.
Landmark is holding its annual Harvest Festival on Saturday October 5, from noon until 3pm, including BBQ, fall released wines and live music. Tickets are available on the website at $60 each.
101 Adobe Canyon Road
Kenwood, CA 95452
Hours: 10am to 5pm, daily
707 833 0053
Preston Farm and Winery
Bring your lunch, Preston Farm and Winery is the perfect spot for a picnic. Or forget, and buy some fresh-baked bread, pickles and olive oil from the farm shop. Not only is everything in the shop made on site, all the ingredients are grown here too.
I can attest the organic and biodynamic wine here is excellent and after your tasting, you can take a walk through the beautiful gardens. Kids will enjoy visiting the farm animals and spotting the cats snoozing in the sunshine.
The owners, Lou and Susan, have embraced a traditional approach to viniculture, which has led them to replace herbicides and pesticides with weeding and diverse planting. They also use traditional ways to process the grapes – replacing some of the machines with muscle.
Admittedly I am no wine expert but I thought they were delightful.
No appointment needed, open 11am-4.30pm.
9282 West Dry Creek Road
Healdsburg, CA 95448
707 433 3372
Francis Ford Coppola
While the above vineyards should give you a taste of the smaller estates that often exclusively sell their bottles to upscale restaurants, Francis Ford Coppola is a household name.
Bringing a touch of old-school Hollywood glamour to the mostly conservative region, families can browse the movie memorabilia gallery before enjoying lunch and a swim.
More of a resort than a vineyard, this is a fun place to visit and is totally welcoming to kids. For the full experience, renting out a cabine makes sense as you will have somewhere private to change and take a break from the sun.
Make your reservations online ahead of your visit ($40 for adults, $20 for kids for just the pool pass or $210 for a cabine reservation for four on a weekend).
Bocce and board games are also available free of charge to guests.
Francis Ford Coppola Winery is hosting a Halloween family event on October 27th. Find more details or make a pool reservation on the website.
300 Via Archimedes, Geyserville, CA 95441
Book a wine tasting, tour or pool pass: 707 857 1471
Beringer
California’s oldest continually operating winery, Beringer is a slice of Napa history. Kids under six are allowed to tag along on a 30 minute cave tour for free with adults who buy a $30 ticket (tasting included). The caves were hand-chiseled out of the hillside by Chinese laborers in the 1870s to create a place to store and age the wine.
On Saturdays during the Summer, and through to October 26th, Beringer hosts live music events, a perfect way to spend an afternoon in wine country.
Turn up for an informal tasting or book a tour on this historic property here.
2000 Main Street, St. Helena, CA 94574
Winery Hours: 10.00am – 5.30pm
Sterling Vineyards
Sterling, founded in 1964, has grown to several estates dotted around Napa Valley. However, their Calistoga estate has the most unique family-friendly tasting experience – an aerial tram to the top of a hill!
Courtney Baldwin, spokesperson for Sterling, says: “Our Signature Experience is a nice outing for the entire family. Enjoy sweeping views of the valley from a very unique vantage point – Napa Valley’s only aerial tram.
“There are plenty of stunning photo opportunities along the way as you embark on a self-guided tour, getting a sneak-peak into our winemaking facilities and beautiful vista points.”
Tickets are $35 a person and include a tasting. Under 21 tickets are $20 and three and under go free.
The experience is one hour and reservations can be made online.
1111 Dunaweal Lane, Calistoga, CA 94515
Winery hours: 10am – 4:30pm
Where to stay
Geyserville, a small town in Sonoma, is a great base to explore the region. The town is tiny but punches well above its weight in terms of restaurants – check out Diavola Pizzeria – and has a low-key, relaxed atmosphere.
The Geyserville Inn is a family-friendly hotel with attached restaurant Geyserville Grille serving some excellent breakfast and dinner, plus an outdoor swimming pool.
Looking for more California adventures? Check out my posts on the Redwoods and San Francisco!
These all look fantastic! My daughter would love to try a grape stomp!
Yes, finally permission to make a mess with food! 😀