In April we were lucky to take a trip to San Francisco & Napa Valley with Andrew’s parents. The Napa area is one of my favorites so I was thrilled to be back and to share it with the kids. This was our 3rd time being in the Valley so we were able to visit some of our top spots as well as visit a few new places.

San Francisco/Sausalito

We spent our first night of the trip in Sausalito so that the kids wouldn’t have to spend too much time in the car. Otherwise it’s very doable to drive straight from the SFO airport to Napa.

Andrew and I both really enjoyed our time in SF a few years ago so we were happy to be back, visit a few favorite restaurants and show the kids around as well.

This was my first time in Sausalito and it was super cute. I would definitely go back again and spend more time there. We stayed at The Inn Above Tide. The location was great, and the rooms look right out onto the Bay which Jack was SO excited about. He immediately grabbed the binoculars they had in the room and started searching for any marine life. The hotel offers wine and cheese in your room each evening along with a complimentary breakfast that was lovely.

Other than grabbing ice cream that night and watching over the bay we didn’t spend much time exploring. But I would absolutely go back for another visit.

Jack was super excited about going to the beach and seeing marine animals so that was our goal for the morning. Our first stop was Pier 39 to see the Sea Lions that often congregate there. Pier 39 is a very touristy area but it was empty first thing in the morning. It was worth going just to see Jack so excited about the Sea Lions.

Next we headed for the beach. Even though it wasn’t “beach weather” we took a morning walk along China Beach in San Francisco. I looked up quite a few beaches before deciding on China Beach. I wanted something that was easily accessible (many have long walks or a hike down the the beach), had a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, and was kid friendly. While it was too foggy to see the bridge, China Beach was a great spot. It’s not a beach that is recommended for swimming as the current and tide tends to be too strong but during low tide it is lovely for beach walks and searching for marine life. We saw crabs, anemones, mollusks, and clams.

After the beach we got cleaned up and headed to lunch at Gusto Pinsa Romana. A few other favorite restaurants in the area are Nopalito and Spruce. For other SF recommendations head here for an overview of our last trip.

Napa Valley

We stayed at Meadowood just outside of St. Helena which is where Andrew and I stayed during our trip in 2015. It was so wonderful to be back, I can’t imagine staying anywhere else when we go. They go out of their way to welcome guests and make it special. Shortly after we arrived they delivered surprises for the kids and a plate of cookies to our room.

There are trails around the property, even mild ones that were great for the kids and offer beautiful views. There are three different pools including a family pool, tennis courts, spa, and different dining options. Meadowood is tucked back behind the trees and it is so peaceful and beautiful. I feel so content when I’m there. The kids clearly loved it too.

When I’m in the area there are three places that are a must for me to visit: Model Bakery, Gotts Roadside, and Bouchon Bakery. Of course there are several other restaurants that we love and enjoy, but those are always at the top of my list.

We tried a few other restaurants that had been on our list for a while: Single Thread (in Healdsburg), The Charter Oak, Farmstead (a new favorite), Cook, and Bistro Jeanty (another new favorite). Everywhere we went, with the exception of Single Thread (just Andrew and I went), was family friendly. There wasn’t anywhere that I regretted taking the kids (but always check ahead of time).

Overall we spent most of the trip just wandering around St. Helena & Yountville, popping into our favorite shops. The afternoons were spent at the pool with the kids or walking around Meadowood’s property and hiking trails.

Truthfully we still haven’t been to a vineyard or winery and it’s really not on my wishlist for future trips either. Most of the restaurants have great wine lists and people who are knowledgeable and can help guide you to a good wine. And I would much rather have great food with my wine.

There is SO much more to Napa Valley than just wine, I did a little round up here of all that the area has to offer.

Napa with Kids

I know taking kids to Napa sounds crazy. Especially given when most people think Napa they think “wine”. It doesn’t scream “family vacation” but it worked for us.

No, I wouldn’t say the area is meant for family trips but we knew our kids could handle it and we knew the area well and what would be doable/fun with kids.

If you are doing Napa with kids here are a few tips:

• If you can, and weather permitting, choose a hotel/resort with a pool. It’s a great way to spend the afternoons.
• If you’re interested in visiting a vineyard look it up and book ahead of time, check to make sure it is a location that allows children as many don’t.
• Lower your expectations. This is what makes us able to enjoy any trip or outing with the kids. I know that may seem a tad pessimistic but it really helps. Traveling with kids is not easy and not everything will go as planned, so enjoy what you can and be flexible with everything else.
• Stick to kid friendly places. Almost everywhere we have been in Napa is mostly kid friendly but also, it depends on the child. Both of our kids do fairly well in restaurants. A few favorites that are family friendly and have kids menus are Gotts Roadside, Farmstead, and Charter Oak.

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The trip wasn’t exactly what I had pictured but it was still a lot of fun. It was special to share this place that we love so much with the kids. I know we will go back again someday and I’m already looking forward to it.