Tag: Northern California

From hotels to campsites: Where to stay in Anderson Valley

So you’ve read our post about how amazing Anderson Valley is, and you’ve decided that a weekend getaway to Anderson Valley sounds like the perfect trip. Congrats, you make good choices. But where should you stay?

From the fanciest hotel in Philo, to the budget option in Cloverdale, and even camping and the best places to stay for groups… we’ve rounded up where to stay in Anderson Valley for your perfect wine tasting trip!

Boonville hotels:

Photo of us by Wild About You Photography, taken at The Boonville Hotel.

The Boonville Hotel

The Boonville Hotel is smack dab in the middle of charming Boonville. Conveniently, it’s walking distance to many awesome wineries and eateries. And it also houses one of the best restaurants in town — Table 128.

The Toll House

The Toll House is located on 650 acres with private trails, gorgeous views, and is 5 miles from Boonville. With three different multi-room accommodations that sleep from 12-6 people, it’s perfect for large families, or groups of close friends. So if you have a larger crew in tow, book the Toll House.

Philo hotels:

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The Madrones

The Madrones is a winery, restaurant, and hotel with several guest rooms. There are also two cabins available at their neighboring property The Brambles. It’s located right next door to our favorite winery in Anderson Valley — Goldeneye.

Indian Creek Inn

They have a total of fifteen rooms divided between three buildings. The Standard rooms are small. The Deluxe Rooms are more spacious. And the Suites offer a master bedroom and an additional bedroom which are designed for a family of four. And the other building has a dining and living room area are shared by five rooms — perfect for a group of around ten people.

Anderson Valley Inn

Located across from Scharffenberger Cellars Winery, the Anderson Valley Inn offers comfortable and affordable lodging in the heart of Mendocino Wine Country.

Cloverdale hotels:

Cloverdale Wine Country Inn

The Cloverdale Wine Country Inn is basically Best Western (because it actually used to be a Best Western). It’s a great budget option — save that extra cash for more bottles of wine!

The Highlands Estate

The Highlands Estate is a super-cute B&B in the Yorkville highlands. It’s a retreat for adults, so no children under 18. Which means, this is the place to go if you want a grown-up weekend get-away.

Anderson Valley hotel alternatives:

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Airbnb

Get creative and check out the Airbnb options in the Anderson Valley. You can cater your search to exactly what you need — large groups, pet-friendly, budget rooms, etc. See what gems you can find!

Camping

There are a couple of campsites good for camper vans or pitching tents. Check out:

Secretly amazing wine, famous local beers, and hugging giant trees: Things to do in Anderson Valley

Things to do in Anderson Valley - @thedashanddine

Northern California’s Anderson Valley is a very special place for us — it’s where Mike’s ancestral home is, it’s where we got married, and it’s where we go when we have time for a weekend getaway. As we’re prepping for an upcoming visit, we thought we’d share our best Anderson Valley travel tips. Because who doesn’t love awesome wines that’ll give you some major sommelier cred, popular local beers, and staggeringly giant trees!?

You may not have thought you’d ever visit this part of Northern California — it’s kept a bit of a secret for a reason — but you’re about to learn that there’s lots of stuff to do in Anderson Valley… Continue reading “Secretly amazing wine, famous local beers, and hugging giant trees: Things to do in Anderson Valley”

A quick list of the (lobbyist approved!) best restaurants in Sacramento

We found ourselves in Sacramento for a weekend, but with only ONE night to properly dine out. So, before we left, I texted my lobbyist friend: “If you only had one night in Sacramento, where would you eat?” She got back to me with a quick list of what she thinks are the best restaurants in Sacramento, and SHOCKINGLY they weren’t on any of the other top Google hits for best Sacramento restaurants!

So ignore those other sites, and check out these places. Because if anyone knows where the best restaurants in Sacramento are to be found, it’s the people who have to schmooze over dinners and drinks for a living… Continue reading “A quick list of the (lobbyist approved!) best restaurants in Sacramento”

How I packed for my weekend trip with one carry on

Flew from Atlanta to Sacramento for the weekend and all I brought was this kitty backpack and a purse!

I never feel more badass than when I board a plane with only a carry-on, then get off and walk straight to the pickup curb. That’s right, I just used a plane as a freaking taxi, yo! And it’s because I’m pretty good at packing light.

My top tricks for packing light include:

  • A simple color palette (mine is always black and grey)
  • High-end athleisure wear (Athleta is my go-to for comfort and style)
  • Comfortable walking shoes that can also look dressy (I’ll get to that later)
  • Wearing the bulkiest items on the plane (coats, extra layers, bigger shoes, etc)

We just flew from Atlanta to Sacramento for the weekend, and I managed to pack everything I needed (including some of Mike’s clothes) into one backpack. Here’s what I packed for my trip with one carry on… Continue reading “How I packed for my weekend trip with one carry on”

“Happy Hallowsemite!” Our last-minute weekend trip to Yosemite in October

It had been a couple of months since our last weekend trip, and Mike and I had been itching to get out-of-town again. Based on a genius hunch, Mike checked to see if there might be some last-minute availability in Yosemite in October — specifically over Halloween weekend. Lo and behold, he was right! He snapped up the (seemingly) last-remaining room at the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, and the last-remaining dinner reservation at the Ahwahnee (now “The Majestic Yosemite Hotel”) and we were off on a weekend trip to Yosemite!

Here’s the thing, I grew up in Los Angeles, only four and a half hours away from Yosemite, and yet, I had NEVER BEEN. My high school boyfriend was obsessed with the place, and told me all about how much I would love it there. But it took 20 more years and a few more boyfriends to finally get me there!

Oh boy, it is EVERYTHING everyone said it would be… Continue reading ““Happy Hallowsemite!” Our last-minute weekend trip to Yosemite in October”