Talk to a USA Holiday Specialist
Would you like to discuss this suggested itinerary and have a bespoke quotation? Let us arrange your perfect tailor-made holiday to America.
Pacific Northwest Wine Tour
The USA is the 4th largest global producer of wine with the majority of wine produced in the USA coming from the Pacific Coastal states. This itinerary takes in nine distinct regions in Northern California and Oregon, with diverse growing appellations and micro-climates to produce bold, varied and noteworthy wines. Starting in San Francisco, you will head up the Pacific Coast through Sonoma County and Mendocino to Florence before heading across to the Willamette Valley and back south through Umpqua Valley, Bear Creek Valley and Napa Valley to return to San Francisco.
This itinerary is flexible and can be tailor-made to suit you; if you want to add extra days in one area, extend the holiday or maybe change the direction of travel. Talk to one of our experts about how to make this holiday the perfect one for you.
Ms Young"Seamless Holiday"
We used Frontier Travel to book our honeymoon. We were given all the information we needed and everything ran seamlessly. We had a fantastic time, the hotels and lodges were perfect. Thank you for organising such a brilliant trip!
Itinerary (17 Nights)
Here’s a day-by-day guide to your itinerary. Feel free to ask us to add other days or ideas and excursions by contacting us directly, so we can give you the best price.
Days 1-2
San Francisco to Healdsburg
On arrival in San Francisco, collect your car and head over the Golden Gate Bridge...
Days 1-2
San Francisco
to Healdsburg
On arrival in San Francisco, collect your car and head over the Golden Gate Bridge and up Highway 101 into Sonoma County, home to over 370 wineries and a number of Michelin and Zagat rated restaurants that make use of the farm-fresh local produce. It will take around 90 minutes but will get you in place to enjoy some time in Sonoma. Healdsburg, a charming small town nestled alongside the Russian River, is in the heart of Sonoma Wine Country.
2 nights in Healdsburg
Day 3
Healdsburg to Mendocino
Continue up Highway 101 to the Mendocino County Line, home to one of California’s largest...
Day 3
Healdsburg
to Mendocino
Continue up Highway 101 to the Mendocino County Line, home to one of California’s largest and most climatically diverse wine growing regions. Take a tour of some of the wineries in this area before heading across to the artists’ colony of Mendocino on the Pacific Coast. You may also like to make time to visit the Mendocino Headlands State Park from where you may be able to spot whales if the time is right.
1 night in Mendocino
Day 4
Mendocino to Eureka
Continue north up the coast and rejoin Highway 101 to Humboldt County. You can take...
Day 4
Mendocino
to Eureka
Continue north up the coast and rejoin Highway 101 to Humboldt County. You can take a very slight detour to join the Avenue of the Giants and the Shrine Drive-Thru Tree, where you can see some of the tallest and oldest living trees on Earth, as well as more wineries to visit along the way to Eureka, noted for its charmingly restored Old Town region.
1 night in Eureka
Day 5
Eureka to Florence
Today enjoy the coastal views as you travel up Highway 101 into Oregon. Break up...
Day 5
Eureka
to Florence
Today enjoy the coastal views as you travel up Highway 101 into Oregon. Break up the 5 hours’ drive to Florence with pauses at some of the charming small coastal towns along the way, some of the amazing state parks such as Shore Acres or Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, or just pause on some of the beautiful beaches that you will pass. Just north of Florence you can also visit the world’s largest sea cave at Sea Lion Caves, home to hundreds of Steller sea lions.
1 night in Florence
Days 6-7
Florence to Eugene
Head inland along highway 126 through the forested Coast Range towards Eugene at the southern...
Days 6-7
Florence
to Eugene
Head inland along highway 126 through the forested Coast Range towards Eugene at the southern end of the Willamette Valley. Pause at some of the wineries on your way, although we recommend allowing a full day to venture further north into the Willamette Valley to admire this spectacular area and appreciate the local wines that rival those produced in France. Eugene is also the second largest city in Oregon, and the birthplace of Nike and the running shoe, as well as home to the oldest outdoor craft market in the country, Eugene Saturday Market.
2 nights in Eugene
Days 8-9
Eugene to Grants Pass
Leave Eugene heading south along Interstate 5, passing through Cottage Grove, the Covered Bridge Capital...
Days 8-9
Eugene
to Grants Pass
Leave Eugene heading south along Interstate 5, passing through Cottage Grove, the Covered Bridge Capital of Oregon and the southern gateway to Willamette Valley, to head into the Southern Oregon Wine Region. With dramatic landscapes, diverse geography and multiple micro-climates, this is the most diverse wine region in Oregon. The cooler parts of Umpqua Valley are prized for their Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Riesling, while warmer valleys provide Merlot, Cabernet, Syrah, Tempranillo and Grenache. The region is also popular for hiking, mountain biking and white water rafting for the more adventurous visitors.
Continue through the Cascade and Siskiyou Mountain Range to the Rogue Valley and Illinois Valley Appellations to Grants Pass, the gateway to the Applegate and Illinois Valley wine regions. You may like to enjoy some of the river experiences on the wild and scenic Rogue River – the Hellgate Jetboat Dinner Excursion is a firm local favourite.
2 nights in Grants Pass
Days 10-11
Grants Pass to Jacksonville
Head south out of Grants Pass and take your time traveling through the Applegate Valley...
Days 10-11
Grants Pass
to Jacksonville
Head south out of Grants Pass and take your time traveling through the Applegate Valley Wine Trail, where vineyards are planted to Bordeaux varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay, Viognier and Zinfandel. You will be staying in Jacksonville, a National Historic Landmark and a true gold-rush town with dozens of carefully preserved, beautiful original buildings in the downtown area.
2 nights in Jacksonville
Day 12
Jacksonville to Crater Lake
A day away from the wineries as you go to Crater Lake National Park only...
Day 12
Jacksonville
to Crater Lake
A day away from the wineries as you go to Crater Lake National Park only a 2-hour drive from Jacksonville. A pure, deep lake surrounded by sheer cliffs almost 2000 feet high, and two picturesque islands amid Crater Lake, this sight has been fascinating and inspiring people for centuries. Enjoy the amazing views, learn about the volcanic history of the lake that formed this site, or even take a cruise on the lake.
1 night in Crater Lake
Days 13-14
Crater Lake to Ashland
Spend the day sampling some of the wide variety of local produce from the Medford...
Days 13-14
Crater Lake
to Ashland
Spend the day sampling some of the wide variety of local produce from the Medford region, ranging from micro-breweries in downtown Medford to unique chocolate creations or award-winning cheeses from Central Point’s Artisan Corridor just north of Medford, and of course including a number of wineries in the area as well. Also visit the world’s largest gourmet food mail-order company, Harry & David, where you can tour the factory and shop in the country store before following the Bear Creek Valley, home to a number of boutique wineries, to Ashland. Nestled at 2200 feet above sea level near the convergence of the Siskiyou and Cascade Mountains, you can enjoy the dramatic landscapes, along with some of the vibrant performing and visual arts hosted by Ashland. Ashland is also known for being the birthplace of America’s oldest Elizabethan theatre, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, founded in 1935.
2 nights in Ashland
Days 15-17
Ashland to Napa Valley
Head south along Interstate 5, passing the 14,162 foot peak of Mount Shasta as a...
Days 15-17
Ashland
to Napa Valley
Head south along Interstate 5, passing the 14,162 foot peak of Mount Shasta as a highlight for the amazing scenery as you bid farewell to Oregon. We recommend you pause in Redding, the ‘Second Sunniest City in the U.S.’ with 250 days of sunshine a year, for lunch before continuing south to reach Napa Valley, one of the most famous viticultural regions in California. There is so much to do and see in the valley: we recommend taking the Napa Valley Wine Trolley tour, take a culinary class, chocolate and wine pairing session at Rutherford Ranch Winery, spoil your self with a memorable dinner at the French Laundry or the Restaurant at Meadowood. (NB: either of these will need to be booked weeks in advance)
3 nights in Napa Valley
Day 18
Napa Valley to San Francisco
Time to leave the wine trail. It is an easy drive to the airport but...
Day 18
Napa Valley
to
San Francisco
Time to leave the wine trail. It is an easy drive to the airport but if you can extend the holiday, a few days in San Francisco would wind it up nicely. Just ask your travel consultant who will be more than happy to help.
J Smith - Travelled New York to TorontoI have just returned from a tailor made holiday made possible by Jeannette Dembrey. This was the first time I had ever organised such a major holiday and as it was a gift for my children after my retirement it was really important to get things right. I went to quite a few agencies but Jeannette was way better than any of the people who I spoke to. She was so professional and wanted me to get the best from the money I could afford. The holiday was absolutely amazing and everything went like clockwork. Jeannette had thought of everything even the connections between places and the things we would do in each town. We stayed in 6 hotels altogether starting in New York and ending in Toronto. I am amazed at how smoothly it went. Even my son who has travelled all over the world was impressed with the way things had been organised. I cannot praise Jeannette enough for her professionalism. Thank you Jeannette. I would recommend you to anyone with the satisfaction of knowing that you did an amazing job. Thank you.
