Sonoma Lunch stop from SFO to Napa via GG

[carcassone]

We'll be heading out of SFO 10a and spending a night in Calistoga. We will take GGB since I heard it's much more scenic. Is Sonoma a good choice for an early lunch? It's about half way. Looking for good food but casual, light and not time consuming. (We'll be having more serious fine dining that night.)

After lunch, is it more scenic to reach Calistoga via Napa or Santa Rosa?

TIA.

[DavidT]

There are 2 discussions on the same subject active on this board. Here is a link to one:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7029...

[DavidT]

Here is a link to the other one:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7052...

[carcassone]

Thanks David, for pointing out the links. I did take a look at them before I posted but those discussions geared towards lunch closer to SF. Since we are arriving 10a, that will be too close/early for lunch. I'm looking for a stop about an hour north so Sonoma seems to make sense.

[Melanie Wong]

To get to Calistoga from the town of Sonoma on the scenic route, head north on Hwy 12 which takes you through the beautiful Valley of the Moon and past many vineyards. Then turn right at Calistoga Road, which is on the east side of Santa Rosa, and continue on Petrified Forest Rd. This will take you over a mountain pass that has a few twists and turns but is not a bad drive in daylight.

If you're planning on spending most of your time in the Napa Valley once you get to Calistoga, you might want to take this opportunity to see more of the Sonoma side. But you would be missing the scenery along the Carneros Hwy between the towns of Napa and Sonoma. You might want to take a look at a wineries map to see whether you prefer the wineries in Carneros vs. Hwy 12.

Edited to add: Be sure to stop at Michoacana Ice Cream for a paleta (Mexican fresh fruit popsicles) or ice cream.

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Michoacana Ice Cream
18495 Hwy 12, Sonoma, CA 95476

[Windy]

Your routing is off. Taking the Golden Gate Bridge, you would generally head east at the southern end of Novato on 37 and then north on 121. So Santa Rosa isn't on this route.

The town of Sonoma is a nice stop, although it is beyond half way; it is very close to the town of Napa. Calistoga's another 45 minutes or so north.

Silverado Trail is more scenic than Highway 29 north from Napa, but both are quite pretty this time of year.

[Melanie Wong]

It takes longer than 45 minutes to get to Calistoga from Sonoma, more than an hour or longer depending on traffic. Sonoma is a good stopping place for lunch --- I can get to the central plaza in less than an hour from the San Francisco foot of GGB, if there's not traffic.

[Windy]

Yes, I meant Calistoga is 45 minutes from Napa.

Sonoma is ~90 minutes from SFO. Although maybe I'm wrong in assuming carcassone meant the airport versus the city itself.