Looking for the best places to travel northern California? Listed below are some of the most recommended cities and places to visit in Northern California.
Planning a trip to northern California is super exciting! If you’re anything like me, you’re here because you love to research and plan your trip ahead of time. As a traveler and planner, I am giving you the best places to add to your travel northern California itinerary.
You are going to learn about places to visit like San Jose, Napa and Sonoma Valley, and San Francisco. After learning about these places, you are going to be ready to travel Northern California.
This post is my 5 magical days to travel Northern California.
Day 1: San Jose
San Jose
Starting our afternoon in San Jose, we checked out Apple Park and the Apple Store. Unfortunately, due to COVID we were not able to see much of Apple Park or go on a tour, however the Apple Store is definitely worth visiting. Connected to the store is a beautiful coffee shop, with a lot of windows and bright natural light. We learned that the stairwell in between the store and the coffee shop is very unique, made of stone or ceramic, versus the traditional glass that you often see in other stores.
Winchester Mystery House
Next, we went to the Winchester Mystery House. Renovated by Sarah Lockwood Pardee Winchester, this house has 160 bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, 6 kitchens, and is over 24,000 square feet. Sarah moved to San Jose and purchased the home after her husband died. She then began construction, adding rooms, doors, windows, and stairs that lead to nowhere, and plenty of hallways. Renovations did not end until her death. No one knows why she continued to add on to this mystery house, some say to confuse spirits who haunted her, while others say a psychic told her to do it. Either way, it’s a really cool piece of history! I enjoyed the tour and getting to see the many layers of the house. I would recommend this tour to anyone visiting San Jose.
Santana Row
After touring the Winchester House, we walked across the street toward the Santana Row Shopping & Dining neighborhood. This is a beautiful area to check out in Silicon Valley. It is THE place to shop till you drop, while also offering plenty of bars and restaurants to rest and recharge. I enjoyed walking down the row, window shopping, and finding cute areas to sit and soak in the California breeze.
Japantown
In the evening, we explored Japantown. San Jose has one of three remaining Japantowns in the USA. We walked down the main street, checking out some of the open stores and bakeries. I enjoyed reading the historic signs and learning more about the history of Japanese migrating to the area and making it their home.
Day 2: Downtown Sonoma & Wineries
Sonoma
From San Jose, we drove about 2 hours to Sonoma & Napa Valley. What better way to celebrate Christmas in Northern California than visiting some incredible wineries and restaurants!
Cornerstone Sonoma
Next on our travel northern California itinerary was Cornerstone Sonoma. A beautiful marketplace featuring wineries, boutique stores, restaurants, and gardens, this place has it all. I was blown away by its beauty and enjoyed taking my time walking through the different shops and outdoor gardens. In the gardens we took some fun Christmas photos with the holiday decor.
Located within Cornerstone Sonoma is Folktable, a Michelin Bib Gourmand awarded restaurant. We were lucky enough to find a table right away, but I recommend making reservations on their website. The food was incredible! A farm to table restaurant, some of my favorite dishes were the creamy kimchi dip and the farmhouse salad. Note that their menu changes depending on the season.
Sonoma Wineries
After lunch we began our winery tour. Our first stop was Scribe Winery, our favorite winery on the tour. This beautiful Spanish estate is incredibly welcoming, has beautiful views from all different parts of the property, and the interior has several different areas to relax while enjoying a glass of wine. Note that they only allow members to visit the property.
Then we made our way to B.R. Cohn Winery. Technically located in Glen Ellen, this property has spectacular views of their vineyards. Owned by B.R. Cohn, who managed the Doobie Brothers, it’s a great place to drink wine while being surrounded by the nostalgia of Rock & Roll. We enjoyed spending some time outside soaking in the northern California Breeze.
Kendall-Jackson Winery
Later, we enjoyed a lovely dinner of wine and food pairing at the Kendall-Jackson Winery. Each course was paired with a glass of wine. I really enjoyed the experience of tasting food and how each wine brings out the flavors of the dish. They also offer farm to table dinners and wine tastings. The interior has beautiful dining rooms with fireplaces, giving an air of romance and coziness. The exterior gardens and trees with twinkle lights offer a sparkling setting for an evening stroll.
Accommodations
For out travel northern California itinerary, we booked the House on Broadway at the Plaza through VRBO for our stay in Napa/Sonoma Valley. Walking distance from the Sonoma Plaza, bars, and restaurants, it’s a great central location. The house offers several charming bedrooms with super comfortable beds. We loved the spacious living area with a chef’s kitchen and fireplace. Outside you’ll find an in-ground pool, which would be great during a summer stay. I highly recommend this vacation home!
Day 3: Sonoma and Napa
Sonoma Plaza
In the morning, we explored Sonoma Plaza. We enjoyed pastries and coffee from Basque Boulangerie, a cute French inspired bakery and coffee shop. After a small breakfast, we walked around the plaza, enjoying the shops and scenery. For lunch we ordered takeout from La Casa restaurant. Their tacos are so good! Yum! They offer several Mexican dishes on their menu including enchiladas, fajitas, and burritos.
Napa
After lunch we made our way out to Napa to explore their wineries.
Wineries
First stop was Domaine Carneros. This property is a show stopper! The grand staircase welcomes you in and makes you feel like royalty. Known as a small grower-producer of méthode traditionelle sparkling and estate Pinot Noir, I found it to be a very romantic winery.
Second stop was Peju Province. This property offers beautiful artwork both inside and outside. You’ll find incredible works of art and sculptures outside as you enter the winery. Inside, the store is decorated with breathtaking stained glass.
Third stop was Darioush Winery. With a unique exterior, inspired by Iran, this property is definitely worth visiting. Inside, there is beautiful Persian inspired artwork surrounding the different tasting rooms.
In the evening we visited Oxbow Public Market. Offering both retail and food, it’s a great place if you’re with a large group that can’t decide on dinner, or want options. There are several food stalls offering cuisines like Mexican, American, Asian, and Vegetarian. The grocery stores offer unique items that you may not find anywhere else.
Day 4: San Francisco Chinatown
Palace of Fine Arts & Golden Gate Bridge
In the afternoon, we went to the Palace of Fine Arts. It is a beautiful location to walk through and admire the architecture. A must see on the travel northern California itinerary. Next, we made our way to the Golden Gate Bridge. This day was very foggy, so we didn’t get the best views. We stopped at the smaller viewing area before making our way to Chinatown.
Chinatown
After the bridge, we walked around Chinatown and had dim sum for lunch. As one of the largest Chinatowns in the USA, I highly recommend making a visit. We could have easily spent the entire day there, walking through the many shops, grocery stores, and markets. Of course we also had to see the iconic Lombard Street too!
Day 5: San Francisco Pier 39
San Francisco Botanical Garden
Starting out the day, we explored the San Francisco Botanical Garden. Located within the city, it’s a large urban garden. It is split up into different areas based on the types of plants and flowers in each. I enjoyed having the opportunity to slow down and enjoy the scenery. We went back out to the Golden Gate Bridge to see if we could see it without all of the fog. This time we spent time in the visitor park, enjoying the view from a few different spots.
Pier 39
Next, we made our way to Pier 39. A popular place to visit and add to a travel northern California itinerary, it offers many attractions including, shopping, dining, sightseeing, and rides. We walked around the Pier, did some more shopping, and picked up some coffee and cookies from Biscoff! Of course, we couldn’t visit the Pier without stopping to watch the seals! I could have watched them all day long, they are so entertaining! Just the way they all lay around on each other, and jump in and out of the water. So cute.
After our afternoon in San Francisco, we headed for Castro Valley to visit with family for the remainder of our trip. Overall, I really enjoyed seeing the most popular places in Northern California. It’s a different world than Southern Cali, and offers so many unique experiences. I hope you have a chance to visit! Let me know in the comments below what you would most like to do for Christmas in Northern California!
This post is my 5 Magical Days to Travel Northern California.
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