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Northern California: Wine Country, Mendocino & Redwoods – Route Guide

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Napa Valley vineyards autumn — Northern California: Wine Country to the Redwoods
Photo: Brocken Inaglory · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Leave San Francisco for Napa and Healdsburg’s wine country, then continue to Mendocino and Humboldt’s Avenue of the Giants and Eureka. Vineyards, headlands and towering redwoods shape this drive; tastings are optional and need a non-drinking driver or separately arranged transport.

Northern California: Wine Country, Mendocino & Redwoods is a 430 km one-way journey (self-drive). It works best as 5–6 days; the plan below is the 6-day version for September, built from 900 verified places, with planned transit times, opening hours and daylight checked.

5–6
days
430km
distance
5
Stops
900
curated stops

View ready-made plans 5-day plan · 6-day plan · best time to go

The route

San Francisco→ 80 kmNapa & Sonoma→ 50 kmHealdsburg→ 140 kmMendocino→ 160 kmEureka & the Redwoods

What you'll see

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)
Marvel at innovative modern art across multiple floors in a gigantic museum.
San Francisco
Napa public wine-country landscape-and-heritage circuit
Use public town and wine-country landscape heritage. Tastings, wine train, tours and golf remain separate.
Napa & Sonoma
Healdsburg Museum
Explore exhibits on the rich history of Healdsburg and Sonoma County.
Healdsburg
Mendocino public headlands-and-village circuit
Use public headlands and village heritage. Paddling, spas and festivals remain separate.
Mendocino
Carson Mansion
Admire the intricate Victorian architecture and stained glass of this grand historic home.
Eureka & the Redwoods
Fort Point National Historic Site
Explore robust brick casemates offering panoramic Golden Gate views and Civil War history.
San Francisco
Quent Cordair Fine Art
Admire uplifting paintings and sculptures in a contemporary gallery.
Napa & Sonoma
Hand Fan Museum
Discover a captivating collection of artistic hand fans near the Plaza.
Healdsburg

Choose your length

5-day plan26 stops · 12.6 h transit5.2 stops/day · 2.5 h transit/daySee the full plan →6-day plan33 stops · 13.5 h transit5.5 stops/day · 2.2 h transit/daySee the full plan →

When to go

Best months: September, October, November

Crush season — vineyard air smells of fermenting fruit, harvest dinners stack the calendars, and the coastal fog gives the afternoons back.

See the month-by-month breakdown →

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View ready-made plans