Living the Good Life

by Courtney Cochran

Most of the time, wine country is where you go to relax, take a breather from the bustle of the real world and – if you're lucky – perhaps even catch up on some sleep.  But come New Year's Eve, even wine country kicks things up a notch.  Read on for what are sure to be some of this year's most festive affairs in wine country. 

You can sleep later - after all, you'll have all year to catch up.

Mask Optional

Dubbed "Midwinter's Night", the 2^nd annual New Year's Eve benefit at the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art is a masquerade ball boasting a vodka and caviar bar, seated dinner catered by The Girl and the Fig, midnight Champagne & chocolate bar and dancing.  Tickets don't come cheap ($500/head), but with all these goodies plus a portion of proceeds going to charity, it's tough to resist this festive fête. 

(707) 939-7862

A Beastly Affair

Not to be outdone, Santa Rosa's Safari West delivers the ultimate in adventure with its annual dinner dance held in the company of exotic animals.  Overnight guests enjoy a safari on the 31^st plus continental breakfast and mimosas the next day, and all guests get to groove alongside the likes of giraffes, gazelles, oryxes and ostriches – to name just a few of the fellow revelers expected at the affair. 

$80/head or $486.50/couple overnight  (707) 579-2551