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The ultimate three day weekend in Carmel Valley (Monterey Wine Country) is at your fingertips. The Monterey County CVB offers a detailed itinerary for wine and food lovers alike. Recommendations for lodging, where to dine for some of the best, fresh foods, and of course wine tasting.

Below are is just snapshot of Friday -

1PM - Arrive early and pick from a myriad of inns, hotels or lodges for your first night's stay (Country Garden Inns is located within walking distance of Carmel Valley Village and known for their tasty breakfast buffet. They also are running a Wine Escape special - room rates are only $165 per person and your stay includes dinner and wine tasting tickets. Click here to view special ).

2 PM - Once your settled with accommodations, go on a horseback ride at Holman Ranch.

6PM -  End the night with dinner reservations at the "Dining Room" which features French cuisine with a California twist that highlights locally grown ingredients, and is the perfect spot for a memorable dinner.

Click here for the full three day itinerary.

By Courtney Cochran

Visitors to Oregon will note right away that things are done differently here. Shop clerks linger and chat while packaging up your goods, traffic moves more slowly and the pace of life seems firmly dialed to the "enjoy the journey" station. This enticingly mellow pace of life, coupled with Oregon's outstanding natural beauty and prolific food and wine culture, make it an ideal destination for foodies, outdoor adventurers and anyone looking to take things down a few notches. Read on for some of our top picks for activities to indulge in chez Portland and beyond, in the storied haunts of the Willamette.

By Courtney Cochran

Stop 1: Adelsheim Vineyard
A Willamette tour wouldn't be complete without a visit to well-known Adelsheim Vineyard, which boasts stellar views of the Chehalem Mountains from its newly refurbished tasting room just outside Newberg. Founded in 1971, the winery is run by the affable David Adelsheim, a Willamette wine pioneer whose passion for the area and its world-class Pinots runs deep. It's worth going just to taste the winery's nuanced single-vineyard Pinots - the Ribbon Springs Vineyard ($68) is a standout - though Adelsheim's Willamette Valley-classified bottling ($32) is easier on the wallet and does a better job capturing the full scope of the region's signature aromas, flavors and silky texture.

Tasting Room: 16800 NE Calkins Lane, Newberg, OR 97132. Open daily 11am-4pm (tel) (503) 538-3652
Tasting Fee: $15 for 6 wines
Watch My Video of David Adelsheim at the winery

Tip: Take a picnic lunch and enjoy it on Adelsheim's spacious outdoor patio (bottle purchase will be appreciated as a courtesy for using the space). There are no other lunch options in the immediate area, and you'll want to make sure to refuel in the midst of a full day of tasting.

By Courtney Cochran

Visitors to Oregon's wonderfully Pinot-centric Willamette Valley will do well to split their tasting excursion into at least two days, as the area's wide open spaces create not only lovely panoramic views but also drives of some distance between wineries. Thus, this itinerary starts in the centrally situated Dundee Hills and meanders from there to the nearby towns of Carlton and McMinnville. Along the way, you'll visit one of the region's best-known (not to mention physically striking) wineries in Domaine Drouhin Oregon, a start-up venture in Scott Paul Wines and the birthplace of Willamette wine in The Eyrie Vineyards. In all, it's a fabulously diverse lineup where Oregon winemaking is concerned - and one just waiting for you to savor.

For more on wineries further north, check out our North Valley itinerary.

By Courtney Cochran

Oregon's famed Willamette Valley - a wonderfully bucolic spot an hour's easy drive from Portland - may just be the anti-Napa Valley. You won't find any medieval castles or Persian Palaces here, though you WILL find no shortage of ridiculously good wine, an incredibly warm people and a far slower pace of life than that in bustling California. So slow down (literally, the police ticket a lot around these parts), take your time and prepare to be awed by the natural beauty of your surroundings, the superb quality of the wines and the kindness of the people serving them. It's not exactly wine country in slow motion, but it's not far off.

And given the hectic pace of our lives these days, this can be a very good thing.

See, Taste, Eat and Sleep!
Portland & Willamette Valley To Do List

Wine Tasting & Itineraries
Top 10 Willamette Wines
Willamette Itinerary: North Valley
Willamette Itinerary: South Valley

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know why Monterey ranks as one of the top golf destinations in the world. It's home to Pebble Beach and is a favorite for the U.S. Open Championship. In fact, it will be hosting the championship a fifth time in a row in 2010.

But with so many golf courses to choose from, let alone figuring out lodging and dining if you are planning a weekend getaway, where does one begin?

No worries. Monterey County CVB has it all worked out for you with a golf weekend itinerary. Each day by hour is completely detailed out for you. For full itinerary, CLICK HERE.

Monterey.Winecountry.com is your resource for more lodging and dining choices. And of course if you are traveling with the Mrs. or family in tow, be sure to check out other activities for them to do while you are golfing!

Grab the kids, gas up the car and head to Tri-Valley, California for an affordable and family-friendly vacation. Tri-Valley, California, is rich in family-friendly attractions and is an affordable, charming and unspoiled destination where families are welcomed to experience the beauties and highlights of the San Francisco Bay Area. While many visitors make Tri-Valley their "home base" while exploring the more touristy San Francisco spots, there is actually quite a bit to see right here in the Tri-Valley.

Warm spring weather and affordable hotel rates make Tri-Valley, California the perfect getaway.  Armed with these local secrets, visitors are sure to have a fantastic experience.

SEE: Ride the Train to Old Hollywood, Sunol, California
Restored vintage trains make an hour long excursion through fields of poppies, lupine and wild mustard, traveling part of the first transcontinental railroad's route during the spring. The trains operate year long out of Niles Canyon Railway's Sunol Depot. Occasionally afternoon departures include wine tasting with local vintners.
Train run on Sundays only, check the website for schedules.

Insider Tip: Catch the early train in Sunol and ride to Niles. Once you arrive in Niles, jump on the vintage bus to the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum for a peek at the memorabilia from a bygone era in movie history. The museum is an homage to the silent films made in Niles in the early 1900's including Charlie Chaplin's famous film, "The Tramp."

Niles Canyon Railway
6 Kilkare Road, Sunol, CA
(925) 862-9063
www.ncry.org

Niles Essanay Film Musuem
37417 Niles Boulevard, Fremont, CA
(510) 494-1411
www.nilesfilmmuseum.org

Submitted by the Tri-Valley, California  Convention & Visitors Bureau

Start your day in Pleasanton, CA at the farmers market on Main & Angela Street (Saturdays, 9 am - 1 pm). Browse the vendors and sample fresh fruit and specialty foods. Afterwards, take a stroll along Main street to check out the wonderful art galleries, shops and more.

For a special treat, stop at the Meadowlark Dairy, the only drive-through dairy for a soft serve ice cream cone.  It is only $1.75 for a small ice cream cone.

Then, Head to Tommie's Deli and Sandwich Shop on 2nd Street in Livermore and order the Lite-n-Tasty, a small sandwich with (Bread/meat (4.oz.)/cheese & stuff) for only $6. Armed with your sandwich and maybe a piece of fruit from Pleasanton's farmers market, you are ready to hit the wineries for complimentary wine tasting!

Peninsula Tasting and Carmel Valley Village

As you approach the turnoff for the Monterey Peninsula on Highway 1, consider an easy stop at Ventana Vineyards, located close to the intersections of Highways 68 & 218.  One of the pioneering stars of the area, Ventana's wines are estate grown, offering high quality and excellent value.  There are a wide variety of whites, reds and dessert choices to enjoy. Check out the spectacular Super Tuscan Sangiovese blend Due Amici, a recent "Best of Class" winner. You will also find some excellent Meador Estate Wines here.

Sometimes you only have enough energy to buy the tickets (if you're not local), book the hotel and maybe read about all the things you want to do on your wine country trip. By the time the official day arrives for vacation, you've run out of planning time and isn't vacation about relaxing anyways! Maybe you didn't want to spend hours upon hours figuring out all the activities. Monterey CVB alleviates the planning stress and gives visitors a hour-by-hour itinerary. Even better, they suggest you play hooky and take a break during the week.

Three Day Itinerary
Monterey Multimedia Gallery