A girl’s trip to Napa?! What could be better?!

Being able to actually drink wine would be nice, don’t you think?

When one of my clients announced that we’d be traveling to San Ramon, California, for an event in the fall, my friend and I were ecstatic — we were so close to Napa, so why not extend the work trip and spend a few days in wine country?

We booked the trips in March, finding a quaint Airbnb overlooking a vineyard, and started daydreaming about valleys of vineyards and endless wine tastings.

And then May rolled around … and I found out I was pregnant. No wine for me come September!

I told my friend immediately, letting her know we could cancel the trip and wait for another time, but we eventually decided that after a busy summer and early fall, we would need the break. And it turns out there is more to Napa than the wine!

Somewhat.

OK, so I chuckled while writing that last line. Napa is all about the wine, BUT, if you find yourself pregnant in Napa, don’t fret. There are plenty of ways you can enjoy yourself.

The Airbnb

My friend and I stayed in Napa in a little cottage. The backyard views?

Look at this!

The cottage was on the same grounds as the owners’ house, and they were great hosts! They had super friendly dogs that would greet us every day. It was nice to just sit on the patio and overlook the vineyard with a glass of wine (non-alcoholic for me).

OK, let’s start with the food.

Being five months pregnant and ravenous, I was able to take advantage of all the food that Napa had to offer. This area has anything and everything, and it is all delicious.

You will want to visit Oxbo Public Market, an indoor/outdoor eatery with everything you can think of under one roof. My friend and I decided to try out a few places, but Loveski, the Jewish deli, was our favorite. On the first day, we split a Rachel, and we loved it so much … we got one the next day!

The market is adorable and there’s lots to see. It’s so easy to get swept up in there. From olive oil tastings to spice markets and bookshops, there’s something for everyone. I ended up getting a cute ghost sticker, a book for Nora, and two spices for Ian to try in the kitchen.

After Oxbo, we walked around downtown and popped in and out of shops before dinner. We had a drink (water for me) at Sky and Ivy, a picturesque rooftop bar downtown, explored a bookstore, and I even sipped on some “champagne” at Be Bubbly, one of the many tasting rooms in downtown Napa.

For dinner, we hit up two spots while we were there: Allegria and Scala Osteria & Bar. We were craving Italian, and both spots did not disappoint. I had linguine alle vongole at both places (I’m a creature of habit, and pregnancy aversions are still happening over here), and chefs’ kiss, it hit the spot! Out of the two, Allegria was my favorite. If you go, you must get the baratta and I demand you order the tiramisu. It’s a demand.

Let’s talk wineries.

Gone are the days when you can just show up at a winery for a tasting, or even to walk the grounds (according to our bnb hosts). Now, you have to book a tour or reserve spots, and it fills up quick. They are also very expensive (think $70+ a person). That’s a tough sell when one of you can’t even drink!

We were lucky enough to find a winery that was under $50 a person — and one that had space. My advice: Research and book your trips in advance! Don’t wait until the day before (or even two days before) to plan your itinerary.

We were able to tour Trefethen Family Farm, a winery that has been open for three generations. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable in all things wine, and while I couldn’t indulge like my friend (I had a few small sips), I learned so much about wine and how it’s produced. I now consider myself a semi-novice. Seriously. Ask me anything … and I’ll do my best to remember.

While I couldn’t drink the wine, I enjoyed smelling the varieties he brought out and found that it satisfied the craving! I almost teared up at the pinot noir (my favorite) and after a taste, I decided to buy a bottle to bring home and crack open with my friend come February. It will be a great way to celebrate our trip!

One thing I loved about the winery is that we were able to visit its “petting zoo” where we could try all the grapes that they grow on the property. This part I could do! We had so much fun nibbling on the grapes and picking our favorites. I loved the chardonnay grapes and the malbec. The malbec grapes were so juicy!

Here are some photos from the winery:

A note about sipping:

There were plenty of wineries and tasting rooms downtown that had non-alcoholic options — and I don’t just mean seltzer. I was able to find some zero-proof drinks to sip on, and if you don’t want to risk it with the zero-proof, just ask for a seltzer in a wine glass so you can feel fancy — and don’t forget the snacks!

So, should I go to Napa if I’m pregnant?

It depends on the kind of trip that you want! If you’re willing to just sit back and enjoy the beautiful views and shop and eat delicious food, then yes! If you think you would feel left out and really want to visit Napa when you can drink all the wine, wait it out!

Regardless, I am so happy that we went. It really is a beautiful area.

Enjoy — and cheers!