It's been six months since my last girls trip with Lauren of Lauren Myers & Co., my good friend, and fellow blogger. On our previous Girls Weekend Trip, we both flew into Chicago, Lauren from Atlanta and I from Sacramento to meet-up and explore the city. We had such a fantastic time visiting Museums, indulging in sweets, having the best slice of deep dish pizza at Lou Malnati's and saying cheers at Cindy's Rooftop Bar (check out The Girlfriends Guide to Chicago) We were super excited to plan our next trip.

For our first Girls Trip of the year, we decided to explore two of my favorite places in Northern California; Wine Country in Sonoma and San Francisco. Together we've created the ultimate guide to Sonoma Valley sharing ideas to make your girlfriends trip memorable. We're so excited to take you along and share our fun-filled day. *This post contains sponsored content, please note all word and opinions are our own.

THE GIRLFRIENDS GUIDE TO SONOMA VALLEY

Sonoma County is located in Northern California, about 65 miles from San Francisco and is the birthplace of California's Wine Country. Sonoma is a year-round vacation destination encompassing over 100 premium wineries, award-winning olive oil suppliers, fabulous restaurants and boutique shops. Lauren and I were excited to include Sonoma Valley in our weekend Girls Trip and spent a full day exploring, wine tasting, visiting the Museum and taking in all the sights of the stunning rolling hills filled with grape vines.

SONOMA VALLEY MUSTS | WHAT TO DO AND WHERE TO EAT

WINE TASTING

Mayo Family Winery Reserve Room // When visiting Sonoma Valley, wine tasting is a must! This was Lauren's first-time wine tasting at a Winery, and we were excited to elevate our wine tasting experience with a wine & food pairing. Lauren and I enjoyed an intimate wine and food pairing at Mayo Family Winery located in Glen Ellen. The winery is family owned and was established in 1993. There are two locations in Glenn Ellen- the winery/tasting room, and the Reserve Room. Lauren and I were treated to a seven-course food and wine pairing. The artisan bites and wine were incredible; Chef John Locher was a fantastic host explaining each food + wine pairing. The standouts were the 2013 Zinfandel, Ricci Vineyard, "Old Vines" paired with the Smoked Chinese Rib (the rib was so tender and juicy!). We also loved the 2016 Zinfandel Port, Ricci Vineyard paired with Valrhona Pot de Creme, Marinated Strawberries; incredible! We felt so spoiled with the fantastic pairings and agree this is the best way to enjoy wine tasting.

Additional Wineries to Visit // Chateau St. Jean and Viansa Sonoma both located in Sonoma

WHERE TO EAT

Girl and the Fig // The restaurant is located in Sonoma Square, boasting an antique bar and serving delicious French Country inspired food. Their menu changes each season sourcing produce and veggies from local growers.

My girl Lauren is taking over the post! Lauren is the owner of Lauren Myers & Co; teaching bloggers & creativepreneurs to maximize their time with E-courses/tips and strategies. Lauren is my go-to girl for all things blogging + good friend! Take it away L!

TAKE IN SOME CULTURE

Sonoma Valley Museum of Art // Our first stop in Sonoma Valley was the hidden gem, the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art. I love visiting local museums whenever I go on vacation. We had the pleasure of receiving a private tour of the museum. This was a special experience which elevated our visit. I have never been on a guided tour of a museum, but now that I have I don’t think I can go without! It was so insightful and created a stronger connection to each piece just by knowing more about the artist, the current events in the world at the time, the backstory and inspiration detailing why the artist chose to make each piece. Our guide, Margie Maynard, was so knowledgeable of every piece of art in the gallery. Margie is the Director of Education and Engagement at the museum and her passion for the arts is evident because of the excitement in her voice when speaking of each piece.

The Sonoma Valley Museum of Art opened in 1998 and has since staged more than 70 exhibitions and attracted more than 130,000 visitors. The museum has more great things to experience outside of their current exhibits. They have art workshops for all ages and special events where an artist that is currently displayed will visit the museum to have candid conversation about their pieces all while sipping the delicious wine that Sonoma Valley has to offer. They also host fundraising events and musical performances, and Wednesdays are free admission days. SVMA is the largest visual arts organization in the San Francisco North Bay region. I recommend adding the museum to your list when visiting Sonoma; you will not regret it! It’s a perfect way to add a bit of culture to your trip and learn more about local artists.

EXPLORE AND SHOP SONOMA PLAZA

Sonoma Plaza // After our visit to the museum, we strolled around the plaza and did a little shopping. There were so many different shops, it’s hard NOT to find something that appeals to you! The shops included locally made goods, jewelry, clothing and specialty items. You can find truly unique items to take home reminding you of your amazing trip to Sonoma Valley. The plaza is full of shops, wine tasting rooms and restaurants and the scenery is stunning! Flowers in full bloom, vibrant colors around every corner and beautiful walkways leading you around town were what we experienced. Sonoma is absolutely breathtaking!

While strolling, we realized that Sonoma Valley isn’t just for adults; it’s a family-friendly destination! There was a beautiful playground with children playing in the square, there were ice cream shops which were perfect for relaxing on a hot day, and there was an amphitheater in town square called Grinstead Amphitheater where concerts and other outdoor performances and events are held. There is plenty of seating and it’s a great place to relax after a long day of exploring. In fact, towards the end of our day we relaxed on a bench and took in the beautiful surroundings.

Sonoma Valley is full of hidden gems and should not be overlooked when visiting Northern California. The atmosphere was great, the people that we met were friendly and the town as a whole was welcoming. Sonoma is a perfect place to have a girl’s day trip because there is so much to do, see and experience. I’m so happy to have experienced this great town with Katrina!

IF YOU LOVE THIS, PIN IT!

We loved the day with spent in Sonoma, the weather was absolutely perfect. Visiting the Sonoma Wine Country is always a fantastic treat, so happy I got to experience this with Lauren. Girls trips are blast and absolute must! Next week on the blog we're sharing our Guide to San Francisco, we had a fun-filled weekend and can't wait to spill all the tea!

Tell us, when was your last girls trip? Where is your dream girls trip location?

One of the things I love about Sacramento is its proximity to all the hot spots; San Francisco, Tahoe and all the Wine Regions. Sacramento is within an hour of four major wine regions in Northern California. We spent our weekend exploring the wineries of El Dorado during Passport Weekend. Even though we live about an hour away from the El Dorado Wine Country, we’ve never visited the wineries. Passport Weekend happens two weekends a year in April; this year Passport Weekend is 4/21 - 4/22 and 4/26 - 4/27/18. Twenty wineries open their doors to passport holders offering them wine tastings with food pairings. This post is in partnership with El Dorado Wines, all opinions and words are my own.

We had an incredible time, tasting fantastic wine, good food, live music and all the stunning views! It was so much fun to explore the wineries of El Dorado; we loved the laid-back vibe and friendliness of the wineries. I’ve created a weekend guide to help make your visit to El Dorado Wine Country memorable.

Passport Weekend El Dorado

DOWNTOWN PLACERVILLE

Before visiting the wineries, make sure to visit downtown Placerville it's a must, the main street full of historic buildings and lots of unique stores, including the oldest hardware store west of the Mason-Dixon line. There's also a ton of antique stores filled with lots of vintage goodies. Hasani and I spent part of our morning visiting the downtown area and discovered a few gems to that created a memorable experience.

COFFEE SPOTS

Centro // You all know how much I love coffee, seriously I caffeinate all day especially on getaways and vacations! Centro is on a great spot on Main Street perfect for people watching and lots of coffee options

Cuppa Coffee & More // Such a cute spot to enjoy coffee and grab a light bite to eat. I loved their Almond Iced Vanilla Latte and Lavender cookie! I’m not a huge lavender fan, but this cookie was amazing.

WHERE TO SHOP

The Bookery // I love stopping in used books stores while traveling, you just never know the gems you’ll find inside. The Bookery on Main Street was full of lots of interesting books, both new and old. I stumbled upon a Jane Austen book browsing, and of course, it came home with me.

Pop Art Gallery // Filled to the brim with great artwork at all price points, I loved all the large poster prints they carried.

Eco Logical // I loved exploring this store, its full of locally made, fairtrade and organic soaps, lotions and candles. It’s a must visit, and I should mention the store smells incredible.

Passport Weekend Day One

On our first day visiting, the El Dorado Wine Country we went to six wineries! Some we stayed longer and met a few fellow wine lovers and learned its always best to sip wine, then taste the food and then another sip of wine. We've been wine tasting a lot! However, this was our first time doing a wine tasting + food tasting.

Of the six wineries, we visited on the first day we loved Skinner Vineyards and Winery, the views were incredible. The winery is a bit of a trek, but once you see the stunning views, it's worth the drive. While there we enjoyed several wine selections and delicious wood-fired pizza!

We also enjoyed visiting Holly’s Hill Vineyard, the view from the balcony was incredible, they had some yummy wine and food pairings and even complimentary lattes! Madrona Winery tucked behind one of our favorite Apple Hill Orchards.

Passport Weekend Day Two

The second day of Passport Weekend we visited four wineries all near each other, and all with different vibes. One of the standouts of the day was Lava Cap Winery, I loved the Rose and we came home with two bottles!

Hasani and I also liked Fenton Herriott Vineyards both the food at the vineyards was delicious and catered by Timmy’s Brown Bag. He also owns a breakfast and lunch restaurant in Placerville also called Timmy’s Brown Bag on Main Street, the owner was super friendly and his food so good!

As I mentioned the wineries are super laid back and friendly, I was nice to experience working vineyards and winemakers in a smaller setting and learn more about their passion for wine-making. Local friends, you still have time to explore the El Dorado Wine Country with ease this weekend! Click here to get your passes and have fun! Check out the Hashtag #PassportEldorado on Instagram for more!

When's the last time you went wine tasting?