Tag Archives: vacation

Saint Helena Wineries

Saint Helena Wineries, Winery
Napa Valley Vineyards

Napa Valley Winery

lodge

Alpha Omega Winery
1155 Mee Lane
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079639999

Amizetta Vineyards
1099 Greenfield Rd #9625
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079631460

Anomaly Vineyards
455 Bella Vista Court
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079678448

Aonar Wine
647 Greenfield Rd
St Helena, CA 94574
+17077388352

Auburn James Winery
1001 Silverado Trail S
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079679100

Benessere Vineyards
1010 Big Tree Rd
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079635853

Barnett Vineyards
4070 Spring Mountain Rd
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079637075

Beringer Vineyards
2000 Main St
St Helena, CA 94574
+17072575771

Boisset Family Estates
849 Zinfandel Lane
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079636900

Cain Vineyard & Winery
3800 Langtry Rd
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079631616

Caspar Estate
1780 Whitehall Lane
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079678400

Cathiard Vineyard
1978 Zinfandel Lane
St Helena, CA 94574
+17073025503

Charles Krug Winery
2800 Main St
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079672229

Charter Oak Winery
831 Charter Oak Ave
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079632298

Chase Cellars
2252 Sulphur Springs Ave
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079631284

Clif Family Winery
709 Main St
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079680625

Corison Winery
987 St Helena Hwy
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079630826

Cosentino Winery
7415 St Helena Hwy
Napa, CA 94558
+18007641220

Crocker & Starr Wines
700 Dowdell Ln
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079679111

Dakota Shy Winery
771 Sage Canyon Rd
St Helena, CA 94574
+17072441184

Dana Estates
1500 Whitehall Ln
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079634365

David Arthur Vineyards
210 Long Ranch Rd
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079635190

Davies Vineyards
1210 Grayson Ave
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079635555

Depiction Wines
1414 Hudson Ave
St Helena, CA 94574

Del Dotto Estate Winery & Caves
1445 St Helena Hwy
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079632134

Duckhorn Vineyards
1000 Lodi Lane
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079637108

Failla Wines
3530 Silverado Trail N
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079630530

Fantasy Vineyards
1838 Madrona Ave
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079638060

Fantesca Estate & Winery
2920 Spring Mountain Rd
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079689229

Freemark Abbey Winery
3022 St Helena Hwy
St Helena, CA 94574
+18009639698

Hall Wines
401 St Helena Hwy South
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079672626

Harland Estate
1567 Oakville Grade Rd
Oakville, CA 94562
+17079441441

Joseph Phelps Vineyards
200 Taplin Rd
St Helena, CA 94574
+18007075789

Kelham Vineyards
360 Zinfandel Lane
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079632000

Lokoya Winery
3787 Spring Mountain Rd
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079481968

Louis M. Martini Winery
254 St Helena Hwy S
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079683362

Marciano Estate
2401 Sulphur Springs Ave
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079670983

Marston Family Vineyard
3600 White Sulphur Spring Rd
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079638490

Ovid Winery
255 Long Ranch Rd
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079633850

Paloma Vineyard
4013 Spring Mountain Rd
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079637504

Pestoni Family Estate Winery
1673 St Helena Hwy
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079630544

Pride Mountain Vineyards
4026 Spring Mountain Rd
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079634949

Quintessa Winery
1601 Silverado Trail S
St Helena, CA 94574
+17072862730

Raymond Vineyards
1584 St Helena Hwy
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079633141

Revelette Wines
1500 S Whitehall Lane
St Helena, CA 94574

Robert Mondavi Winery
7801 St Helena Hwy
Oakville, CA 94562

Rombauer Vineyards
3522 Silverado Trail N
St Helena, CA 94574
+18662802582

Salvestrin Winery
397 Main St
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079635105

Schweiger Vineyards & Winery
4015 Spring Mountain Rd
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079634882

Sinegal Estate Winery
2125 Inglewood Ave
St Helena, CA 94574
+17072441187

Spottswoode Winery
1902 Madrona Ave
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079630134

Stony Hill Vineyard
3331 St Helena Hwy N
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079632636

Sullivan Rutherford Estate
1090 Galleron Rd
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079639646

Sutter Home Winery
277 St Helena Hwy
St Helena, CA 94574

Taplin Cellars
1677 Lewelling Lane
St Helena, CA 94574

The Prisoner Wine Company
1178 Galleron Rd
St Helena, CA 94574
+18772835934

The Ranch Winery
105 Zinfandel Lane
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079634520

The Salon at Heitz Cellar
436 St Helena Hwy
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079632047

Trespass Vineyard
1859 Hillview Pl
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079630804

Turnbull Wine Cellars
8210 St Helena Hwy
Oakville, CA 94562
+17079635839

V Sattui
1111 White Lane
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079637774

Vineyard 7 & 8
4028 Spring Mountain Rd
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079639425

Wheeler Farms Winery
588 Zinfandel Lane
St Helena, CA 94574
+17072008500

Whitehall Lane Winery
1563 St Helena Hwy
St Helena, CA 94574
+17079639454

Young Inglewood Vineyards
1919 Inglewood Ave
St Helena, CA 94574
+17072004572

town SAINT HELENA, CALIFORNIA

NAPA COUNTY, CA

IMG_6637

California Car Rentals

Auto Rentals, 4×4 Rentals
in and around California

Thrifty Rent-A-Car System, Inc.
california

Automotive Rental Agencies
Baja Car Rentals
Bus Service / Tours
Camper Van Rentals
Van Build-out Shops

Hummer Rentals
Jeep Rentals
Limousines
Motorcycle Rental
Off Road Rentals
SUV Rentals
Trucks 4×4 / 4WD
RV Motorhome Rental

4x4    califrepublic    camptruck

Tobin Bridge California
Tobin Bridge California
CaribouWoodbridge
Queen Lily bridge, Caribou Road, North Feather River

Auto Rental Service Agencies


Alamo 844-354-6962
Budget 800-218-7992
Enterprise 855-266-9289
Hertz 800-654-3131

SFthennow

Rent-A-Wreck San Francisco, CA 877-877-0700
Thrifty Rent-A-Car System, Inc.
hwy highway

june lake loop
June Lake Loop is a popular spot for Autumn Colors

camp

bajaexplorin
Paved roads are the main highways in Baja, everything else is usually DIRT

Baja California Mexico Car Rentals

Some San Diego car-rental companies will rent vehicles for driving into Baja California & will provide Mexican auto-insurance. Franchises below can have location drop offs & pick-ups in the US or over the border in MX.

ABC RENT-A-CAR
Costa Mesa, CA 949-200-3367

AVIS Rent a Car
San Diego, CA 619-688-5000
Otay Tijuana 619-588-1309
Mexico 800-770 2847
Baja California Norte, Mexico

DOLLAR
800-800-4000 MX & SD
San Diego Airport San Diego, CA
Tijuana, Baja California

ENTERPRISE 855-266-9289
San Diego, CA 619-696-5000
Mexicali, BC 686-514 2406
en Español 1-877-416-0000

NATIONAL CAR MX
800-716-6625

CALIFORNIA BAJA RENT-A-CAR
619-470-7368
Trucks, Vans, Jeeps, SUV, 4×4 vehicles

Baja Insurance
Buy Baja Insurance online

SequoiaSUV
Toyota Sequoia in Lakes Basin Recreation Area
SUVtrips
Access more roads w/ a Sport Utility Vehicle

SUV and 4×4 Rentals

These days most all car rental agencies have Sport Utility Vehicles for rent, but if you need 4 wheel drive for your trip, then make sure 4WD is an option.

4x4

granitegravelrd
Hard core roads: 4×4 may be needed to reach secluded camp sites in California.

Click below for off-road rentals all around California, from fully outfitted Jeeps (for a week) to quick quad rentals at the dunes (for a few hours).

4 wheel drive rentals = 4×4 Rentals

Overland Jeep Rentals w/ camping roof top tent and gear;
ATV and Quads @ beach sand dune park

snow

snow & ice?

Heading up to the mountains for anything fun? then you better ask rental car company about snow forecast and tire chains – or buy some in route.

OFF ROADING, for sure

If you plan to drive on serious dirt roads for hundreds of miles, a week of camping, rock crawling mountains, take a spin on the desert sand dunes, or want to drive into Mexico, then you will need extra insurance. Ask and expect to pay $$$.

likearental
Drive It – like a rental. (Chris Perosi) Moab UT – Crawloween 2000

wildflower

mountains

Out of the Box

city buildings
Feeling like you are trapped in a box lately? Is your daily existence in front of a computer monitor driving you bonkers?

Well, well then, the Total Escape web site is the new place for you. This is Off the Beaten Path, California style. The golden state at it’s very best. Local trips. Scenic drives.

cubical ratNot like the traffic hell you experience on the freeways, but open roads, trees, nature, open spaces, wild grass, blue birds, open fields, sunshine, fresh air & open meadows. Openness!! Plenty land, parks, recreation, leisure & simple good ideas for your weekend getaways.

escape cubical life soon

We all have our version of the BOX. What holds us there, is only a mystery. If you are sick of sitting at home doing nothing on the weekends (a house is a box), or needing a reason to kick the boob tube habit ( T.V. the most controlling box of all) or just wanting to break away after (or before) that big project deadline at work, Total Escape is a perfect place to start your day dreaming. With thousands of pages & photographs to show you where to go, you will wanna bookmark this online resource.

try it, you’ll like it:

winery tour & tasting
bike ride along the coast
a dirt road in the countryside
seafood in Baja, plus a hotel
find a bed & breakfast
cozy mountain cabin
natural hot springs
try SUV adventures

development
While you won’t know who’s doing what on television, I can assure you that your new found freedom & stream side camp will keep you reminiscing for many months.

By traveling locally, you can travel more often, experience a variety terrain, towns & recreational activities. Plenty small towns lodges wanting you to find them. Plus camping will work for moderate lifestyle travelers seeking the less expensive option for the weekend. Less cash, more nature.

How broke are you? Money is no excuse either. You will spend the same amount, if not more, staying in town, seeing a movie, doing one restaurant dinner & running up to the store for a sec (3 stores & a mocha freezy later, $$$). Leave the shopping boxes (malls) for weeknights.

Carpool and save on the cost of gasoline. A long road trip, it’s a great way to get re-acquainted with an old friend.
socalsuburb

Dedicate your weekends to yourself for once. (at least every month or so) Try scheduling in a real weekend away.

If you are a home owner, chances are you’ve spent the last year or more on house projects (or procrastinating on them). Time to stop! Celebrate life. Enjoy yourself & go. Let your imagination run wild while you dream of the coolest, most scenic places you can go. A rustic Sierra cabin, walking distance from a lake. A romantic bed & breakfast in wine country. A fly fishing guided tour up north somewhere. Come on, let go & get out of town.

find yourself
Something you can’t find with a GPS.

Yourself.

Beware of Campers

Camping: Large Groups to be Aware of

glamiscampers

Campgrounds located closest to interstate or state highways usually fill up fast & can attract all types of campers. For the seclusion, head a few miles off the main roads & enjoy the silence. You will need some good topo maps. Be on the look out for some of these listed below! They could simply make or break your enjoyable experience in nature.

the real animals to be frightened of…

Party Animals
Good Ole Boys
Off-Roaders
Boom-Boom Boys
Family Affair
Big Time RVers
Wild Animals

RV campers love Deserts

to each their own… but,
Beware of these kind of campers

Party Animals

These are the young (teens / college) kids that will stay up late nights with their music cranked, hootin’ & hollarin’ until the wee hours. Copious amounts of alcohol, always. Drunk, belligerent & loud. The ranger is never around to scold them. And they choose small campgrounds, without a campground host. Very disturbing bunch & could care less what you think. Usually found at the easily accessed campgrounds, near urban centers.

Good Ole Boys

Not your occasional yuppie with his new sport utility vehicle. This type of modern day cowboy owns big American made truck. maybe with a lift kit & monster tires. Love to shoot their guns off (&/or camp near a shooting range). Classic rock music & Jack Daniels are the favorites. Wear bright clothing & try to stay out of their firing range.

welderdude

Off-Roaders

These are the all-terrain-vehicle nuts who love getting dusty, dirty & don’t mind an occasional broken bone or two. Their constant high pitched engine noises are always screaming in the background. At night, they can get loud, but usually crash early due to an exhausting day of riding. Noisy power generators are popular. Usually found at the campgrounds near SRVA State Park (State Recreational Vehicle Area) or any OHV Areas.

dirtbikersrandsburgBoom-Boom Boys

If you are lucky, you’ll only hear the base thumping over the running trickle of the nearby creek. Their low-rider car bottomed out 3 times before reaching this destination. Hanging with the home-boys at the campsite most of the time & talking loudly. Will build large fires in the middle of the day for no apparent reason & possibly play pyromaniac. Usually found at the easily accessed campgrounds near large cities.

A Family Affair

The huge family that brings all the bicycles, toys & neighbor’s children along with them. Plenty of food, BBQ smells & even a canopy or screen room. Loud children are very apparent, not to mention the screaming stressed out mom. This group is sure to awake you at the crack of dawn, with mom a bitching & the kids riding their bicycles thru YOUR camp site. Please note: Mexican families can be very noisy w/ loud music and chainsaws, both late into the midnight hour.

Big Time RVers

These older people will bring everything including the kitchen sink, microwave, TV & satellite dish. Noisy power generators could be annoying. The bright green Astro turf & lawn chairs are all in place right outside the motor home doorway. A small fluffy pooch is sure to be an annoying accessory. Sometimes they blend with the desert OHV campers w/ their toy boxes and bon fires.

Wild Animals

Some yahoos that pull into camp at 10pm & make a huge ruckus. Right when you think they’re quieting down, on comes some Zepplin tunes. You would assume that these are just boys that never grew up & we’ve met some that are 50+ years old. The women rarely stay up as late as their partners, but can ‘out belch’ them on occasion. Some have expensive toys & sometimes haul a separate trailer just for that crap.

Houseless, not Homeless

Over the past decade millions of people lost their homes to foreclosure; and most recently thousands of Californians lost their homes due to super destructive wildfires.

Across Northern Cal, you will find plenty folks living in limbo in their camper trailers.

Many people decide to live on the road in motorhome campers, while searching for a new home, or part time work, bouncing around – free wheelin – where ever they feel comfortable. Now a days, large encampments of full time campers exist within the deserts of the Southwest.

Snowbirds, burners, rainbows, drop-outs, tourists, nudists, hot spring soakers, and off-roaders —– YEP, all mingling out in nature, all winter long, from California to New Mexico. Motorhomes, teardrops, Airstreams, camper vans, truck campers, backpackers. Free camping (without the fees) is always a big concern for these nomads. Several annual ‘gathering’ events exist near Quartzsite, AZ

If you come across a friendly traveler, say hi and make sure they have enough food and water. If they appear unfriendly, they may want you to leave. Be cautious about approaching strangers, especially in the desert. Seen way too many damn movies.

sundaycrowd

Party  Camp Towns

These camp regions below are known for their frequent rowdy campers and partying kids. If it is Spring Break, a 3 day weekend or anytime around a holiday, you can be sure the party will be here. Local pubs, busy restaurants, bon fires, motorcycles, quads, music all night.

Not seeking this kinda camping? ….means you’ll need to stay away.

San Felipe, Baja California
Ensenada, Baja California
Yuma, Arizona
Glamis Desert OHV
Lake Havasu, Arizona
Laughlin, Colorado River
Randsburg ghost town
Panamint Valley @ Ballarat
Jawbone Canyon, Mojave
Kern River, Kernville
Pismo Beach, California
Mammoth Mountain, Eastern Sierra
Belden Town, North Fork of Feather River

Caution: Big Time Grow Area

California cannabis growers & land owners are often well armed. They do not want to see any hikers or lost tourists hanging around their ‘private property’ boundary. KEEP OUT: Pay close attention to signs, or you could hear gun shots aimed in your very direction. Now that legalization has come, this list may soon get longer.

Regions listed below often have large grow operations (GROW-OP).

[Keep away and stay alive]

Honeydew, Emerald Triangle – Mendocino Co.
(Petrolia, Matole, Shelter Cove, Lost Coast)
Humboldt County
Hayfork, Trinity Pines – Trinity Co.
Weaverville, Junction City – Trinity Co.
Igo & Ono, W of Redding – Shasta Co.
Oak Run, E of Redding – Shasta Co.
Berry Creek, Lake Oroville – Butte Co.
North San Juan, N Gold Country – Nevada Co.
Santa Cruz Mountains –  Santa Cruz Co.
Nipton, California NV border – San Berdu Co.

 

randsburg

the real cautions

Ahh, the great outdoors. The thought conjures up different images for different people. Whether you picture warm desert breezes, cold mountain streams or simply lounging about in your campsite without a care in the world, we’re all thinking the same thing – relaxation in a nature paradise!

Still, most folks don’t think about the flip side of paradise; getting lost, inclement weather, wild fires, sprained ankles, poison oak, snakebites, etc. Whether you are headed out to desolate, snow-covered peaks or your local hiking trail, you’ve got to be prepared for the unexpected.

tentinterior

Would you like to be one up on the masses by reading some very simple tips? Or, would you prefer to continue stumbling blindly through the woods and fields, drinking contaminated water, picking up ticks, rolling around in poison oak and wrestling your dinner from a 500-pound black bear?

Check our Fire Safety page & for God’s sake, when the signs are posted “no campfires” it means no fires!!!

People who accidentally start destructive wildfires inside California (even by mistake) are often sentenced to over a decade in jail. Be very aware of all sparks, cigarettes, & any open flames.

hiking

Pack a good map of the area and obtain a recent weather forecast.
Be alert for signage or, as is often the case, lack thereof.
Bring along a first aid kit and know what’s in it!
Know what poison oak and sumac look like and make all attempts to AVOID it!

Bring plenty of water. NEVER trust natural water sources. Use Tincture of Iodine or some sort of water filter system. (Trust me on this one!)

bearboxprovided

camping

When in ‘bear areas’ and developed campgrounds, NEVER leave food in tents or the car, when bear box containers are provided. Community bear boxes are common throughout the Sierra Nevada and some NorCal mountains. Backpackers often use bear canisters. Use bear canisters and devise a sling method to hang your food. The bears will get your food if you do not take precautions, believe me! See more info on CAMPING with BEARS in California.

Flash floods, in river basins and most deserts in California. NEVER build camp or pitch your tent in dry riverbeds or along arroyos when there is a chance of rain (unless your tent comes equipped with oars or paddles). Breaking camp at midnight in 40 mph winds is never an easy task, and will likely have you headed home in the wee hours.

Check the forecast as much as possible when traveling. California is a big state with micro-climates and radical weather, so go out prepared for rain or snow if it is winter, spring or autumn (especially in higher elevation); Summers are generally hot and sweltering in California, over the past decade.

If you feel the absolute need to bring a firearm with you. Please obey all federal and local laws and regulations regarding said firearm. Most State Parks & National Park have strict rules for weapons.