When moms and dads venture to Wine Country for some grown-up fun, many don’t realize that some wineries offer special activities and accommodations for kids. While adults sample the latest vintages, children can have their own fun tasting grape juice, romping in play areas, visiting with farm animals and playing outdoor games. However, before embarking on a fun family outing, it’s best to call ahead or check the winery website to make sure minors are welcome, according to the Wine Institute. Some don’t allow guests under the age of 21 due to liability concerns or preferences. Once kids get the green light, they can join you at the winery and can often participate in vineyard and winery tours. Here are a few family-friendly wineries to check out.
Sonoma County
ACORN Winery/Alegria Vineyards, Healdsburg. Legos, crayons and cornhole keep kids entertained while parents taste. Children may also explore the vineyards adjacent to the tasting room, join parents on a guided vineyard walk and taste grapes during harvest.
Alexander Valley Vineyards, Healdsburg. Kids can join in winery and cave tours with their parents, visit the vineyards, enjoy the picnic area and meet the winery dogs. While the adults taste wine, children can do a winery seek-and-find puzzle.
Cline Cellars, Sonoma. The park-like, historic grounds feature expansive lawns, ponds stocked with carp and turtles, vintage train cars and the winery’s Sicilian donkeys, Fancy and Pudding.
DeLoach Vineyards, Santa Rosa. The winery features educational, family-friendly tours, highlighting DeLoach’s history, winemaking techniques and farming practices. Families can also picnic in the winery grove.
Napa County
Frog’s Leap, Rutherford. Dogs and kids are welcome at Frog’s Leap, which includes a barn, farm animals, as well as fruit and vegetable gardens. The winery also occasionally hosts specific family-friendly tasting times.
Honig Vineyard & Winery, Rutherford. Also dog-friendly, the winery caters to kids with juice boxes, Goldfish crackers and coloring books for $10 per child.
Napa Cellars, St. Helena. Families can play bocce ball, ladder ball and cornhole. The winery also has a picnic area and often features live music.
Raymond Vineyards, St. Helena. The outdoor Theater of Nature showcases the ways in which all of nature’s “actors”—including chickens and goats—play a key part in crafting quality wine.
Source: Wine Institute
Harvest Moon
Why is it called a harvest moon? The term “harvest moon” refers to the full, bright moon that occurs closest to the start of autumn. The name dates back to the time before electricity when farmers depended on the moon’s light to harvest their crops late into the night. The moon’s light was particularly important during fall when harvests are the largest.
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