Learn why you should plan your next wine trip to this under-the-radar central California town.
Doesn’t a weekend getaway with really good food and wine, nature and relaxation sound like the perfect way to recharge? That’s because it is, especially if you go to a place that has a ton of vineyards and tasting rooms, but no pretentious personalities (aka wine snobs).
Don’t get me wrong, I love Sonoma and Napa – they’re pretty as heck – but the wine town I’m crushing on now is a hidden gem in California’s Central Valley. And you’re going to love it, too!
Secret Wine Town Getaway
Lodi is a small town in Central California that produces more wine grapes than Napa and Sonoma combined (whoa!). It hasn’t been on the wine radar because in the past they simply sold their grapes to winemakers further north. But today, winemakers are moving here and Lodi is now home to 85 smaller, independent wineries (no Sutter Home or Gallo here).
The region is best known for producing mouthy zinfandels. In fact, the #1 bestselling zinfandel in the U.S. is made here (Michael David Winery’s 7 Deadly Zins). But there are other kinds of wine you can sample, too. A wide variety of wine grapes are grown in the Lodi area, including ones you probably won’t find anywhere else – like those made from the world’s oldest Cinsault vines (more than 100 years old).
In Lodi, there aren’t any rolling green hills or tasting rooms that require reservations and charge up to $50 per person to try a few sips of their stuff. Instead, you get a laidback farming town, family-run wineries passionate about what they’re bottling and a flat, green valley perfect for riding bikes from tasting room to tasting room.
It’s a come-as-you-are kind of place with big, bold reds, old-growth vines and enough fun things to make it the perfect getaway for a relaxing weekend. Here’s how you should spend it:
Go Wine Tasting
Get a wine trail map at the Lodi Wine & Visitor Center to plot your wine-tasting route. Wineries tend to bunch up together along the same road so you can hit several without having to drive too far. But my three favorites are a bit more off the beaten path (but worth it!):
Michael David Winery
A longtime family farm turned winery, this place now produces some of the country’s most stellar zinfandels thanks to Michael and David Phillips – brothers in the family’s fifth generation that decided to try their hand at winemaking.
And wine-drinking America thanks them for taking a risk! Michael David Winery makes wines that are jammy, full-bodied and delish. They’re so popular that Trader Joe’s and Costco even stock a few of them (look for: 7 Deadly Zins, Freakshow and Petite Petit). But don’t stash their wines away for years – they’re meant to be drunk now. Though you’ll be sad to take one of their bottles off your display shelf since every one of them features gorgeous label art.
At the winery, you can sample five wines and get a keepsake wine glass for $10. They also have a café where you can order wood-fired pizzas as well as bocce ball, a children’s playground and a u-pick flower garden where you can get an entire bouquet for $5. But let’s be real: What you’ll be loading up on is their wine because it makes a great gift and because…self-care.
St. Jorge Winery
Walking into St. Jorge Winery is like stepping into a Mediterranean villa, which is exactly what owner Vern Viera was going for. His family is from the Azores (Portuguese islands) and the winery’s sweeping courtyard with a gurgling fountain and curvaceous sculptures makes you feel like you’ve been transported. Here you can get a break from zins and cabs and try Portuguese-style wines like a Tempranillo and a fruity, light Verdelho (my fave!). The tasting fee is $12.50 per person.
Oak Farm Vineyards
Even if you never, ever wanted to be a farmer, you can’t help but feel like maybe, just maybe, you missed your calling when you’re at Oak Farm Vineyards. It’s probably because the tasting room, housed in a barn-style building with sky-high ceilings and huge fireplaces makes farm life seem pretty romantic.
It doesn’t help that sitting in a cushy outdoor lounger with a glass of vino in hand overlooking 70 acres of vineyards and ancient oaks makes you feel like wine baron Robert Mondavi himself. Like at any moment, a butler is going to appear and say, “My lord, your cheese” and present you with the most amazing platter of gouda and gorgonzola. Or is that just my fantasy?
Anyway, suffice it to say that this is the kind of place where you want to hang around and soak up the scenery. And, sip their award-winning cabs, zins and a red blend they named Tievoli (which is “I love it” spelled backward). Tastings are $10 per person.
Explore Wine Country
Of course, there are things you can do in Lodi besides taste wine all day. Here are my favorite ways to enjoy the area:
Bike down vineyard-lined roads
The most peaceful, joyous, bring-me-back-to-my-childhood thing that I did while in Lodi, was set off on a bike. Riding past vineyards, farms, the lake and river with the sun on my back was incredible. Especially once we got onto less-traveled roads (cars make me nervous) and also because there were no hills to make my muscles scream. Bring your own bike or rent one for the day at Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resort Tower Park.
NOTE: If you rent them from Jellystone, you could ride them straight to Coldani Olive Ranch (see below) and then nearby Michael David Winery. It’s about a 45-minute bike ride down Highway 12.
Visit an olive ranch
The Coldani Olive Ranch is a family-run business that grows and produces primo olive oils onsite. They’re pesticide-free and certified high quality by the California Olive Oil Council. You can sample a bunch of different flavored oils – made by crushing olives with herbs and fresh produce (not by using additives or flavorings afterward) – at their tasting room. I guarantee you’ll walk out with a bottle of their garlic-flavored oil. So good!
Kayak Lodi Lake
Another fabulous way to burn calories and enjoy your mini-vacay is to rent a kayak or stand-up paddleboard from Headwaters Kayak on Lodi Lake. After paddling around the serene, man-made lake, head toward the back outlet that turns into Mokelumne River. Don’t worry, there are no rapids or much of a current to speak of – this river is dammed in several spots so it’s the ultimate “lazy river.”
Paddle far enough down the river to see blue herons in the marshes and big mansions along the banks. You might even spy osprey hawks diving into the water to catch bass in their claws like I did.
Hit the downtown shops
The downtown is pretty quiet but there are some cute shops worth checking out. If you need a snack, head straight to Cheese Central – a place that lets you sample cheeses from around the world – before continuing on to these shops:
- Stella Mitchell, for cute tops and accessories
- Nava & Co., for little gifts and souvenirs
- Secondhand Rose, for antiques and vintage
Afterward, swing by McCay Cellars tasting room in downtown. It has a quirky cool vibe, live music sometimes and serves glasses of wine made from old-growth vines.
Where to Eat
At its core, Lodi is a farming community. So, what the restaurants serve here is very fresh and most often local. Here are my high-low picks:
- Towne Corner Café: They have quick bites like salads and sandwiches, but grabbing breakfast here is especially good (hello: housemade cinnamon rolls and organic, fresh-squeezed juices). This is a part of the Wine & Roses hotel, but anyone can stop in.
- A&W Root Beer: You can also swing by one of the very first A&W Restaurants, an iconic American brand that’s been serving frosty root beer floats since 1919. They even invented the bacon cheeseburger in 1963. This little fast-food joint is packed with memorabilia.
- Towne House Restaurant: Prepare for gourmet eats and a menu that changes daily. Dinner is a treat here, especially if you order the heirloom tomato and burrata salad and the braised short ribs with crispy onion strings. This restaurant is also a part of the Wine & Roses hotel.
Stay at a Beautiful Hotel
The Wine & Roses Hotel is possibly the best splurge in Lodi. It’s a small, but gorgeous property with 66 rooms, gardens, exotic birds and two fabulous eateries (mentioned above). The rooms are big and lovely and if I was there again, I would totally hit up their spa.
When is the right time to visit Lodi? When a glass of wine at the end of a very long day isn’t cutting it anymore – you’re still feeling tense and stressed and you really just need a big fat break. Or for a special anniversary trip or a weekend with friends.
Exploring Lodi makes for a fun and relaxing weekend. You’ll come back feeling rested and refreshed, which is exactly why you went on vacation in the first place, right?
Go on this Weekend Wine Trip
I’m working on a 2-day itinerary guide that organizes this info into an easy-to-follow plan with a mapped-out route and activities to do each day along with the best places to stay and eat. Sign up to be notified as soon as it’s available.
Because why make things harder on yourself?
Happy travels,
P.S. Is Sonoma on your bucket list? Check out my favorite scenic drive there that takes you past vineyards, out along the coast and to an ancient redwood forest before ending the day at a winery that locals love. You do not want to miss out on this gorgeous drive – it’s the best thing to do in Sonoma County!
P.P.S. For another quick trip option, what about a boozy weekend in Nashville? The city is hopping with live music, hipster restaurants and really cute neighborhoods.
DO YOU WANT TO REMEMBER THIS? SAVE A WEEKEND TRIP TO A SECRET CALIFORNIA WINE TOWN TO YOUR FAVORITE PINTEREST BOARD!
