Best Wine Travel Destinations for Sipping Off the Beaten Path
- Alternative wine destinations like Santa Barbara, Azores, and Cape Town offer unique experiences for wine lovers beyond Napa and Tuscany.
Napa and Tuscany have a way of hogging the spotlight with wine tasters roaming across tracts of gorgeous, vineyard-laced countryside to sample tasty pours. And for good reason: these two world-famous wine destinations in California and Italy respectively deliver on location, ambiance, activities, and damn-good wine . But if you're looking for something different, there are plenty of other outstanding travel destinations, both near and far, for wine lovers. The following less-crowded locales stand out for their wine-focused events, scenic vineyards, and more.
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Best Travel Destinations for Wine Lovers
If you're not a Cali native, a neighborhood called the Funk Zone might seem off-putting, but it's actually Santa Barbara's art, culture, and culinary hub. Within it, you can walk a chunk of the Urban Wine Trail to visit over 20 tasting rooms offering Santa Barbara County wine. Or, you can drop by the urban luxury resort Hotel Californian 's signature tasting room, The Society: State & Mason . The airy space is an intimate way to experience world-class wines. Go for the flight with complementary food pairings. And if you're an out-of-towner, definitely book a stay: The stunning property boasts Spanish Colonial Revival architecture with Moroccan influences—and it's just a short walk to the beachfront and pier.
A trip to one (or a few) of the nine islands in the Azores—some 800 miles off the coast of Portugal—is worth it no matter your reasoning: dramatic cliffs and landscapes, fishing villages set in yesteryear, mountain-biking adventures galore. But Pico, in the middle of the islands, is the spot for wine. "It's dubbed 'The Island of Wine,'" says Erin Swain, an independent wine consultant and sommelier. "Volcanic soils and spectacular rock walls that protect the vines are sure to impress those seeking wine adventures." Sip and explore your way around the archipelago with Azores Getaways , which offers a Pico and São Miguel 11-Day Guided Adventure that includes sampling some of the finest wines you'll ever try on a remote, rugged isle in the middle of the Atlantic. For intrepid trekkers, the famous offshore wine isle is also home to 7,713-foot Mount Pico, Portugal's highest peak.
Greater Cape Town boasts the best wines in South Africa, from Cape Peninsula to Stellenbosch, and beyond. Book a trip with Intrepid Travel , and you can visit both colonial and more recent estates among the almost 100 in the region, including a trip to Paarl—one of the oldest wine regions in the country. Two of the biggest upcoming wine festivals in the area include the International Spirits & Wine Festival (Nov 1-2, 2024) and Greyton Wine Weekend (Nov. 8-9, 2024), featuring wines from over 40 top regional producers in the charming village of Greyton (about 90 miles east of Cape Town). When you're not too busy sipping, the region is home to some of most stunning golf courses on the edge of the world.
Skip the traffic and unwind on an Amtrak ride from as far north as Seattle and as far south as San Diego to San Luis Obispo (a.k.a. SLO CAL )—Cali's third-largest wine region. Here, on California's alluring central coast, you'll have your choice of 250 wineries along the oceanside and nearby back roads of Paso Robles. In the spring, don't miss the Paso Robles Wine Festival (May 15-18, 2025), featuring vintages from over 100 wineries, plus craft spirits, local artisan exhibits, and live music.
"Chile itself is more or less a wine region, but the epicenter is in the Central Valley, south of Santiago," says Matt Nilsson, a Latin America senior product executive for bespoke travel company Audley Travel . "There's an abundance of wines produced here because of the huge variety of grapes that can grow in the ideal climate." Enter the Colchagua Valley for the Fiesta de la Vendimia—Chile's annual grape harvest, which happens between mid-March and mid-April. While exact dates depend on specific year-to-year harvest dates, time it right and you'll get far more than just wine. National dance competitions, live music, empanadas, and local cheeses are all part of the days-long celebration. Don't leave without trying carmenère wine, a varietal native to Chile. Outside of wine, you can explore the area via mountain bike horseback or check out a local rodeo.
Trying to impress a bona fide oenophile whose tried damn near every type of wine? Hop on a plane or book a cruise to the island state of Tasmania , located at the southern tip of Australia. It's "one of the wine industry's best-kept secrets," says Tom Kendall, an Australia product executive for Audley. Its cool climate is ideal for sparkling wines (pinot gris, chardonnay, and riesling, in particular) and even Moet and Chandon have begun to use Tassie grapes, he says. Yet, hardly any of the local vino (try, 0.1 percent!) gets exported outside Australasia. Once you've landed, keep it simple: Follow the 140 km Tamar Valley Wine Route to explore dozens of boutique wineries.
East Coasters who've done Napa don't need to veer to the West Coast for good sips. North Carolina's Yadkin Valley is one of the most prominent wine regions on the East Coast (the state is also home to America's first grape). While you can choose from 40 different vineyards in the area, focus on the dozen that stretch across the neighboring towns of Elkin, Pilot Mountain, Dobson, and Mount Airy, which was the inspiration for the town of Mayberry on The Andy Griffith Show .
