There’s more than wine to the Wine Country, and some of the best sights and activities are not wine-related at all. This week-long tour of the major wine regions will give a taste of the diversity on offer, taking in a mix of wineries, sights, and outdoor activities. Driving is the best way to get around, or rent a bike in Sonoma or Healdsburg to explore some of the local attractions.

DAY 1
In the city of Napa visit Copia, America’s first museum devoted to food and wine. Tour the exhibits, sit in on a seminar, and have lunch at the café. In the afternoon, visit nearby wineries, including the Hess Collection, home to contemporary art as well as good wine, and the Persian palace of Darioush. Drive north on the Silverado Trail to Frog’s Leap Winery, an organic wine and produce wonderland, before continuing to Calistoga.

DAY 2
Explore Calistoga by visiting the Sharpsteen Museum, which showcases the town’s colorful Victorian history. Take a tour of the caves at the nearby Schramsberg winery, a champagne house with its own unique Victorian history. Buy picnic supplies in Calistoga and drive south to Bothe-Napa Valley State Park for a picnic and maybe a short hike through the redwoods. Drive farther south to St. Helena, stopping off for one of the cooking demonstrations at the Culinary Institute of America. From St. Helena, take the scenic drive up Spring Mountain Road to the top, where Pride Mountain Vineyards makes some wonderful mountain wines. Spend the night in Sonoma Valley.

DAY 3
Take a fun, motorized tour around the Benziger Family Winery vineyards, one of the few biodynamic wineries in California. After tasting some of their classic Sonoma cabernets, head for the nearby Olive Press just south of Glen Ellen to taste some diverse olive oils. After lunch in Glen Ellen, hike around the scenic Jack London State Historic Park, once part of the Victorian author’s giant ranch and full of fascinating ruins. Those with enough energy can expend plenty of it in Sugarloaf Ridge State Park on the other side of the valley, where redwoods and sunny ridges offer ample outdoor choices and spectacular views. End the day tasting reserve wines on the peaceful patio overlooking the valley vineyards at Chateau St. Jean.

DAY 4
While browsing the shops and sights around historic Sonoma Plaza, explore some of the equally historic wineries nearby, such as Gundlach Bundschu. Lunch in Sonoma, before heading south to Carneros to the artistic wonderland of the di Rosa Preserve. Visit nearby wineries like Carneros Creek and Domaine Carneros to taste some of the area’s fine pinot noirs and champagnes before dining in Sonoma at one of the town’s many superb restaurants.

DAY 5
Drive north to Santa Rosa, then head west into the Russian River Valley (1 hour) for fine champagne tastings at Iron Horse Vineyards and Korbel Champagne Cellars. After lunch in Guerneville, head for the cool forests of nearby Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve for a hike through the redwoods, or rent a canoe and float through the trees on the Russian River, stopping at one of the many small beaches. In the afternoon, drive north on West Side Road to Healdsburg (30 minutes), calling in at the Hop Kiln Winery to taste some unusual wines and see the giant kilns that once dried hops for beer. You’ll be spoiled for choice for dinner in Healdsburg and might be able to catch a show at the town’s Raven Theater that evening.

DAY 6
Explore the many downtown tasting rooms of Healdsburg, then drive or bike into the nearby Dry Creek Valley to visit some small wineries that produce some big zinfandels. Ridge Vineyards has an environmentally friendly winery building as organic as its wines, and Michel-Schlumberger produces some of the best cabernet in a valley otherwise dominated by zinfandel. Cross over into neighboring Alexander Valley, where cabernet is king. Visit Alexander Valley Vineyards, one of the most historic in the valley. That evening, drive south to Saratoga in the Santa Cruz Mountains (3 hours).

DAY 7
From Saratoga, drive northwest to the wineries of Monte Bello Road, stopping off the see the peacocks at the rustic Picchetti Winery before continuing up to the highest ridge at Ridge Vineyards, maker of some of the best Santa Cruz cabernets and home to stunning views. Loop back through Saratoga and up U.S. 9 to Skyline Boulevard. Turn left on Skyline and take it all the way to its narrow, winding end (30 minutes), then turn right on Bear Creek Road. The first winery is David Bruce, which makes outstanding pinot noirs from virtually all the best pinot-growing regions of California. Continue west, visiting the palatial Byington Vineyard & Winery, until you reach the small mountain town of Boulder Creek, an ideal place for a late lunch. Drive a little farther north to Big Basin Redwoods State Park, an 18,000-acre wilderness of forests, ridges, streams, and waterfalls that is a hiking mecca. Alternatively, drive south from Boulder Creek through Felton to Santa Cruz (45 minutes) and get the adrenaline pumping on the roller coasters at the Beach Boardwalk before kicking back and watching the sun set over the ocean from one of the many seafood restaurants on the wharf.