Living in California has its fair share of perks, one of the best being how many amazing things are just a day trip away from the hustle of city living in San Francisco. I’ve been making a big effort this year to ditch my never ending to do list and explore more, to take a break from the day-to-day routine, and take better advantage of everything that is only a short drive away.

Since I haven’t owned a car almost five years, Enterprise CarShare has been crucial in making this goal of mine happen – from my mid-week escapes down to the barn for riding lessons, to weekend road trips, it’s been amazing to have easy access to rental cars all over the city. It basically allows me to have the perks of having my own car without any of the hassle (and expenses!) and has been what I’ve used for everything from running errands and grocery shopping, to picking friends up at the airport over the years and most recently, soak up some sunshine in wine country.

Although I’ve been out in San Francisco for just over two years now, I realized that I could count the number of times I’ve been up to Napa and Sonoma on one hand which is a bit embarrassing considering what an easy drive it is from the city and just how stunning of an area it is. So last weekend I picked up my favorite Enterprise CarShare car in my neighborhood (a cute white Prius) and headed over the Golden Gate Bridge for the day. The weather was absolutely perfect and it was amazing to have a day to drive around and explore the area without any set agenda.

Our first stop was at Healdsburg SHED – I had heard SO much about the stunning space and amazing food from friends and co-workers and it did not disappoint. From the bright light and decor, to the curated selection of kitchen and housewares; SHED was heavenly and having a late brunch on their riverside patio was the perfect way to start the day.

After grabbing a coffee and a bite to eat, we headed south to Napa to pick up my wine shipment at Saintsbury Winery – their Pinot Noir is my favorite and I finally bit the bullet and joined their wine club when visiting in the fall for a tasting and while the wine is great, it’s also given me the perfect excuse to visit Napa at least once a quarter ;)

Finally we made a stop at The Fremont Diner, a place I had been dying to eat at ever since spotting photos of their menu and drool-worthy fried chicken on Instagram. Guys… it was SO GOOD. Everything from the mac and cheese to both sandwiches we tried (Fried Chicken + Pastrami) were incredible and we left very full and already planning another trip back.

The drive home to San Francisco was one of those dreamy road trip moments where everything just seems perfect. Windows were down, my favorite music was playing and the sky was cotton candy pink at sunset. Even after living on the west coast for a few years now I still have to pinch myself sometimes that I’m lucky enough to live in such a gorgeous place with so many incredible things to explore (with a little help from Enterprise CarShare of course ;))

Have you been up to Napa or Sonoma? What are some of your favorite spots in wine country? If you haven’t checked out Enterprise CarShare yet, you can use code BLOG17 for free membership for a year + $20 in driving credits!