You don’t have to wait ’til the kids are 21 to enjoy wine country together. With more and more wineries catering to families, there are also plenty that offer family-friendly lodging too, which means wine tasting and family fun can go hand in hand for the perfect weekend getaway. We gathered our favorite spots from around the country, keep reading to see them all.
Chateau Chantal - Traverse City, MI
The kids can roll on the big lawn next to this vineyard on the rural peninsula north of Traverse City in Michigan, while mom and dad enjoy a glass of wine on the patio. Chateau Chantal is all about family with kids toys in the tasting room and travel cots available for the duration of your stay. When the grapes are harvested here, there's a celebration where you can get to stomp on the fruit in a barrel. Chateau Chantel has 11 rooms, a library with a fireplace and a selection of family-friendly board games for you to enjoy after a day of trail walking and beach going.
15900 Rue de Vin
Traverse City, MI
Tel: 231-223-4110
Online: chateauchantal.com
Larson Family Winery - Sonoma CA
The Larson Family Winery goes all-out to make families feel welcome. The family rents out a farmhouse in the grounds of their Sonoma estate, set among rows of chardonnay vines. There are farm animals on site as well as friendly dogs for petting. There's a bocce court and a huge lawn for games like tag and corn hole. When the winery has tastings during the day there are coloring sheets for the kids while parents test their wine palettes. The rental accommodation has 4 bedrooms, 2 baths and a full kitchen.
23355 Millerick Rd,
Sonoma, CA
Tel: 707-938-3031
Online: larsonfamilywinery.com
Belhurst Castle and Winery - Geneva NY
The draw for kids at this winery is the castle. Belhurst is a stone pile complete with turrets and towers built in the 1880's. There are 14 bedrooms to choose from including The Billiard Room, The Butler Room and The Tower Suite (The perfect place to get out the game Clue!). The castle isn't set in the grounds of a winery—Belhurst buys in the grapes—but it overlooks Seneca Lake in the heart of the Finger Lakes.
4069 W Lake Rd,
Geneva, NY
Tel: 315-781-0201
Online: belhurst.com
Fortis Winery - Cave Junction, OR
With five bedrooms, The Maple Ranch Johnson House easily accommodates 12 which makes it good for family reunions or multi-family gatherings. The property is part of Fortis Winery and sits amid 112 acres of vineyards, ponds, creeks and mixed forestland in the heart of southwestern Oregon’s remote Siskiyou Mountains overlooking the Illinois Valley. The tasting room is open daily except for holidays.
645 Kendall Rd,
Cave Junction, OR
800-843-6747
Online: foriswine.com
Red Cliffs Lodge - Moab, UT
Red Cliffs Lodge with it's adjoining winery is set in Utah's stunning Moab, where you can hike, bike and whitewater raft. The lodge has a small playground with a couple of swings and a tetherball pole, plus an outdoor pool. Many activities are open to under tens (but probably not geared to kids still in strollers), and the daily tastings at The Castle Creek Winery are strictly off limits to anyone under 21. However, there is a lobby which serves as a waiting room for kids or alternatively, parents can tag team inside the tasting room to check out some of the award-winning wines produced in the area.
Milepost 14
Highway 128
Moab, UT
Tel: 866-812-2002
Online: redcliffslodge.com
Biltmore - Asheville, NC
The Biltmore Village Hotel is a family-friendly starting point to explore the impressive 8,000-acre estate in North Carolina which was the home of the Vanderbilts for generations. There are castle tours, landscaped gardens, bike rentals and trails, hiking, horseback riding and farm animals to keep the family busy as well as diverse dining options (all of which have kids menus) and of course, wine tasting. Complimentary tastings are included with Biltmore admission, and kids aren't forgotten—they get free grape juice! There are additional wine experiences on offer like behind the scenes tours of the production facility, a visit to the vineyard or curated wine and chocolate pairings.
Biltmore
One Lodge Street
Asheville, NC
Tel: 800-411-3812
Online: biltmore.com
The Lake House Inn - Geneva-On-The-Lake, OH
There are lots of accommodation options at The Lake House Inn, including three beachside cottages ideal for families. Paddling and pebble collecting on the shore are popular with little ones, and families are encouraged to check out nearby Geneva State Park with its lakeside swim beach, volleyball courts and trails. You won't get views of vines from the inn (the grapes are grown elsewhere in the Grand River Valley), but you will get top notch small batch wines including dry rosés and darker reds, plus a sweet apple cider wine and a peach wine produced from local fruits. Tastings take place daily at the Inn's on-site family-friendly restaurant.
5653 Lake Rd E
Geneva-On-The-Lake, OH
Tel: 440-466-8668
Online: thelakehouseinn.com
South Coast Winery Resort and Spa - Temecula, CA
In the Temecula wine region midway between San Diego and LA, the South Coast Winery has family-friendly lodging either in its hotel suites or in the villas tucked away amid 63 acres of vineyards. The hotel has a heated indoor pool for the whole family and a spa for adults. The resort staff also run events with kids in mind—a seasonal grape stomp, tractor rides, and BBQs as well as holiday specials and an upcoming Easter egg hunt. Wine tastings and behind the scenes winery tours are offered daily.
34843 Rancho California Road
Temecula, CA
Tel: 951-587-9463
Online: southcoastwinery.com
Do you have any spots to add to the list? Feel free to share them in the comments below.
— Emily Myers
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Editor’s Note: Red Tricycle wants parents to have fun and be safe with their kids. Please drink responsibly and always designate a driver.
