How time flies! It’s already mid of September and before we know it it’s already October. Before this month comes to an end, let me share one of my favorite September adventures here on my travel diary. September has always been my favorite month not only because it’s my birth month but it’s also the start of my personal countdown to Christmas! 🙂 I’ve always loved the Christmas season and this year I look forward to it even more than ever because our baby boy is due at the end of Dec!

Last week, I celebrated my birthday once more. I love spending my birthdays in different places but this year for my pregnancy, we had to stay put and we just had a weekend staycation consisting of pigging out in buffets and room service. It was  simple and relaxing and my most meaningful birthday yet because I got the gift I’ve prayed for a long time.

For this post, I’ll travel back in time to our trip last year wherein we celebrated my birthday with a day trip to Napa Valley. It was one of my most memorable celebrations ever! Just a simple road trip to explore different vineyards and experience something new together! I’ve always wanted to see Napa Valley and it really is a lovely place.

Early morning selfie before our road trip begins!

Birthday selfie 😀

Pit stop in McDo for breakfast on the road. This Bacon, Egg & Cheese McGriddle is da bomb! Sad we don’t have this in Manila.

Off, we go!

Our first stop was V. Sattui. When I researched for wineries to see in Napa Valley, this came first on the list. It’s a nice place that is perfect for intimate weddings and special occasions. The scenery is beautiful all around — vineyards, lots of trees, gardens for picnics and celebrations, a deli with all kinds of cheese, freshly made pasta, chocolates and other goodies, and a house with a beautiful structure and design that transports you back in time. Every corner, from the moment you enter the grounds, is just really picturesque!

After touring the place, we then went on to the gardens for a picnic of our own. We bought some food from the deli and camped out under the trees. A simple but lovely picnic brunch for my birthday! 🙂

We then went on to find Castello di Amorosa. I love castles and for every place I visit that has a castle, I just have to see it. So visiting the Castello was part of our day trip itinerary. It was just a short drive from V. Sattui and we didn’t have a hard time finding it. The place is huge! And entering it just really transports you to a different era. The drive up to the castle from the gates already showed us a scenic and vast view of the grounds and the vineyards that surround it. And seeing the castle from afar already got me so excited. It looked and felt like a castle from my favorite series, Game of Thrones!

Touring the inside of the castle was a different experience. Wandering around it felt like we were touring the set of GoT. I imagined Sansa walking around the halls, looking out to the courtyards, trying to escape Joffrey. The rooms and halls were dark and ancient and felt a little creepy but the stone structures, arches and the whole design is just really beautiful.

Part of our tour and the entrance ticket we paid for, was the wine tasting down the cellar. We got to try 3 wines each and we this we enjoyed too! You can also buy wines in the cellar and shop for souvenirs in the gift shop here.

After the wine tasting, we went out to the courtyards and climbed the top of the tower to see the view from above the castle. It was really hot during our visit and it would have been lovelier if the breeze was a bit cooler. But everything looked beautiful nonetheless.

From the Castello, it was time to drive back home to San Francisco. We made a couple of stops on the way like Dean & Delucca and passed by some outlet stores too. We really enjoyed this day trip of Napa Valley that we did on our own. We got to choose the places we wanted to see. We didn’t have to pay much compared to getting the package group tour and we did it all in our own leisure time. All we had to do was rent a car and be on our way.

Next time we go back to SFO, we’ll definitely visit Napa Valley again! ❤