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Wine Travelista

Hi! I'm Laura, your go-to source for all things wine and wanderlust. Whether you're a wine newbie or a seasoned pro, I'm here to help you experience the same joy and education that wine country travel has brought me. From wine travel basics to wine region guides to done-for-you itineraries, I make planning a wine tasting trip simple…and fun!

Featured Post

🇺🇸 Your American wine bucket list

Hi Reader, I spend a lot of time dreaming about international destinations like Italy and France (for good reason!). But between Fourth of July celebrations, America turning 250, and the U.S. making a World Cup run, it's been a pretty good week to be celebrating here in Boston (or as some might say, "New Scotland" 😆). So it feels like the perfect excuse to appreciate some of the places that helped shape American wine. 🇺🇸 From the oldest vineyard in the country to the region that proved we...

Hi Reader, As the travel planner in my friend group, I've organized my fair share of trips over the years. Girls' weekends. Family vacations. Friends’ getaways. And they usually start the same way: "This is going to be so much fun!" Then, things start to get complicated…especially when you add a wine region to the mix. Now you're coordinating winery reservations, transportation, tasting fees, and making sure nobody gets stranded at a winery because they stopped to buy a case of wine. 🤪 But...

Hi Reader, Back when I started branching out beyond your basic Cab Sauv and Chardonnay wines, Chianti was one of the first I tried. I'm not entirely sure why. Maybe I'd heard someone order it in a movie and thought it sounded sophisticated. 🎬🤵🏻😆 Or maybe it was because I was a young professional on a budget and Chianti was one of the few wines I could actually afford. Either way, when you hear "Chianti," there's a good chance one of those wicker basket bottles comes to mind. You know the...

A group of women wearing sun hats embroidered with their names facing a green vineyard with a winery building in the background.

Hi Reader, Most of my wine trips are pretty low-key. Usually just me and my husband, or maybe one or two friends. Once the group gets bigger than that, things can get chaotic fast. Suddenly, you’re coordinating reservations for eight people, someone’s always running late, and no one can agree on brunch. 🤷♀️ But I have learned there are some wine destinations that make group trips way easier than others. The best ones have things like walkable tasting rooms, wine shuttles, great restaurants,...

Hi Reader, For something that’s basically just drinking wine, getting dressed for a wine tasting can feel surprisingly complicated. Somewhere between “cute wine country outfit” and “practical for a walk in the vineyard,” things can spiral quickly. Suddenly it turns into this: …pull an outfit out of the closet…try it on…decide it’s too dressy…change outfits three more times…wonder if sneakers are acceptable…question every shoe choice you own…give up and put the first outfit back on…leave...

Hi Reader, Remember I mentioned that island I went to that…ran out of wine? 🍷❌😱 The one that basically shuts down from October to April? Well, that’s Korčula. To be fair, I was already going to be in Croatia, so I didn’t exactly have a choice on timing. But honestly, it was kind of nice feeling like I had the place to myself. If you’re not familiar with it, Korčula is a small island just off Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast. It’s known for its walled Old Town, which reminded me of a mini Dubrovnik....

Hi Reader, Ever start planning a wine trip…only to get overwhelmed 5 minutes in trying to choose between 100+ wineries? It’s tempting to just pick a few of the most popular ones and call it a day. But that’s how you end up somewhere that looks great on Instagram…and feels more like a party bus stop 🪩🚌 than a wine experience. No judgment if that’s your thing (I’m not above a good rosé slushy 🍧). But if you’re looking for a trip that actually feels like you, here’s how I narrow it down. 🍷 Know...

Hi Reader, I still remember planning my first real wine trip. I had no idea how many wineries to visit in a day, whether I needed reservations, or if I was about to embarrass myself by confidently mispronouncing something in French. I definitely overthought it. 🤯 Spoiler: it was completely fine. No one quizzed me. No one revoked my wine privileges. And I quickly realized wine travel isn’t about knowing everything. It’s about choosing a place that makes it easy to learn as you go. If you’re...

Hi Reader, After planning a lot of wine trips, a pattern started to jump out at me. The trips that felt relaxed and fun weren’t always the fanciest. They were the ones where the place we stayed actually fit the way we wanted to travel. There isn’t one best place to stay in wine country. It really comes down to how you want the trip to feel. A romantic weekend, a family trip, and a friends getaway all call for very different places to stay, even in the same region. Here’s a breakdown of the...

Hi Reader, Spring might be my favorite season for wine travel. The vineyards are waking up, flowers are in bloom, and many wine regions feel calmer before summer crowds roll in. It’s also one of the best times to visit places that get hot later in the year. 🥵 If you’re planning an April or May trip, these five wine destinations are especially good picks right now. 🌼 Fredericksburg, TexasSpring in Fredericksburg means bluebonnets everywhere, comfortable temps, and wine tasting before the Texas...