Hotel Near the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail
5 Miles | 12 Minutes Drive (to the Hecker Pass Highway wineries)
The Santa Clara Valley is one of California's oldest wine regions, and its wine trail runs through Gilroy, San Martin, and Morgan Hill, with a cluster of wineries along Hecker Pass Highway west of Gilroy. Visit Gilroy counts more than 30 wineries on the trail, many of them small, family-run tasting rooms.
The Wineries of Santa Clara Valley association runs seasonal tasting weekends, such as the Fall Passport and Barrel and Bites, and individual wineries host live music, markets, and dinners. Gilroy Inn, right off Highway 101, is an easy base for a day on the trail.
- Tasting room hours vary, and many are open mainly on weekends. Check each winery's site before you drive out.
- The Wine Trail Pass deck, sold at the California Welcome Center in Gilroy, bundles tasting discounts across participating wineries.
- Bring a designated driver, or keep it to two or three stops.
Photo: Wahn, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.