Staycation in Winters, CA
Have you heard of Winters, California? It is a hidden gem that is only an hour outside of San Francisco. My family recently had the most perfect staycation there. Winters is a charming, small town with a lot to offer for families, couples or even those looking to host a large event.
Photo: @amberleanna
We stayed at the Winters Hotel which is conveniently located right downtown! It is a beautiful space that oozes relaxation. The hotel pays homage to its century old architecture with the perfect amount of added modern touches. Every time I walked in, I was amazed by how well it was done (and also how good it smelled!). Hotel Winters has a restaurant onsite, Carboni’s, and a wonderful spa, Zenterra Spa. The special bonus is the beautiful outdoor space. The water feature in the back is the perfect place to dip your feet in. My toddlers used it as their own personal kiddie pool, which is allowed and welcomed. It is 2 feet deep and my 3 year old daughter felt like it was made just for her. It was perfect for us to all cool off.
Photo: @amberleanna
The first night we explored the downtown area, looked at the historic buildings, found a little free lending library and had dinner. We had a hard time choosing where to eat so we picked two places. We tried some Chinese food from Ocean Restaurant and burritos from El Pueblo. Both came recommended from locals and were great! Winters Hotel is centrally located so we walked the food back to the hotel and ate outside. This meant we were able to spread out and let the kids walk around while we sat and ate under the patio lights. Perfect way to end the evening.
Photo: @amberleanna
Photo: @amberleanna
The next morning we got up to explore some of the nearby trails. We drove 13 minutes to Putah Creek State Wildlife Area and parked at the Homestead Trail Head parking lot. From there, we followed the trail and arrows to the Blue Ridge Trail. This trail is a more advanced hiking trail but we enjoyed walking along the creek, seeing the wildflowers, running through the tunnels and exploring for about a mile before we turned around. The beginning of the trail is not steep and easy for toddlers. The rest of the trail loop would be best for older kids and adults. On the way back, we stopped at the Winters Fruit Tree stand which had a variety of delicious local products including honey, fruits, nuts and more. It was a great snack after our hike!
Photo: @amberleanna
The highlight for my daughter was the Kona Shave Ice store next to our hotel. She loved picking from the rainbow of syrups they offer and walking it back to the Winters Hotel to eat by the water feature. We also made sure to grab some pizza from the Pizza Factory. They even have a weekday lunch buffet!
Photo: @amberleanna
A unique part of Winters is its playground. The community of Winters raised money and built it itself. We knew we needed to check it out! City Park is one of the best playgrounds we’ve visited. There is something for every kid! The park boasts a toddler area, play castle, rock wall, zipline and more. You will definitely want to pencil in some time to play here.
Photo: @amberleanna
To finish out the night we enjoyed the live music right downtown. In the warm months, the town closes down the street Friday night through Sunday for music, dancing, and outdoor dining. We all had a blast listening and dancing. My husband taught my daughter some country swing moves and the kids gave the live performers some money before we headed out. Hotel Winters made it easy to dine that night with the restaurant attached to the lobby! We were able to eat right outside at Carboni’s. They had great options for the whole family and gelato for dessert! You can choose to eat inside the restaurant or be served on the patio outside. A perfect spot for families.
Photo: @amberleanna
On our last morning we made sure to stop by the Winters Putah Creek Nature Park just a few blocks away. We enjoyed walking across the bridge and along the creek. If you follow the path on the left and pass the small stage you will get to a small dirt path. You can follow this to the creek to splash and play on hot days!
Photo: @amberleanna
Before leaving I knew I had to check out Zenterra Spa, which is a part of the Winters Hotel. I enjoyed a very relaxing morning with a Signature Massage. The spa offers massages, facials and a Zero Gravity Experience in its unique Zen Room. The Zero Gravity Experience is a perfect way to relax if you are short on time. You will recline back in one of their zero gravity chairs with a weighted blanket and enjoy a head-to-toe massage. The spa also offers a beautiful room for couples massages. Zenterra is a must visit during your stay at Hotel Winters.
Photo: @amberleanna
Staying in Winters was the perfect, quick getaway for our family. We loved walking to everything we needed. The quiet, small town was a perfect escape from the normal bustle of life. We would highly recommend staying at Hotel Winters for your next family staycation.
Other ideas in Winters -
Anona’s Art Gallery, Photo: @amberleanna
Anona’s Art Gallery - If you are lucky you’ll get to meet Anona herself and watch her work on a painting. We enjoyed talking and having her show artwork to our daughter.
Winters Museum - Open Thursday- Sunday from 1:00-5:00pm or by appointment. Admission is free.
Rooftop bar at Winters Hotel
Historic home tour - Grab a map at the Winters Museum that will take you on a tour of the historic homes in the town. Remember the museum is only open weekday afternoons.
Putah Creek Café - Highly recommended. We plan to go back to try it!
Yolos 365 Tours - Offers tours “featuring farms, production tours, tasting rooms, and hidden gems with flights & bites.“
Photo: @amberleanna