6 top winery road trips to take if you live in Vancouver
We’ve all seen the news reports of airport disruptions, including flight delays, cancellations and lost luggage.
As a result, many people have been turning to their cars and opting for road trips instead.
If you’re a wine lover and are itching to travel, here are six fantastic wine destinations you can drive to from Vancouver within seven hours.
Oliver, BC (Okanagan Valley)
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Of course, we had to start with BC’s most popular wine region. The Okanagan Valley covers a substantial area, but you can be in the heart of BC wine country in less than five hours. Oliver lies in the southern part of the Valley and is home to some of BC’s very best wines, along with arguably the region’s best views. Wineries worth visiting for both include Checkmate, Black Hills, Kismet, Phantom Creek & NK’MIP.
Drive time: 4.5 hours
Cowichan Valley, BC (Vancouver Island)
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Cowichan Valley is one of the most exciting and surprising regions worth exploring. Tucked in the southern part of Vancouver Island, it’s one of BC’s newest sub-Geographical Indications (GI) and for good reason. Despite the region being one of the most demanding growing areas in the world, a handful of wineries are proving that making great wine there is possible: Venturi-Schulze, Blue Grouse Estate Winery, Averill Creek & Unsworth Vineyards.
Drive time: One-hour-and-35-minute ferry (Tsawassan–Swartz Bay) + one-hour drive
Woodinville (Washington)
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Unless you’re a serious fan of Washington wine, there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Woodinville. Located just a 20-minute drive north of Seattle, it’s a small suburb that is home to more than 130 wineries and tasting rooms featuring wines made in the Walla Walla, Columbia, and Yakima Valleys. Our favourite tasting rooms include Avennia, Lauren Ashton, Damsel Cellars, JM Cellars, Adam’s Bench, Januik, Kevin White, Delille & Chateau Ste. Michelle.
Drive time: Two hours and 45 minutes
Walla Walla (Washington)
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In its relatively short 38 years, Walla Walla has put itself on the vinous map as a top region. A wine critic darling, it hasn’t yet fully developed its reputation with wine consumers at large. The result is excellent wine that is still sold at very fair prices combined with tasting rooms that aren’t crowded nor given to charging large fees. It continues to remain one of the lesser discovered gems of the wine world. Top stops include Leonetti, Woodward Canyon, L’Ecole 41, Force Majeure, Maison Bleue & House of Smith.
Drive time: Six hours + 45 minutes
Willamette Valley (Oregon)
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Named Wine Enthusiast’s “Wine Region of the Year,” the Willamette Valley charms visitors with its lack of pretension, a terrific food scene focused on farm-to-table cuisine and a group of winemakers that embrace a sense of community and collaboration that has resulted in them producing wines at the top of their game. Don’t miss a taste at Résonance, Nicolas-Jay, Maysara, ROCO, Abbott Claim, Domaine Drouhin, Brick House, Soter Vineyards, Lingua Franca, Atticus, The Potter’s Vineyard & Bells Up.
Drive time: Six hours and 15 minutes
Vancouver & the Lower Mainland
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Want to spend less time in the car and more time tasting? More than 30 wineries within the Lower Mainland are easily reached within 90 minutes, depending on which direction you head. Unsurprisingly, you’ll find the majority in the farm country of Langley and Abbotsford. Here are some of our local favourites: Cavallo, Township 7, Vancouver Urban Winery, Singletree, Chaberton Estates & Blackwood Lane.
Drive time: Less than two hours
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