Trying to figure out the best time to go wine tasting in Edna Valley, Paso Robles, or Santa Ynez Valley? If you want to avoid wait times, say goodbye to crowds, and enjoy an in-depth tasting experience, then you’ll want to pass on the over-hyped Friday and Saturday visits to wine country. Sure, it can be fun to celebrate the occasional TGIF/ early weekend with a wine tour, but if you’re able, you’re much better off avoiding those two notoriously packed days. Here are the days and times you’ll want to go wine tasting on instead.
The perfect days to visit a winery…
For an unforgettable wine tasting experience in wine country, the best days to go out are from Sunday to Thursday. For a weekend wine tour, going on Sunday is the perfect alternative to a cramped wine tasting experience on Saturday. Then for a weekday wine tour, just about any day during the week, excluding Friday, is sure to be a winning experience.
Here are just a couple of perks to visiting wineries on the Central Coast on these less busy days.
- Less crowds means reduced wait time. You’re almost guaranteed to spend less time waiting for a table, and for your next glass of wine.
- The likelihood getting into a winery without a reservation increases. While we never recommend arriving at a winery without reservation, if you do decide to take an impromptu wine trip to your favorite Central Coast winery, there are more chances that they’ll be able to accommodate you.
- With fewer people wine tasting during Sunday – Thursday (especially on the weekdays), you’ll have space to spread out. You don’t have to worry about being back to back, shoulder to shoulder with strangers, as you make your way around the winery. You have space to explore and relax without feeling like a compacted can of sardines.
- Your chances of learning more about the wine, hear stories about the winery, and more greatly increase these less busy days. The winery team usually has a lot more time to dive into the history behind their wine and answer your questions instead of busily bustling from one table to another.
The best time of day to visit a winery…
The ideal time to visit wineries is in the late morning, so you can still catch a cool morning’s summer breeze if you’re in Paso Robles or Santa Ynez Valley enjoying some outdoor wine tasting. Sure, you can sit indoors for wine tastings, but with the views at some wineries, like Eberle Winery, Tooth & Nail, and others, you’ll want to soak up the panoramic scenery. If you’re wine tasting in Edna Valley, you’re in luck as that cooler breeze usually is around all day long since this wine region is only minutes away from the ocean and beaches. Going earlier in the day instead of later also helps you avoid the dinner/evening rush that may happen.
If you don’t mind a slight rise in crowds, and you want to catch some stunning sunsets, try wine tasting in the early evenings/late afternoons. As long as you avoid Fridays and Saturdays, the evening crowd shouldn’t be too crazy. You also may be able to enjoy some evening breezes too. If you’re visiting Paso Robles or Edna Valley, we recommend a light jacket – it can get surprisingly cool sometimes in the summer evenings.
Embark On A Private Wine Tour
Do you want the full Central Coast wine tasting experience? Then you’ll want to go on a Wine Tour. With professional and experienced drivers and vehicles of all sizes (from a luxury sedan to a Limo Bus), you can relax as you cruise through wine country. Visit wineries from Edna Valley, Paso Robles, or Santa Ynez! Our team of travel concierges are standing by to help recommend some of the best wineries. You can give them a call to set up a wine tour or learn more at (805) 620-7233, or fill out the form below for a complimentary wine tour quote.
