Give more than a gift... Give a Pacific Northwest wine experience.


	Give more than a gift... Give an experience! "My husband and I want to join with my brother- and sister-in-law in creating a special gift for our parents," a Spokane-area woman explained in a recent email. "We want it to be some kind of wine-touring weekend in the Walla Walla Valley that would include a couple of nights somewhere, maybe dinner reservations, and a guided wine country tour. All we know for sure is we want to do something special to thank them for all they have done for us. We just don't know where to start. Can you help?" Actually, Spokane woman had already started... she had chosen a wine region for the focus of her gift. From there she was able to use the resources suggested in the Walla Walla Valley Wine Country section of Wines Northwest to choose and contact lodging, dining and tour-guide proprietors to inquire about costs and make all the arrangements necessary for a memorable experience. If you like the idea of customizing a wine-country adventure for someone special, here are some steps you will want to make: To choose the region you want for your wine-adventure gift, click on the map to the right to find a linked list of wine regions for each area; OR, visit our appellations overview page and browse it to choose a region; To view suggestions for nearby lodging and/or dining in the region you choose, watch for the "Lodging & Dining" icon in the left margin of a wine region's main page and click on it; OR you can click on this icon ... it will take you to a page with links that will lead you directly to the Wine Country Lodging & Dining suggestions for the region you choose. Note: Lists of Lodging and Dining Suggestions for each win region are organized by the nearest towns, and the map pages show the location of some of the area's wineries as well; To select a tour guide or driving service for the region of your choice, you can navigate to the main web page for that region (using the appellations overview page), look in the left margin for the "Tour Guides & Driving Services" icon and click on it. Note: In most cases, our lists show which areas are served by the firms listed; OR you can click on the icon to below to navigate to the suggestions for your chosen region. Note: tour guide and driving services are organized first by state or province and then by the wine-growing regions served. Tips for Planning a Wine Country Experience Most wine-country services will provide gift certificates so your recipient can plan the dates for their adventure; Consider which type of lodging experience your recipient would enjoy. Some people seek the anonymity of a hotel or motel, while others enjoy the personal attention and touring advice a bed and breakfast or country inn might provide. Also remember, in-town, out-of-town and in-the-vineyard experiences all have distinct advantages; If you know the wine region you have chosen, you may want to consider creating a personalized itinerary for your recipient, including your recommendations for three or four wineries each day of the trip. Make a lasting impression by setting up private tasting appointments at a winery or two that would otherwise be closed to the public; Check out our Tips for planning your next wine tour for other ideas. Copyright © 2008 Susan R. O'Hara. All rights reserved. Last revised: 03/12/2010

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Give more than a gift... Give an experience!

"My husband and I want to join with my brother- and sister-in-law in creating a special gift for our parents," a Spokane-area woman explained in a recent email. "We want it to be some kind of wine-touring weekend in the Walla Walla Valley that would include a couple of nights somewhere, maybe dinner reservations, and a guided wine country tour. All we know for sure is we want to do something special to thank them for all they have done for us. We just don't know where to start. Can you help?"

Actually, Spokane woman had already started... she had chosen a wine region for the focus of her gift. From there she was able to use the resources suggested in the Walla Walla Valley Wine Country section of Wines Northwest to choose and contact lodging, dining and tour-guide proprietors to inquire about costs and make all the arrangements necessary for a memorable experience.

If you like the idea of customizing a wine-country adventure for someone special, here are some steps you will want to make: Map Overview of Pacific Northwest Wine Regions

To choose the region you want for your wine-adventure gift, click on the map to the right to find a linked list of wine regions for each area;
OR, visit our appellations overview page and browse it to choose a region;
To view suggestions for nearby lodging and/or dining in the region you choose, watch for the "Lodging & Dining" icon in the left margin of a wine region's main page and click on it;
OR you can click on this icon ... it will take you to a page with links that will lead you directly to the Wine Country Lodging & Dining suggestions for the region you choose. Note: Lists of Lodging and Dining Suggestions for each win region are organized by the nearest towns, and the map pages show the location of some of the area's wineries as well;
To select a tour guide or driving service for the region of your choice, you can navigate to the main web page for that region (using the appellations overview page), look in the left margin for the "Tour Guides & Driving Services" icon and click on it. Note: In most cases, our lists show which areas are served by the firms listed;
OR you can click on the icon to below to navigate to the suggestions for your chosen region. Note: tour guide and driving services are organized first by state or province and then by the wine-growing regions served.

Tips for Planning a Wine Country Experience

Most wine-country services will provide gift certificates so your recipient can plan the dates for their adventure;
Consider which type of lodging experience your recipient would enjoy. Some people seek the anonymity of a hotel or motel, while others enjoy the personal attention and touring advice a bed and breakfast or country inn might provide. Also remember, in-town, out-of-town and in-the-vineyard experiences all have distinct advantages;
If you know the wine region you have chosen, you may want to consider creating a personalized itinerary for your recipient, including your recommendations for three or four wineries each day of the trip. Make a lasting impression by setting up private tasting appointments at a winery or two that would otherwise be closed to the public;
Check out our Tips for planning your next wine tour for other ideas.