When Eye on Travel host Peter Greenberg — one of the most recognized names in travel media — wanted to talk wine country road trips, he called on David Glancy, MS, CWE, Founder and Chief Edutainment Officer of San Francisco Wine School. The live radio interview aired on March 20, 2026, and it was a love letter to the often-overlooked wine and hiking paradise right in our backyard: the Santa Cruz Mountains and the San Mateo County coast.
🎙 Listen to the Eye on Travel podcast here — find the March 20, 2026 episode featuring David Glancy.
If you missed it, here's your guide to all the stops David mentioned — and a few he almost forgot.
The Big Idea: Winery + Hike + Restaurant, All in One Day
David's pitch to Peter Greenberg's listeners was simple and brilliant: you don't have to choose between a scenic hike and a great bottle of wine. In the Santa Cruz Mountains, the two are inseparable. Nearly every trail in this region puts you within reach of a winery, a farm stand, or a legendary roadside restaurant. Below are David's go-to combos.
Windy Hill Trail → Neely Winery & Thomas Fogarty Winery
Windy Hill Open Space Preserve in Portola Valley offers sweeping views of the Bay on a clear day, but what makes this trail truly special is what's waiting at both ends. Start at the bottom and stop in at Neely Winery, a boutique estate known for its estate-grown Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Reach the top of the ridge and you'll find yourself steps from Thomas Fogarty Winery, one of the Santa Cruz Mountains' most established names, with a terrace view that earns the drive up on its own.
Mindego Hill Trail → Mindego Ridge Winery
This hidden gem in the Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve leads hikers to Hermit's Hut — a rustic trail shelter beloved by locals — and connects you to Mindego Ridge Winery. Small-production, estate-farmed, and seriously underrated. This is exactly the kind of discovery David was born to share with a national radio audience.
Big Basin Redwoods, Roaring Camp Railroad & the Town of Felton → Big Basin Winery
For a full-day adventure, Big Basin Redwoods State Park offers ancient coast redwoods and some of California's most dramatic old-growth scenery. Pair it with a ride on the Roaring Camp Railroad, one of the few remaining steam-powered mountain railroads in the country, and finish in the charming town of Felton — home to Big Basin Winery, which draws on fruit from some of the most distinctive hillside vineyards in the appellation.
Davenport State Beach → Beauregard Winery
Head west and you hit the coast. Davenport State Beach is wild and windswept — dramatic cliffs, marine fog, and surf that reminds you how close the Pacific really is. Just up the road, Beauregard Winery has been making estate wines from the Ben Lomond Mountain AVA for decades. Their Pinot Noir and Syrah are exactly what you want after a walk on a cold beach.
Butano State Park & Pescadero → Harley Goat Farms & Sante Arcangeli Wines
Butano is one of the most undervisited redwood parks in the Bay Area — secluded, quiet, and genuinely magical. The nearby town of Pescadero is worth the detour alone. Stop at Harley Goat Farms for fresh chèvre and a look at the farm, then head next door to taste Sante Arcangeli Wines at Harley's. It's the kind of agritourism experience you'd expect in Sonoma or Burgundy — and it's right here.
David also gave a nod to Swanton Berry Farms — a beloved organic strawberry and berry farm between Pescadero and Santa Cruz, complete with a farm store and pie shop. An essential stop.
Stevens Creek Park → Ridge Vineyards
No list of Santa Cruz Mountains wine and hiking is complete without Ridge Vineyards. Monte Bello Road winds up from Stevens Creek County Park to one of the most celebrated addresses in American wine. Ridge's Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon famously bested top Bordeaux in the 1976 Paris tasting rematch in 2006 — and they're still at it. The tasting room views alone are worth the climb.
Byrne-Milliron Forest → Alfaro Vineyards
For those willing to go off the beaten path, the Byrne-Milliron Forest in the Corralitos area of the southern Santa Cruz Mountains is a quieter, more contemplative hike. Nearby, Alfaro Vineyards produces beautifully crafted Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from estate fruit. It's the kind of small-production winery that rewards the traveler who came specifically to find it.
Bonus Mentions: The Classics You Can't Skip
David also highlighted a few spots that don't fit neatly into the hike-and-wine formula but are essential to any coastal San Mateo County itinerary:
- Half Moon Bay — David declared it a perfect destination 364 days a year (you can guess which one he'd skip). Don't miss Half Moon Bay Wine & Cheese for a curated local tasting experience.
- Alice's Restaurant at the four corners of La Honda Road and Skyline Boulevard — a legendary roadhouse and biker gathering spot with killer burgers and a view of the redwoods. The Arlo Guthrie song optional.
San Mateo County: An Embarrassment of Riches
As David put it on air: "San Mateo County and the SF Peninsula are an embarrassment of riches — so lucky to be here." We couldn't agree more.
This region rarely gets the national spotlight it deserves. While Napa and Sonoma dominate the conversation, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA has been quietly producing some of California's most compelling wines for decades — wines shaped by elevation, fog influence, and a fierce commitment to small-production, estate-grown fruit.
That's exactly the kind of discovery David and the team at San Francisco Wine School live for.
Want to Learn More About California Wine?
Whether you're just beginning your wine journey or working toward a professional certification, San Francisco Wine School offers world-class programs — in person, online, and at your place. Take our popular California Wine Appellation Specialist CWAS® certification program or one of our many California wine classes. Explore our full schedule for all upcoming classes and events.
And if you're local to the SF Bay Area, come say hello at our Secret Wine Bar — open Thursday through Saturday evenings at 5pm, with a new wine theme each month.
