Let’s road trip to wine country
The tribe has spoken! More than 80 people responded to a recent survey about interest on visiting a California wine region in 2026.
Nearly 100 percent of respondents said they either wanted a trip or going to a wine region depending on the cost. More than half of the respondents voted for visiting Paso Robles, followed closely with roughly 40 percent wanting to go to Santa Barbara.
Nearly 60 percent of people wanted to stay overnight, while another 40 percent wanted either a weekend getaway or spend two nights.
It was pretty split when it came to travel: 47 percent said they would drive; 27 percent wanted to take the train; and another 25 percent liked the bus.
Just over half of the respondents were willing to spend between $500-$1,000, while a third would like to spend less than $500.
And it doesn’t come as any surprise that nearly 85 percent of people polled wanted to visit four or more wineries. When it came to meals, roughly 60 percent opted for no meals, while the remain 40 percent said they wanted meals included.
Lastly, April was the frontrunner for a possible trip with 38 percent, May at 26 percent and March and November hovering around 17 percent apiece.
Given the results, it looks like OCWS members want a weekend getaway. There are many components to scheduling a trip and that’s where help is needed. If you are interested in being on a committee to plan such a trip, please reach out to me at editor@OCWS.org. Let’s mark the organization’s 50th anniversary with a return to wine country.
—Greg Risling, editor, The Wine Press