Move over Sonoma, look out Napa, there is a new premier wine destination; and it’s not in California. Lake Chelan Washington is home to over 30 wineries and is a designated American Viticulture Area. The Chelan Valley has the ideal climate and soil for the makings of good agriculture. An area once known for it’s apple orchards, the Chelan Valley began it’s wine journey in the 1990’s after the price of apples declined. Combined with the beauty and recreation options of the vast 50-mile Lake Chelan, there is a lot to do, see, and drink!

WHERE TO STAY IN LAKE CHELAN

There is no shortage of places to stay in the Chelan Valley. From campgrounds, to hotels, to resorts, you can choose your level of comfort. We stayed at the Siren Song Villa and I cannot recommend it enough! Because where better to stay when you’re in wine country, than a vineyard! This beautiful villa sits above Siren Song Winery and has a stunning view of Lake Chelan and the entire valley. It was the ultimate place to eat, drink, and then head upstairs for an insanely comfortable sleep!

WHERE TO EAT IN THE CHELAN VALLEY

BREAKFAST:

Blueberry Hills Farm

This family owned and operated working farm has been named one of the best restaurants in Washington by the Seattle Times. Blueberry Hills is a u-pick farm with over 16 different types of blueberries. The restaurant is known for it’s made-from-scratch country cooking. While anything blueberry is sure to be a hit, the Country Biscuits and Gravy were the best I’ve ever had!

Riverwalk Inn Cafe

Right in the heart of downtown Chelan, the Riverwalk Cafe is part restaurant, part shop, and part gallery and bar. They feature local artists and souvenirs on one side of the room and a quaint restaurant on the other. There is also a beer and wine selection including “breakfast beers”.

DINNER:

Wapato Point Cellars

Nothing goes better with a good glass of wine like a delicious meal. Wapato Point Cellars, in Mason, has both. We started off in the wine tasting room to figure out what we’d want to pair with dinner, but EVERYTHING was amazing. Not many places do both white and red wines well, but Wapato Point Cellars nailed it! The Red Delicious Pinot Noir paired with their mouth-watering steak was the perfect fine dining dinner.

Sorrento’s Ristorante at Tsillan Cellars

Sorrento’s was named “One of the Top Scenic View Restaurants in America” by OpenTable and overlooks both their vineyard and the entire Chelan Valley. Combined with their award-winning wine and Italian-inspired menu, this is the ultimate wine country dining destination.

WHERE TO DRINK IN WASHINGTON WINE COUNTRY

While there are breweries and cider houses popping up in the valley, the real rockstar here is, you guessed it, WINE! On top of Wapato Point Cellars, and Sorrento’s here are a couple of other winery options in the region to check out.

Tsillan Cellars

Sorrento’s is definitely the way to finish your visit here but first, make sure to sample some wines at the Tsillan Cellars tasting room. This 100% estate wine vineyard has won over 400 gold and platinum awards. Surrounded by the Italian decor, you can relax by the fireplace and sip on some of the regions best wines.

Cairdeas Winery

Cairdeas is Irish Gaelic for “Friendship or Goodwill” and here at this family owned and operated winery, they make you feel right at home. Inspired by the Rhone Valley in France, Cairdeas Winery makes unique wines to the region growing grapes I’d never even heard of! The tasting room is full of family photos, couches, and a vibe that says welcome to our home. Oh yeah, and the wine is pretty fantastic too!

Siren Song Wines

Owners Kevin and Holly Brown are the perfect combination of a talented winemaker and an incredible chef. The wood-fire pizzas and sought-after bruschetta paired with wines inspired by their adventures traveling the globe, make for a must-stop visit in the Chelan Valley. Staying upstairs in the villa, we found ourselves sneaking down for more and more food and wine each day.

WHAT TO DO IN LAKE CHELAN

If you’re looking for things to do other than hop from vineyard to vineyard, the Chelan Valley is full of adventures! In the summertime, the lake offers endless opportunities and the region is full of hiking trails and other outdoor adventures. Here are a couple of activities we did while we were there.

Chelan Valley Farms

From the spring to the fall season, Chelan Valley Farms is the place to go for some family fun. In the springtime you can pick from their flower gardens and come fall, their apple orchards and pumpkin patch keep the farm bustling. Their guesthouse offers views of the vineyard and the Cascade Mountains and make for a peaceful farmhouse vacation.

Helicopter Ride Over the Valley

Tsillan Cellars offers more than just great food and wine with a couple of adventurous options. The helicopter ride leaves right from the vineyard and is an amazing way to take in the entire Chelan Valley from above. With views of the third-deepest lake in the U.S., and the Cascade Mountains, this is a great way to see the whole region.

Skydive Into a Vineyard

And for even MORE adventure, you can skydive right into Tsillan Cellars with Skydive Chelan. As someone who’s afraid of heights, Skydive Chelan took amazing care of us! They explained in detail, multiple times, how everything was going to go, and off we went! I always said the only way I would skydive is if it was somewhere really beautiful, or something really unique. This was both! Landing into the vineyard and immediately being greeted with a bottle of wine was the ultimate adventure!

Lake Chelan really does have something for everyone. Whether you want to relax, sample wine, eat amazing food, and leave feeling totally at peace, or you want to get your adrenaline pumping and explore new heights, this region offers it all. Check out the full episode below and to learn more go to www.lakechelan.com