California wine country

If a wine country vacation would make your bucket list but Napa is too pricey, go next door to Sonoma County. The wines stand up to some of the best anywhere, and the food is just as appealing. Affordable lodging options include the Sonoma Creek Inn, El Pueblo Inn, and Best Western.

Farther south, the quaint, Danish-style village of Solvang, in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley, is home to the Rideau and Rusack vineyards, along with charming hotels that charge less than $80 a night for a room.