Murphys is a small, Gold Rush-era town along the foothills of the Sierra Mountain Range with a bustling wine scene. It hosts over two dozen wine tasting rooms on Main Street alone, all within walking distance of one another, and considers itself an “irresistible wine-lovers destination” for those who love Italian and Rhône varietals.
I visited Murphys before having kids and enjoyed walking in and out of the historic buildings that house each winery along Main Street. We sat for hours drinking wine and chatting with the winemakers.
Now with kids, I couldn’t imagine trying to taste wine in a small room full of adults and wine glasses within reach of my toddler. So when we were looking for kid-friendly wineries to try, we prioritized places with outdoor space for our toddler and preschooler to play while we enjoyed a glass of wine.
Our two favorite wineries to bring your littles:
Murphys is located on the stolen and occupied lands of the Central Sierra Miwok.
Before you go
- From the East Bay Area, drive Highway 4 eastbound towards the mountains. This route takes about three hours depending on traffic.
- Leave the East Bay during naptime so your kiddos can sleep on the ride.
What we packed
- Standard diaper bag essentials
- Extra bags for shopping
- Stroller and/or baby carrier
- Cooler with snacks and water
- Hats, sunscreen
- A change of clothes just in case someone ends up in the trout pond
Our Favorite Family-Friendly Wineries in Murphys
Hovey Winery
We stumbled upon Hovey Winery after ordering a giant ice cream cone from JoMas Artisan Ice Cream on Main Street. I noticed immediately that it was a family-friendly place (i.e., with space for kids to move around and play while adults taste wine; friendly staff; and other families present) so we stopped in for a glass.
The tasting room at Hovey Winery was in a tiny house on Main Street with picnic tables and chairs scattered around its large fenced-in front lawn. There was plenty of space for our kids to roll in the grass while we enjoyed a bottle of wine.
The location of this winery is unbeatable.
Order a tasting flight from inside the tasting room to be delivered and enjoyed on a picnic table or Adirondack chair on the beautiful winery grounds: a grassy knoll surrounded by vineyards and hills, overlooking a trout pond.
On our visit, more than half of the other guests were families with young kids, enjoying the afternoon with a picnic and wine. Our favorite wine was by far the Barbera.
Our kids’ favorite thing about the winery was splashing their feet in the pond and throwing sticks into the water. Our toddler insisted on doing everything her big sibling was doing, which meant we spent a lot of time keeping her from falling into the pond, making for a slightly more stressful wine tasting experience for mama.
PRO-TIP Bring activities for your kiddos to do at the picnic table to keep them from wandering towards the trout pond. The trout pond is murky and deep. It could be dangerous if your littles can’t swim or are unsteady.
Also, the cost of a wine flight is waived if you buy a bottle, so take one home!
The Murphys wine scene did not disappoint. We were happy to find at least a couple wineries that had ample outdoor space and welcomed families like ours. While we saw other families enjoying the sunshine and wine at both of these wineries, we did not meet any other families of color.
Do they avoid Indian Rock Vineyards because of its name? Indian Rock Vineyards is not Native American-owned, which made me question the name of the vineyard and wonder why there was a headdress wearing cigar Indian statue greeting visitors when you arrive. The Indigenous tribes of California did not wear headdresses. The winery’s website has a detailed history of the previous owners of the land, but no explanation about why it is named “Indian Rock.”
I don’t think my family would have tried it if it did not come highly recommended for its location and wine.
I have trouble supporting companies like this that use a name or identity in their brand without acknowledging their namesakes or even why they chose that name. I had to send them a message on Instagram for them to tell me there are grinding stones throughout Coyote Creek that runs through the property, and that the name was chosen sometime in the 1970s when grapes were first planted there.
Ok, so there is kind of a historical reason for the name, but why is there no mention of this on their website, or an acknowledgement of the tribal communities that used those grinding stones. By not mentioning the “why” they are erasing the “who.”
Names are sacred. Names hold meaning. Names hold power.
Although Indian Rock Vineyard was our favorite wine and location we visited in Murphys, I still want to suggest they change their name or honor the reason for the name with some recognition of the history and the people of this place.
Have you ever felt torn about a place that you liked, but felt it still needed to address its racist name, history, activities, etc.? Do you support that place or avoid it? Share in the comments below.
This post is part of a series of posts about visiting Murphys with kids. Continue the adventure with us here:
Puerto Rican & Indigenous mama of two. Bay Area native. Salsa dancer. Backpacker. Doula. Angel (she/her/hers) is a co-founding member of the Beautiful Brown Adventures team. She has traveled to over 30 countries and loves to explore the world with her two daughters & partner - one ice cream shop at a time.
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