When it comes to planning my trips for the year ahead, I usually try to find an “anchor” that draws me to a destination. Whether it’s a hotel I’ve been wanting to experience or an event worth building a weekend around, I find that having something to look forward to, and letting the rest of the details come together more spontaneously, is my favorite way to travel. This year, for whatever reason, I have my eyes set on upscale wine and food festivals. California has no shortage of them, and my idea of a perfect afternoon is sipping on rosé, walking around trying different small plates put together by renowned chefs, and enjoying the beautiful weather. If this sounds like your idea of an ideal afternoon too, these are the California wine and food festivals I recommend planning a trip around in 2026.
Pebble Beach Food & Wine
April 9–12, 2026
Few places in California can match the dramatic coastal beauty of the Monterey Peninsula, and Pebble Beach Resorts provides a backdrop that elevates an already impressive four-day gathering of culinary talent. This festival draws chefs and wineries from throughout the United States—organizers report more than a hundred culinary personalities and a similarly high number of wineries participating—creating a weekend where the caliber of participants matches the setting.
The programming spans multiple tasting formats: intimate wine tastings, thoughtfully constructed food pairings, and events where participating chefs and winemakers are present to discuss their work. What makes this California food and wine festival particularly compelling is the range of experiences available across four days. You can choose casual outdoor tastings overlooking Carmel Bay or opt for more structured seminars and dinners that dive deeper into winemaking regions, cooking techniques, or ingredient sourcing.
April on the Monterey Peninsula means cool mornings, afternoon sun, and evenings when you’ll want a sweater for outdoor events. The coastal fog that often blankets this stretch of Highway 1 adds atmosphere rather than inconvenience, and the cypress trees, rocky shoreline, and championship golf courses create a setting that feels worthy of the occasion.
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Carmel-by-the-Sea Culinary Week
June 5–13, 2026
Carmel has always been a town that understands charm and craftsmanship, and for nine days in early June, its downtown core and surrounding venues dedicate themselves entirely to celebrating both. More than 30 participating restaurants offer special menus, curated wine pairings, and collaborative dinners that showcase why this small coastal village has maintained its reputation as one of California’s most romantic destinations.
The schedule typically includes wine walks through Carmel’s storybook streets—where tasting rooms and restaurants open their doors for sequential pours and small bites—alongside themed dinners that bring together local chefs working at the top of their craft. Unlike single-day festivals, the extended timeline of Culinary Week allows for a more relaxed pace. You can plan a long weekend, attend multiple events without feeling rushed, and still have time to explore the galleries, beaches, and coastal walking trails that make Carmel worth visiting regardless of what’s happening in its restaurants.
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Pacific Wine & Food Classic
September 12, 2026
Newport Beach in early fall offers warm days, calm harbor waters, and ideal conditions for an outdoor tasting festival centered at Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort. This single-day event takes a straightforward approach to the California wine and food festival format: hundreds of wines and bites from local restaurants arranged across an outdoor venue where you can move freely between wine stations, cocktail bars, and food vendor booths.
The waterfront setting provides views across the bay, and the September timing means you’re likely to experience the kind of Southern California sunshine that makes daytime wine tasting feel less formal and more festive. The festival attracts both local wineries and restaurants from across Orange County, offering a concentrated way to sample what the region’s culinary scene produces without making reservations at a dozen different spots.
This festival works particularly well if you’re already planning a weekend in Newport Beach or exploring the coastal towns between Laguna and Huntington Beach. It’s accessible, well-organized, and designed for guests who want to taste widely without committing to a multi-day schedule.
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San Diego Food & Wine Festival
November 6th-8th, 2026
San Diego’s food landscape has evolved considerably over the past decade, and this three-day November festival showcases the diversity of what the region now offers. Spread across multiple venues throughout the city, the programming includes large-scale tasting sessions, seated dinners, wine-focused events, and experiences designed to highlight both local talent and cross-border culinary influences from nearby Baja California.
The festival brings together producers, chefs, winemakers, and culinary personalities from throughout Southern California and Mexico, creating a weekend where you can taste wines from established Napa and Sonoma producers alongside smaller labels from Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe. The food follows a similar pattern: upscale preparations of regional ingredients, coastal seafood, and dishes that reflect San Diego’s proximity to both the Pacific and the border.
November in San Diego means comfortable temperatures, fewer tourists than summer months, and ideal conditions for the kind of weekend where you alternate between organized festival events and exploring the city’s neighborhoods, beaches, and dining scene on your own terms.
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Planning Your California Wine and Food Festival Experience
If you love planning trips around food, wine, and beautiful settings, these culinary events in California offer structured reasons to explore different regions of the state while engaging with the chefs, winemakers, and flavors that define modern California cuisine. Each festival reflects its surroundings, each brings together talent worth seeking out, and each creates the kind of weekend that stays with you long after the last pour.
