Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

Combine the best trio of pairings—wine, Neapolitan pizza, and a wowing view of the lake at Benson Vineyards. The winery has an intimate outdoor patio overlooking both the lake and the beautifully manicured picnic lawn below. The Cascade Mountains beam in the distance.

Right below the winery, The Café Myth stokes its stone oven to create made-to-order Italian-style pizza. Eat your meal al fresco with a bottle of your favorite from your Benson wine tasting. We think the Sangiovese and Viognier are particularly noteworthy.

For other winery dining, Sorrento’s Ristorante at Tsillan Cellars shines for its airy hilltop abode, a most romantic setting for a winery restaurant serving classic Italian fare.

In downtown Lake Chelan, The Landing restaurant is upscale and modern, with a beautiful view of Chelan Riverwalk Park towards the back, and the buzzing of downtown’s boutique stores out front.

STAY: Located about 40 minutes outside of Lake Chelan, the magnificent Inn at Gamble Sands offers beautiful lodging. If you golf, you’re going to feel raised to cloud nine, as Gamble Sands is consistently ranked one of the best public golf courses in country.

Open year round, with a bonus of reduced rates during winter, the Inn at Gamble Sands blends modestly and seamlessly into its natural surroundings—and by that we mean incredible vistas of the glimmering Columbia River and dramatic Cascade Mountains. The surrounding soils of the high desert are fringed by swaying fescue grasses and wildflowers holding firm to the edges of the golf greens.

Rooms blend modern comfort amenities (large flat-screen TVs, walk-in showers, hypo-allergenic comforters) with the rustic features of a high-end cabin—like the stone fireplaces and sleek wood paneling.

Take a seat on your private patio as you watch the sunset, then make your way to one of the nearby firepits for some pre-dinner drinks or warming s’mores. Dine at the Inn’s Danny Boy Bar & Grill or choose from grab-and-go options at The Barn.

TIP: If you'd rather stay closer to Lake Chelan, there are many excellent lodging options in and around the lake, from cabins and resorts, to hotels and condo rentals.

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Note: Potential closures of SR 20—part of the famed Cascade Loop Scenic Byway—means you may need to route your road trip from Seattle by way of Stevens Pass (U.S. 2) or Snoqualmie Pass (I-5) but here’s a map link for the full loop, in case SR 20 is open.