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All images by Kateryna Topol.

Getting around

If you have a designated driver, renting a car would allow you to see more of the region and make casual scenic stops. If, however, you intend to enjoy all the samples and beyond or simply just don’t want to drive, there are many options for chauffeured transport. You can hire a car with a guide, with an English-speaking driver, or simply someone to just chauffeur you around with minimal expectations. 

A quick search will pull up plenty of options. Mydriverinparis.com seems to have good options, and you can send them a WhatsApp message for an instant reply. This is a popular region so booking well in advance is strongly recommended. You will also see options to hire cars with Viator or Get Your Guide, which can be better deals, but make sure to do a search for the exact company. 

Day One: A laid-back arrival

There is a direct train from Paris to Gare de Champagne Ardenne station and it takes under an hour ($58+ CA per person). For day one, we recommend starting slow at a scenic wine country hotel, Château de Sacy. The hotel is located in the heart of the Sacy commune, surrounded by vineyards on all sides. You can go for a walk through the greenery, explore the small town centre, and then take full advantage of the hotel spa. Your stay includes access to the outdoor loungers and barrel tubs with a phenomenal sunset view. A glass of champagne is optional but highly recommended. 

The restaurant at Château de Sacy is a local favourite. The terrace looks over the vineyards while the interior creates an atmosphere of royal luxury. The menu features a selection of classic French dishes, a range of proteins, and shareable mains [make reservations]. In the morning, guests are invited to enjoy a buffet-style breakfast. Your options include an impressive selection of fresh cheeses, baked goods, small savoury snacks, and much more.

An even more luxurious scenic alternative is the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa. Set between Reims and Épernay the hotel is surrounded by stunning views. This is a fairly large property with a Spa and Wellness centre which includes an outdoor pool. Dining options include The Bellevue Restaurant & Terrace with a 180-degree panoramic view, The Royal restaurant (1 star in the 2025 Michelin guide), and Abyss, Bar & Terrace. The hotel team can help you plan and organise your excursions, champagne or otherwise.

Day Two: Let there be bubbly!

Make sure to check the tour schedules for all Champagne houses beforehand and book in advance. They might sell out, some champagne houses are closed on odd days, some have off hours, and English tours can book up pretty quickly. Having made all the reservations in advance, we begin our Champagne tour. 

Champagne Veuve Clicquot

Veuve Clicquot offers a few tours from one to four hours in duration. Each tour includes a cellar visit and tasting; you choose which wines. The cellars are impressive and the story of Maison Veuve Clicquot is certainly one worth knowing. This woman was a pioneer in winemaking at a time when women were not even allowed to have bank accounts. The tour can be made private at an additional cost. 

Reservations: veuveclicquot.com

Champagne Taittinger

Taittinger is one of the largest and most respectable champagne producers in the world. You might recognise their silver box packaging with red bubbles on the box. This visit will also include a cellar tour, but the cellars are a bit different from those you saw at Veuve. The tour will conclude in the tasting room where you can explore their champagne lineup at your own pace. 

Reservations: taittinger.com

Images above and below of Lunch at Le Jardin at the Château Les Crayères, Reims.

Lunch at Château Les Crayères, Reims

Another stunning hotel with an exceptional culinary team. There are two restaurants and one bar, we opted for a three-course lunch at Le Jardin. Nestled at the back of the hotel grounds, the restaurant is shaded by greenery and nature. Guests can make an a la carte selection or opt for a coursed lunch. 

Reservations: lescrayeres.com

Alternatively, have a look at lunch options at Couvert de Vignes or one of the award-winning restaurants at the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa.

Champagne Ruinart

This visit is unique in more ways than one. The property itself feels like an armoury, once you are past the gates, you are greeted by a mansion that houses not just wine but an impressive art collection (Ruin-art). These small group tours are informative and entertaining (at least our guide was). As you navigate through these oddly shaped cellars, you will continually cross various unique, often custom-made pieces of art. The tour ends back in the tasting room with a guided tasting.

Reservations: ruinart.com

Domaine Vranken-Pommery

If time permits, spend a few hours at Vranken-Pommery. Another female-led classic champagne house with a wealth of history. From first glance, Domaine Vranken-Pommery looks different, almost like an amusement park destination. Colourful architecture is paired with interactive installations and various art corners throughout the property. The guided tour skips through quite a few of them, a self-guided tour might be a better option if to like to stop and take pictures or explore the art.

Reservations: vrankenpommery.com

Day Three: With a casual strolling pace

A short scenic drive will take us to Avenue de Champagne in Epernay. The street is just about a kilometre long so you can walk it at all with a leisurely stroll, which makes it perfect for an overnight stay. But first, champagne! Some of the houses can only be visited with a tour, some you will notice have open terraces that welcome walk-ins. 

Check in at Épernay or on Avenue de Champagne

The idea is to stay directly on Avenue de Champagne so we can have dinner and a nightcap without having to call a car. 

Unpack at La Villa Eugene, a 19th-century Mercer family hotel. There are only 15 rooms, a lovely pool, and a classy little bar. Le 25bis by Leclerc Briant is a boutique hotel option with classic decor and clawfoot tubs. The BB Suites, Champagne Besserat de Bellefon might have the most spacious suites in the area if space and luxury is what you are looking for. And then, of course, there is Hotel Jean Moët, located at the top of the avenue with a short walk to Épernay centre.

Champagne Moët & Chandon

Moët & Chandon is a champagne powerhouse and needs no introduction. The shape of the cellars varies based on location, and the ones that run under Avenue de Champagne are quite different. The tours are 1.5 hours, and there is an option for a small group 2-hour Tasting Workshop or a 2-hour Grand Vintage Collection tasting. Moët & Chandon also have an interior restaurant and a garden terrace with a great menu so you can visit it without a tour [reservations strongly recommended].

Reservations: moet.com

Champagne Mercier

A champagne house founded by a twenty-year-old Eugène Mercier, who was on a mission to make champagne available to the casual folk. The tour takes you through 18km of cellars on a driverless train and includes a stop at the working production site. The range of tours includes one, two, or three glasses of wine. The caves tour is done on an open train car, which curves through the cellars while a guide talks you through the house’s story. Some of the tours also include a vineyard visit before the tasting.

Reserations: champagnemercier.com

Atelier 1834, Champagne Boizel

Another historic mansion and home to a long generation of winemakers, founded by a young couple in 1834. There are three different tours available, all of which include a journey through the Boizel House from the cellars to the stainless-steel vats. The difference, of course, is in the champagnes you taste. Boizel also has a courtyard terrace open to walk-ins if you are opting out of the tour.

Reservations: boizel.com

Sips between the tours

Perrier Jouët Champagne House has a spectacular garden terrace with a lovely menu. They do not offer tasting flights, but you can taste their collection one glass at a time. Nearby is Champagne de Vignerons, a syndicate of smaller regional champagne makers producing interesting and often sustainable wines. The shop has a selection of 100 wines for purchase and those interested in sitting down for a tasting can choose 3 of 6 wines of the day to try.

Épernay dining options

There are quite a lot, and your eye might be drawn to specific places based on your personal interest. A common practice in the region is set 3+ course meals with some predetermined options. La Table Kobus, La Grillade Gourmande, and La Cave à Champagne are all good options in Épernay. Moët & Chandon Bar and Maison de Champagne Perrier-Jouët are great options on Champagne Avenue [reservations recommended].

There are also a few farmers’ market options and various bakeries and charcuterie shops. Halle Saint Thibault is open on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. Here you will find local fruits, vegetables, and fully cooked meals to pack a picnic basket with.

Above: Lunch at La Table Kobus, Épernay. Below: Musée du vin de Champagne et d’Archéologie régionale.

Would rather go on a planned tour? Here are some options

Find a place to stay in Champagne

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A culinary scene of its own

This entire adventure started with Heart’s Tavern in Kimberley (Ontario). It came recommended as a place to eat through the grapevine. This roadside tavern is a passion project of two restaurateurs, Teo Paul and Tyler Wilson (Union and Côte de Boeuf). A neon sign graces this cottage-style building, that casual atmosphere continues throughout into what is now two buildings connected with a narrow dining room. The menu is seasonal, focused on local produce, and as much as possible is done in-house. Pickled. Cured. Smoked. Just out there in the field, my eyes spot the smoker through the window. 

This is a small community. People know each other well and without hesitation share recommendations. In Thornbury, two restaurants, in particular, caught our eye: Fabbrica (from the McEwan Group) and Bruce Wine Bar. Fabbrica is an Italian restaurant located mere minutes from the Bruce Wine Bar. Fabbrica has a lovely heated patio and a rich selection of hearty meals. From muscles to pizza and pasta, there is a lot to choose from. Bruce Wine Bar, on the other hand, also works as a bottle shop, but in addition to their impressive collection of wine, there is a lovely minimal menu with filling snacks and deliciously dressed salads. 

A visit to Blue Mountain would not be complete without beers and oysters at Penny’s Motel & Apres. A small indoor dining area (primarily bar stools) is amplified by casual seating around an outdoor fire pit, a picnic table, and a sizable patio. Here you will find, in addition to the oysters and beer of course, a selection of small snacks, pizza, wine, and cocktails. 

Bonus: Stop by the Kimberley General Store, for fresh bread and Amish butter. 

Family-friendly cidery

While this region might not be at the top of the list when it comes to wineries and breweries it certainly has a lot to offer. Grey & Gold Cider is a sustainable, farm-based cidery and a community staple. With live music at sunset and other celebrations, this farm is a place to gather, mix, and mingle.

Adventurous cold-climate wines

Further into the hills are a handful of wineries. Georgian Hills Vineyards was our first stop. The visitors are invited to taste a selection of their cool climate wines at the indoor and outdoor tasting bars or by the fire pit. The views in each direction are sprawling greenery and vines, perfectly complementing the local wines.

Further up the hill is the Roost Wine Company. The scenic drive to the gate cannot prepare you enough for the view at the top of the hill. It feels like the highest point of the region (aside from the actual Blue Mountain that is) and offers a spectacular view of the rolling forestry and vineyards. In their own words, The Roos Winery is “dedicated to pushing the boundaries of cold climate wines on the fringes of Ontario’s winemaking territory”. On the menu, you will find interesting sparkling wines (think Pet Nat), some orange, and a selection of other interesting grapes like Marquette and Foch. 

A quaint stay

Penny’s Motel is a boutique roadside destination. Family project of John Belknap (co-owner of John and Sons Oyster House) and his family. The property is a showcase of local artisan talent and the classiest 70s throwback one can imagine. Each room has a mood of its own while the shared spaces are built to facilitate casual social interactions. There is plenty of sitting, a large fire pit with cozy blankets, a sundeck room, and even a small tin pool (open seasonally). The rooms themselves are a bit small but the shower is spacious, the shared space is a party, and the restaurant is a destination within itself.

Make it a long weekend with a few days up on the slopes (Blue Mountain) and a day out relaxing at the Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain. 

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This year mid-May in the OC wasn’t the warmest. It was too cold to go into the water but perfect for some light exploration and even a bit of tanning. For this trip, I took an extra day off to make it a long weekend. We arrived on Friday and began the day at Crystal Cove State Park. A short tunnel path from the parking lot will lead you to the beach. The centre of the beach is a lovely area with a few shops and restaurants. All colourfully painted on the outside and a fun turquoise beach house by the boardwalk. The geography of the OC Laguna Beach Marine Reserve is mountainous, with beautiful white sands and clear blue water.

Note: If you choose not to rent a car there are various shuttles that you could take advantage of.

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Making it home for the weekend we checked into the Pacific Edge Hotel on Laguna Beach. It is a fun little hotel with a popular beach restaurant called The Deck, nautical decor, and fairly spacious rooms. The indoor restaurant, Driftwood Kitchen, has a great brunch with an open-air sitting area. At night this space turns into a pretty happening bar where we had a couple of old-fashioned while making small talk with the locals.

The neighbourhood around the hotel is charming, with a lot of restaurants, shops, and a strong beach community vibe. One of the more popular restaurants in the area is The Cliff. This lovely spot is located in a small, somewhat gated area, filled with art galleries, and craft shops. The Cliff has a large seafood menu and a great view of the sunset – its main attraction. The art centre enveloping the restaurant has an outdoor bar, fire pit, and live music in the evenings. This was a visibly popular spot with the locals as well.

For the adventurous types, there are quite a few hiking trails of various complexity. We took on one that was about 5 hours in total. The view of the mountains was stunning, with beautiful vegetation and a few up-and-down surprise curves. Our endpoint was a waterfall but since it was a rather dry spring the cave was dry.

I’m not an avid hiker so for my exploration day I chose Victoria Beach. The entrance into the beach is from a residential neighbourhood, clearly marked as a “No drone zone.”  The beach itself is quite popular. There is a natural pool and a Pirate Tower, both of which are nice spots for photography. This weekend, the pool was also dry but the crashing waves had no mercy on the crowd posing on the rocks in front of the Pirate Tower.

If you keep walking along the coast you’ll walk into the Montage neighborhood. After exploring some rocks we settled for a couple of hours tanning (aka burning) in the sun. Make sure to go up the hill for a glass of wine and some oysters at the Montage Beach Resort. Montage is an upscale hotel with a few great upscale restaurants. We sat on the veranda looking out onto the ocean for a glorious couple of hours. Sadly this last stop was the ending of the weekend but I’m looking forward to going back and seeing more of this scenic coast.

Address: 647 S Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651, USA

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Here in this little corner of Florida, everything was perfectly suited to what I was looking for: a relaxing weekend in the sun and some great seafood. Outside of Fort Lauderdale by the Sea, things seemed to be different. The resorts are bigger, the streets are busier, there are way more cars on the roads, and the restaurants are way emptier. But here, the sand was soft and buttery, a gentle breeze was a welcome break from the heat, and the nights were dark and quiet. Perfect for a quick solo getaway.

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Some of my favourite things from that weekend

Plunge Hotel Lauderdale by the Sea

In full transparency, I did very little research on the hotel or the area. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision and this place seemed nice. It turned out to be wonderful and in a great location which really made the weekend an amazing one. Read more about the hotel here.

Anglins Fishing Pier:

At the entrance, it’s a divey outdoor bar with live music (the singer takes requests  ) and a basic drink selection. Past the bar is the entrance to the fisherman’s boardwalk which you can explore at the low cost of $2. The boardwalk is very colourful and offers a great view of the beach. There is a shaded sitting area at the top where you can spend quite a bit of time enjoying the view.

Aruba Beach Cafe

Surrounded by a mix of bars and restaurants this area is also an entrance to a public beach. The beach amenities are cheerfully decorated with all sorts of sea-themed items from benches to lighting. Aruba Cafe, set a few steps from the Pier, seems to be a popular destination. With its wide selection of seafood items and mixed cocktails, it draws in a lot of locals and tourists alike. I spent a solid couple of hours on their patio enjoying the sun, people-watching, and splurging on a Cold Seafood Sampler Platter. Worth every penny.

Sea Watch On the Ocean

As a couple sitting next to me at a bar the night before called it, this restaurant is a “real fancy place”. Open for dinner and lunch it feels a bit like a private club. The restaurant is quite beautiful in the traditional upscale way. There is a well it enclosed patio, surrounded by oversized tropical plants from the outside. You can catch a glimpse of the water through the shade of the plants. The staff is friendly and the menu is fantastic. There are cold water oysters, fresh crab and lobster, and every other staple seafood dish you might be in the mood for.

Stargazing

An area is a popular place for turtles to nest so the beach gets really dark at night. With the sand being at a bearable temperature after sunset this is a perfect environment to lie down and look up at the starry sky. Call me corny but it’s a great way to end the day.

Note: August sun in Florida is not kind, you will need sunblock. Let’s just say I went from eggshell white to a trendy burgundy in less than 4 hours, with SPF on and all. In the sun’s defence, I did fall asleep on my belly in the peak afternoon sun.

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