Tired of Staycations? You don't have to travel far to enjoy a Napa Valley experience in Georgia

Last fall my husband and I were looking for a weekend getaway and decided to give north Georgia wine country a try. Our son is attending North Georgia College and State University in Dahlonega, GA and we have seen the signs for the "Wine Highway" but really knew nothing about what the region has to offer. Wow, what a treat it turned out to be.

Visit http://www.weekendwinery.com to see links to the websites and information about several of the local wineries surrounding Dahlonega, as well as other regions of Georgia.

We visited Blackstock (a favorite) and enjoyed the view from the tasting room inside the hilltop winery, where we were surrounded by glass windows overlooking the vineyards below. On the weekend Blackstock offers live musical entertainment on their open air pavillion and lunch prepared by a local chef - on the day we were there we enjoyed probably one of the most delicious burgers I have ever had, along with a veggie and of course, a glass of Blackstock wine by the glass, of your choosing. Reasonably priced and a great place to spend a relaxing lunch.

At Montaluce it feels like you are driving into Tuscany as you pass thru the front entrance. This sprawling property offers much more than just the winery. Gorgeous tuscan villa-like stucco buildings adorn the hillsides, and there is even a community with villas for sale - they are gorgeous and we were fortunate to be able to tour one of the decorated models. The stucco is real and the coloration is such that it mimics an old villa from 50 or 60 years ago. However, the modern conveniences are all there, and the floor plans were quite different but very family friendly for today's lifestyles. The winery and restaurant was my personal favorite of all the wineries that we visited. We had lunch on the glass enclosed sunroom or terrace. The food was excellent and the menu diverse. Service was impecable. I have also been there with several friends and they also gave Montaluce rave reviews. You can even have your wine tasting at the table while you dine. We even loved the silverware! Our server told us that it is custom made by special order. Montaluce is a little pricey but worth the splurge. The atmosphere is so Italian and offers a European ambiance tucked into a hillside in the North Georgia mountains. Montaluce does weddings and other events also.

Staycating is allright but after a while of being more conservative in a tough economy, we can all use a little getaway - even if it's just a day trip. Check out Montaluce, Blackstock and some of the other great wineries that Georgia has to offer - salut!