Sitting by the side of the Bay is just the ticket for a fall escape from it all (Photos)

Sitting by the side of San Francisco Bay sipping wine, enjoying a picnic and just watching sailboats glide by or simply day dreaming, is the perfect panacea for the stress of everyday life. Now is the perfect time to head to northern California when hotels beckon visitors with fall escapes filled with wine tastings, shopping and head-spinning activities.

Some of your choices include:

• Sips & Saddles at Toll House Hotel, Los Gatos: A great place to celebrate te California Wine Month the hotels is offering flights of wine tastings, horseback rides and luxurious rooms for rates starting at $415 a night. The equestrian portion of the package puts you on a 25 minute ride from downtown San Jose into the Saratoga foothills. There you can sip on some of the finest wines in the country followed by a guided horseback ride through Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards and the Fremont Older Mid-Peninsula Open Space Preserve on the eastern slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains facing San Jose. The trails wander through vineyards and oak chaparral forests teeming with wildlife. Garrod Farms, at a thousand-foot elevation, provides panoramic views of San Francisco Bay and Santa Clara Valley.

• Taste of Wine Country at Casa Madrona Hotel & Spa, Sausalito: A perennial favorite hotel oozing with charm and history, this hotel sits in the heart of seaside Sausalito. The Taste of Wine Country Package, includes a chance to sip wine in a beautiful two-floor tasting room and art gallery, Bacchus & Venus, that looks out over the City by the Bay. The deal includes two night’s accommodations in a courtyard room, choice of guided wine flight and cheese pairing at Bacchus & Venus or a portable cheese tray with a bottle of California wine, a welcome gift, and discounts at the spa and wine shop. Rates range from $259 a night.
• The favorite pastime for females is highlighted in this Shop Till You Drop at Hotel Abri, San Francisco: The hotel sits in the center of the action, in Union Square, just a few short steps from stores. This package includes a $25 gift card to Westfield Mall and new Hotel Abri canvas bag, use of the shopping bag valet program, and a coupon good for a drink at and appetizer at Puccini & Pinetti. Rates start at $314 per night. Taxes and fees are additional.
• Adventure on Angel Island package at The Lodge at Tiburon: The Lodge at Tiburon is a minimal yet sublime sanctuary from city buzz that sits steps away from the ferry docks and charming cafés, boutiques and galleries. It’s ideal for people who really need to relax. The package comes with two round trip ferry tickets, bike rentals so you can discover the history and adventure of Angel Island, room and picnic pack and costs $289 a night and up.