Travel Squad Podcast · Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Kim compares the Willamette Valley wine region to Napa, noting that while both are beautiful, Willamette Valley offers a more down-to-earth and affordable experience. She explains that wineries are often nestled in hills rather than on the valley floor, and the atmosphere is generally more friendly and less pretentious than what can be experienced in Napa.
“But it's different than Napa, right? When you're driving around Napa, you see vines on either side of the road in the valley.”
“They don't really plant on the valley here, they plant up into the hills.”
“A lot of places are really down to earth. Even though they're beautiful, some are really big. Everyone's very friendly. It's not like the hoity-toityness that you sort of sort of get from Napa.”
“It's also much more affordable prices for tastings than Napa.”