Spring Wine Tour season is in full swing in upstate New York. It’s a great excuse to dress up, take cute pictures, and drink the day away with your friends. I’ve had my fair share of trial and error and made some rookie mistakes. So here is my Wine Tour Survival Guide, filled with the basics that will help your day go as smooth as a nice glass of merlot.
Eat Breakfast!
I know that having a bottle of wine for breakfast might sound great, but trust me, that’s an easy way to be blacked out by noon and have the worst hangover of your life. Sometimes it’s difficult to have a meal early in the morning. But having a filling breakfast like a bagel or French toast can help prevent you from getting sick, or even worse, getting alcohol poisoning. Trust me, you don’t want to get alcohol poisoning, especially not at a winery. Even if you don’t plan on finishing the bottle, you should still eat something hearty beforehand so you’re a functioning human being.
Bring Your Own Food
Some wineries might have food, but the options might be limited and a bit pricey. To avoid being without food, I like to buy a bunch of snacks and food beforehand. I would highly recommend getting a sandwich from Wegmans or Subway for lunch, along with some of your favorite snacks to eat on the bus. This will also help your body regulate the alcohol you’re drinking, and it will minimize your risk of getting sick.
Stay Hydrated
While drinking wine, you might not think you need to drink water as well, which is a recipe for disaster. Alcohol actually dehydrates your body, and that’s why you might get a hangover after drinking heavily and not rehydrating. To avoid being hungover, drink lots of water before, during, and after your time at the winery. Another great beverage to counteract dehydration is Gatorade, which has electrolytes that help you rehydrate much faster than drinking plain water.
Dress Comfortably, but Cute
Now that it’s Wine Tour Season once again, my Instagram feed is filled with my friends’ cute outfits. It’s a great way to get inspiration if you’re struggling with what to wear. Some outfit staples include florals, a jean jacket, Chelsea boots, flare jeans, sunglasses, sundresses, or a cute matching set. To make bathroom trips quick and easy, don’t wear a romper or something that’s hard to take off. Since the ground will most likely be muddy, I would avoid wearing heels or any shoes that you don’t want to get dirty. I would also avoid wearing shoes that you haven’t broken in yet so you don’t get blisters. Last but not least, do NOT wear white clothes. Wine stains do not go well with the color white, so it’s best to wear something that isn’t easily stained. But anyway, I hope to see your cute outfits pop up on my Instagram feed!
Bring an Emergency Bag
Anything can happen at the winery, and you might run into some unforeseen circumstances that could ruin your day if you’re not prepared. To avoid that, pack a small emergency bag filled with helpful items that can save the day. Some of my essentials include pain medicine, Band-Aids, tampons, a pack of tissues, and hand sanitizer. Having an emergency bag will ensure you’re ready for almost anything that might come your way, and you might even be able to help someone else who needs it.
Have Fun!
This is definitely the most important rule of the Survival Guide. Forget about your responsibilities for the day- dress up, get wine drunk, and have a nice picnic with your friends! Take that iconic shoulder pic and some more silly pictures, and make amazing memories that will last a lifetime. Happy drinking!