Your Comprehensive Guide to Visiting Napa Valley
If you're thinking of planning a trip to Napa Valley there are plenty of places to go and things to do while you're there. Here is a guide to some of the best eateries, the best wineries, and the best things to do in Napa Valley.
Napa Valley, A little history
Napa Valley lies between two mountain ranges, the Mayacamas to the west and the Vacas to the east, and because of this mountainous surrounding it leads to such varied climates which in turn produce some amazing wines! You can navigate Napa Valley by two thoroughfares, the Silverado Trail on the Vaca side and Highway 29 on the Mayacamas side. Whichever side you decide to start navigating, you'll be graced with over 400 winery choices so be ready to either wing it and turn in to your nearest winery or, like me, grab a map ahead of time, use recommendations, & make a plan!
A good rule is to plan at most 3 wineries in one day to have a truly relaxed, enjoyable experience. Fall is a beautiful time to visit because the climate is amazing (70's during the day, 40's at night) and the views and changing of the leaves are without-a-doubt, breathtaking.
Bouchon: A great place for lunch, dine inside in a darling setting or outside on the lovely patio
YOUNTVILLE
Yountville is a beautifully quaint town to spend time wandering around when not wine tasting. Yountville has picturesque, walkable streets and is home to some of the finest restaurants in the valley.
WINERIES
- Chandon Winery Sit out on their beautiful patio with a glass of sparkling rose and take in all their outdoor beauty.
Winery Tip: Pricing for wine tasting can be anywhere from $15.00-40.00 depending on what type of experience you'd like to have. Sometimes, if you purchase a bottle of your favorite wine, they'll waive one of the tasting fees for you.
EATS
- Home of Thomas Keller's famed French Laundry
- Bouchon - make a lunch reso
- Bouchon Bakery
- Ciccios - order a dish of their cauliflower roasted with raisins or a mushroom & carmelized onion pizza.
- Redd Wood
Entrance to Domaine Chandon. Photo Courtesy
STAY
If you're going to stay in Yountville, there are endless choices from high to low, depending on your budget.
- Hotel Yountville If you've got some $$ to spend, are design minded, and are looking for high quality relaxation.
- The Vintage Inn (if you see are able to score a weekday deal)
Travel tip | Sometimes you can score a deal on Jetsetter or think about going on a weekday.
Image via Hotel Yountville
RUTHERFORD
One of the most beautiful things to do in Napa Valley is to take a scenic drive up the highway. On the drive up to St. Helena from Yountville, you'll pass through Rutherford. Turn on Rutherford Road and take a stop off at these two wineries.
WINERIES
- Honig - a beautiful tasting room and the staff are beyond helpful and friendly. Reservations recommended.
- Frog's Leap - a winery that I would like to pick up and move straight into as quickly as possible. The entrance to the winery is like walking into a new, craftsman-style, 2-story vacation home. It's wide open, wooden doors lead out to the back patio with a corn-hole game on the grass and a walking, working farm on site. You can make a tasting appointment to tour the red barn, which you'll want to do, and walk the grounds or sit on the patio and order a cheese board with your wine. I go here every. time. I'm in Napa Valley and purchase a bottle of Sav Blanc and Rosé. Reservations recommended.
Frog's Leap | Red Barn: Photo Courtesy
Honig's outdoor patio:Photo Courtesy
ST. HELENA
Moving up North on Hwy 29, you'll eventually hit the sublime town of St. Helena. This is another fabulous town in my list of the best things to do in Napa Valley. Don't miss stopping here. With a spattering of great restaurants, a great coffee house, a lovely bakery, unique shops, and a few quaint places to call home for the evening, where do I even start??
WINERIES
- Larkmead Vineyards - Sonny, one of the managers of Larkmead, told me that it is one of the oldest running wineries with over 150 acres of land dating back to the 1800's. Turns out that a daughter's rambunctiousness led to development of some great wines....you'll have to visit the winery to hear the whole story. The tasting is $40.00, which isn't cheap, but the reds are sublime, the views & stories fantastic, and the architecture & design are worth it.
- Frank Family, near Larkmead, the property is beautiful & they have a great chardonnay. Sit outside on their beautiful patio or take a walk around the garden/yard in a very peaceful setting.
- Charles Krug on the way back towards St. Helena. I loved all the reds. They are the valley's first winery and are run by the Mondavi Family.
EATS
I could write a post devoted entirely to where to eat in St. Helena but I wouldn't have enough space or time, so I'll list a few must-go's if you're only there for a day or two.
- Goose & Gander - I opted for a soup of the day, and was pleasantly surprised by the flavor, but what I really loved was the atmosphere. Being there was like sitting in a gentleman's bar or classy hunting lodge, with leather tufted seats, a roaring fireplace, and mementos hanging on the wall. It was a treat for the eye, no doubt
- Cook - a must-try. Cook is a divine little spot with enough seating to fill a small classroom, but there is always a seat available if you go at the right time or make a reservation. Everytime I go, this is my fourth time now, I order something different. From Risotto, to the BLT, to the cheese plate, and I am always, always satisfied. For lunch or dinner, make this a spot you must try when in, or driving through, St. Helena.
- Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch. This place is another must-try and don't miss if you are in, or around, St. Helena (or the entire Napa Valley for that matter). The experience here tops my list of one of the best, best things to do in Napa Valley
- Model Bakery for their English muffins. They are absolutely, unavoidably delicious with a little fig butter and jam.
SHOPS
You'll love St. Helena's Main Street. Main Street has everything from vintage shops, to boutique home shops, and everything in between.
- Footcandy Shoes
- Pennyweight for the cutest office supplies
- Oliver Napa Valley for jams, sauces, and kitchen goods
Photo Courtesy: Goose and Gander
Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch
Larkmead: How beautiful from afar, right? Photo Courtesy
Larkmead's tasting room. I love those striped chairs!
STAY
After a lovely day full of wine tasting, shopping, and eating, two of my favorite places one on the higher end, which has every amenity you'd ever think of
- Solage Calistoga - on the higher end, located in Calistoga, it's a hop-skip-and a jump from the center of Calistoga's main shops on Lincoln Street. You can take one of the available bikes located outside your room to ride on over to Lincoln Street and pick up a few things. If you're planning a special trip here, it's worth a stay, even if just for a night. At the Solage, you can sit back at their famed Sol Bar and enjoy a glass of wine, then order up a delicious lunch or dinner. The rooms at the Solage all come with a patio and each night at turn-down, you're greeted with a written bedside quote of the evening to inspire you. You could spend an entire day just on the grounds at Solage.
- Wydown Hotel - Neatly designed hotel is right in the heart of St. Helena. It's an affordable boutique in a great location on Main Street, walkable to Model Bakery, French Blue, all the great St. Helena Shops. At the South end, you can walk to Farmstead. Warm, friendly staff are there to greet you in a uniquely furnished lobby and the rooms are spacious and well-decorated
Solage Pool: Photo Courtesy
Oliver Napa Valley
With all there is to see and do in Napa Valley, don't be surprised if you plan another trip before you even leave your current one. It's a beautiful place, no doubt, one of my favorites to visit at any time of year. I hope you've found this guide helpful and I hope you let me know if you're planning to visit, have visited, or want to visit! I would love to hear your recommendations for places to try in Napa Valley if you've been!