Your Go-To Napa Getaway Guide
Time for a relaxing getaway? One complete with wine tastings, massages, trains, shopping, and delicious entrees? Sounds like Napa Valley may be the spot for you! This article will cover the best wineries and restaurants to visit, recommended hotel accommodations, and more!
**Its a bit lengthy! Feel free to save it to Pinterest or bookmark it now to reference it later!**
The neighboring towns of Calistoga, St. Helena, Yountville, the city of Napa and American Canyon make up Napa Valley, also referred to as Napa Wine Country.
Napa Valley is a California jewel because its home to a large cluster of some of the greatest wineries and renowned restaurants in the world! This makes for the perfect couples weekend trip. My husband and I have gone a few times and the following are my top suggestions for getting the most out of your Napa Valley experience no matter the season, and whether you’re balling on a budget or looking to splurge!
Best Spots for Wine Tasting
**Advisory: regardless of where you enjoy your wine tasting be sure not to do so on an empty stomach, pace yourself, and hydrate with plenty of water**
This wine tasting spot was my favorite for providing a relaxing atmosphere! You won’t feel rushed to leave after completing your wine tasting because there is a lush grassy area outside with picnic tables under massive oak trees. You can even spread out your blanket and just lounge. Keep in mind outside food and drink is not permitted, but V. Sattui does have a artisan deli with lots of food options. I highly recommend this spot for spring, summer and fall weather, however if you find yourself visiting in winter months or on rainy days they do set up tables for picnicking in the underground Barrel Room. To be redirected to the Vi Sattui site click here
Specifically, the location on the original Rutherford vineyard (1445 St. Helena Hwy South St. Helena, CA 94574)
Reservations are needed to explore this grand winery, and grand it is! Enjoy its Venetian style decore while you sample wines straight from the barrel (we thought their Port wine was phenomenal!). You will also be able to tour their wine caves! To be redirected to the Del Dotto site click here
Located in Yontville, this Napa valley tasting room made my list because:
- The wines are phenomenal, careful they are a bit strong! (Our group all loved their Alexander Valley Zinfandel, don’t confuse this for their Dry Creek Zinfandel)
- Their tasting sessions come included with pairings of nuts, local cheeses, and dried fruits
- Unlike many locations in Napa, if you purchase 2 bottles of wine your tasting fee is waived! (Needless to say we all went home with some of that great Zinfandel!)
- It doubles as an art gallery
** I highly recommend joining their wine club if you live within a couple hours of the area, asks your wine educator and host for more details and perks. To be redirected to the Jessup Cellars site click here
Last but not least on our list we have Vezer Family Vineyard. This winery actually has 2 tasting locations: Blue Victorian and Mankas Gardens; both locations provide a cozy relaxing atmosphere. The best part is that each location offers different Vezer family produced wines and if you pay to wine taste at one location, you can continue your tasting at the other location without paying an additional tasting fee. I recommend their Sophia dessert wine! To be redirected to the v Vezer Family site click here
*Although this recommendation is actually located is Fairfield California (about 20 miles East of Napa Valley) I added it to our list as a secondary option for those who may be staying on the outskirts of Napa Valley in nearby cities and towns like Vallejo, Fairfield, or Benicia.
Best Restaurants
There is no shortage of restaurants in Napa Valley; this is a vacation of wine, food, and luxury! The following are some of our favorite places to recommend:
- Rutherford Grilled
Inviting atmosphere (even though it is intentionally very dimly lit inside),friendly staff,
great ribs, French dip sandwiches, and cornbread bites!
- Tarla Mediterranean
Delicious Mediterranean dishes from Turkey and Greece. The first place I’ve ever had Moussaka (it was amazing). We would recommend the zucchini cakes, lamb burger, and grilled Turkish meatballs!
- Napa general store
There are things like home decor and souvenirs you can purchase here but it’s not really a general store as the name implies, it’s more of a cafe. The lunch is ok, but you’ll definitely want to go for breakfast, it’s what they’re know for! And the outdoor patio is gorgeous so I definitely recommend this location (for breakfast) in warmer months so you can take advantage of the outdoor ambiance.
- Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse
Talk about taking a road less traveled, this place is a Gem! It’s an all you can eat style Brazilian restaurant where the waiters bring you out a variety of freshly cooked meats and yummy grilled pineapple coated in a cinnamon glaze. 10/10 recommend this place. You definitely get your money’s worth and we were even able to go despite it being Christmas Day.
- Sky and Vine rooftop Bar (on top of Archer Hotel)
Three words- Lobster Corn dogs! They are pretty good! And also no matter the season you can hangout in the lounge area overlooking the city of Napa. In the winter they bring out these cute plastic igloos to keep guests warm and have happy hour from 8-10.
- Village Bistro
Village Bistro at The Meritage is a French style restaurant that excels in providing its guests with the best of Napa’s fine dining experience and exquisite entrees. This is a great spot for a proposal, high end girls night out, to celebrate an anniversary, or any other special occasion where you feel like being fancy! Reservations are recommended.
Hotel & Spa Accommodations
- Home Wood Suites by Hilton (Fairfield-Napa)
https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/oakffhw-homewood-suites-fairfield-napa-valley-area/
Such a great place to stay if you are looking for a budget friendly stay without compromising comfort and amenities! This hotel is about 20-30 minutes from Napa Valley. My husband and I stayed in one of the hotel’s suites with my parents and we all loved it! It was very clean, spacious, has a kitchenette, and living room area with a table, comfy chairs, 2 separate rooms and bathrooms!
- Meritage Resort and Spa
Best Way To Experience Napa Valley | Meritage Resort
Talk about an all in one experience! If you stay here (although more pricey) you will have on site access to:
- The resort’s spa & pools (2 pools, one family friendly, one adults only- both heated to 80 degrees year round)
- Sports lounge bar complete with a 6 lane bowling alley
- Fivetown Grocey market and deli
- 3 different wine tasting rooms
- Restaurants: Olive & Hay Italian restaurant as well as Village Bistro French style restaurant, mentioned earlier
Upon arrival you are greeted by friendly staff with a complimentary glass of champagne while your luggage is delivered to your room. You will also have access to the Guests services free shuttle that goes directly into the heart of downtown Napa!
Downtown Shops & markets
- Oxbow Market
A unique combination of small eateries and shops all located in one building. Here there is something for everyone like Kara’s cupcakes (me), Napa Bookmine (mom), and whole Spice (Tyson). This is a great place to explore or unwind and kill some time while waiting for your dinner reservations or wine tasting session. (Don’t forget some playing cards)
- First Street Napa
The heart of downtown Napa! Here’s where you’ll find some great souvenirs in small specialty markets, internationally known stores like Anthropology or Lulumelon, fantastic restaurants (like Tarla mentioned earlier), and of course endless wine tasting rooms. It’s not difficult to walk or navigate around in downtown Napa.
*Noteworthy: While I always try to be cautious of my surroundings, I did feel much more at ease and less apprehensive exploring downtown Napa than I have for other larger cities. This is a location I would recommend for a 21 and older girls trip.
Napa Wine Train
Ok, this was one of my favorite experiences! If you enjoy dressing up and feeling fancy for the afternoon you will want to try out the Napa wine train at least once! You can choose from a few different packages. We went with the afternoon wine train experience. It’s 3 hours long and you are served a complimentary glass of champagne, gourmet lunch, and dessert.
We chose the afternoon option instead of the night option because even though the price is the same, the night train is shorter by 1 hour and you won’t see the wine county as easily after dark (especially in winter months when it gets dark shortly after 5 by November/December). With that said the Napa wine train murder mystery dinner is only available during the night train.
We also chose the 3 hour afternoon option instead of the 6 hour option (that makes stops along the way to certain wineries) because that package is more expensive and only serves you light hors d’oeuvres and appetizers. Also I don’t believe the wine train covers the cost of your wine tasting at the wineries.
Other things to consider:
- The longer you wait to book, the more expensive your ticket will be (keep in mind there are numerous fees and charges)
- If you are petite you’ll have no issues on the wine train but for those of us who are tall and larger it can feel a bit cramped in the dining area (the tables don’t move)
In addition to the wine tastings, world class restaurants, spas, and shopping you can also:
- Play golf
- Hike
- Bike ride
- Book hot air balloon ride
Well there you have it, my complete Napa getaway guide! I hope it proves to be an informative resource for you and all your Napa planning adventures! Don’t forget to check out other travel articles by Daj