My husband and I love spending time in Napa Valley! We first ended up visiting as part of celebrating the closing of a business deal with one of my husband’s clients (I got to tag along!!) and we immediately fell in love with the area. As a result, we do our best to make an annual pilgrimage around my birthday in mid-August, which often happens to coincide with the start of the grape harvest season which is also in the middle of peak wedding season, so hotels are often more expensive during this time if we don’t book far enough in advance!
Most people recognize the area when they hear “Napa Valley”, but not always Sonoma — both have a lot of amazing wine & food to offer! The regions are next to one another so we often visit wineries in both Napa and Sonoma during our trips; it’s all “Wine Country”, after all!
Tip #1: FLY IN / OUT OF SANTA ROSA
It’s definitely the most convenient to fly in and out of the airport in Santa Rosa, but if you’re trying to maximize your trip to California, it’s not impossible to fly in to San Francisco and then drive up to Napa after sightseeing in SF (it’s only a couple hours’ drive away and a fairly fun road trip!).
*Note: We love to fly with Alaska Airlines, if you’re looking for a recommendation.
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Tip #2: tasting LOGISTICS
We have only ever made our own itineraries and driven ourselves when we visit the Napa region and have discovered that the majority of wineries want you to make reservations for tastings ahead of time (occasionally you can get away with a walk-in; it can’t hurt to try, but don’t count on it!). I also recommend keeping location logistics in mind… you don’t want to be driving all over the Valley if you can pop around between wineries that are located in the same area, therefore saving yourself time and gas (or Uber fees).
Leave yourself some “wiggle room” between tastings so that you have time to use the restroom, refuel, or even wait in traffic to get to your next destination. The two main roads through the Valley (Highway 29 and Silverado Trail) can get a bit clogged up during peak season.
Another option is to let someone else plan all of that for you by participating in a wine tour or hiring transportation to safely get you from place to place.
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Tip #3: MAXIMIZE YOUR TASTINGS
Wineries typically close around 4:00pm, which leaves a few hours’ gap between your last tasting of the day and your dinner reservations! Because tastings rooms and wine bars stay open later than wineries do (usually until around 7:00pm), it’s a great opportunity to squeeze one or two more tastings in before freshening up for dinner!
Downtown Napa boasts a wide array of wine tasting rooms so if you weren’t able to visit a particular winery for an on-site experience, you can often locate a tasting room by that same winery where you can sample their offerings! We love to stay in Yountville (nestled centrally in the Valley) where there are both incredible restaurants and a whole community of tasting rooms walkable from our hotel (if you enjoy sparkling wine, we recommend checking out JCB Atelier for a tasting! The decor is a bit… eccentric, but their sparkling wine selection is great!).
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Tip #4: MAKE MEAL RESERVATIONS
Make as many meal reservations ahead of time as possible… especially if you are interested in going to one of the famed Thomas Keller restaurants (such as Bouchon, Ad Hoc, or French Laundry — all of which are located in Yountville). Those particular spots will definitely be booked solid for weeks / months out, but it’s a general best practice to save your seats ahead of time at any restaurant when traveling if you’re really interested in eating there as tables can fill up fast.
I also recommend making lunch reservations near your tastings whenever possible; this hearkens back to Tip #2 about planning your tastings to be close to one another. It’s best to visit restaurants and wineries (1) all in one town (St. Helena, Oakville, Calistoga, etc.), (2) sticking with two neighboring towns, or (3) making an intentional migration, starting from the furthest winery location and then each stop taking you closer to your hotel.
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Tip #5: SHARE TASTING FLIGHTS
I highly recommend sharing any tasting flights with your friends or significant other whenever you can! This will cut down on both cost and the potential of getting drunk (read: you can sample more wine with fewer repercussions!).
*Note: this was a pre-COVID tip… please be safe and use your best judgment on this re: sharing.
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Tip #6: DRINK WATER!
Making an effort to stay hydrated seems obvious, but it’s actually pretty easy to forget to do. Every restaurant and tasting experience will offer you water and I encourage you to take advantage of the free water! I also recommend either bringing your own refillable bottle with you or buying some bottled waters from a gas station to stay hydrated (and minimize any hangover symptoms)! The California climate is very warm / dry and combine that with drinking wine all day… you will get dehydrated, so make sure you consistently drink a lots of water throughout the day!
Our Favorite Wineries:
Schramsberg
This is our favorite tour and tasting experience in Napa (as well as our favorite sparkling wine — even over Dom Perignon and Veuve Clicquot!) and the only wine club that we belong to.
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Joseph Phelps
Such a gorgeous tasting experience — highly recommend reserving a spot on the terrace! The building is impressive and beautiful, but the view is absolutely stunning (go early for a beautiful view of the morning mist over the vineyards and watch as it dissipates as the sun rises).
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Turnbull
This spot offers our favorite red wines in Napa. You can either stay inside the tasting room, which doubles as an art gallery that you can wander around while sipping your wine, or enjoy tasting those bold reds in their lovely outdoor space!
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Domaine Carneros
Another beautiful tasting experience, complete with a grandiose terrace. This is a great sparkling wine tasting location (definitely recommend the cheese pairing option!).
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Saintsbury
Adorable outdoor tasting with a charming garden ambiance. Opt for a morning tasting, before it gets too hot! I also love their chardonnay (it’s not too buttery or oaky!).
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Grgich Hills Estate
This winery helped put Napa Valley on the map with their Chardonnay in the blind “Paris Tasting” of 1976, so it’s an institution in the area and definitely worth a visit.
Our Favorite Restaurants:
**(fair warning, most of these are located in Yountville, where we always stay for our visits to Napa)
Ad Hoc + Addendum
We have enjoyed a few dinners at Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc and wanted to try grabbing lunch at Addendum on our most recent visit, but they were hosting a private event that day. Ad Hoc is super yummy and a little bit more approachable than Thomas Keller’s most popular restaurant: the famed French Laundry. Addendum offers casual takeaway lunch that would be perfect for a picnic!
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Bouchon
Thomas Keller’s second most popular concept: a California take on classic French bistro dining with an impressive wine list from both local and international wine vintners. We have been for both brunch and dinner on multiple occasions and they are always one of our favorite meals of the trip.
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Bouchon Bakery
Definitely the best coffee option in Yountville, and the pastries are amazing (there’s always a long line outside, so be prepared to wait if you don’t get there early!).
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Bistro Jeanty
Another French bistro option in Yountville, but less popular than Bouchon so it’s a little easier to get a reservation (it’s honestly one of Yountville’s best kept secrets because it’s just as delicious as Bouchon, but more affordable and feels even more authentic!).
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La Calenda
Our newest discovery and instant favorite in Yountville (if you’ve been with me for a while, you know that I’m basically obsessed with Mexican food). Definitely start with the house margarita and guacamole / salsa… you’ll thank me.
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RH Yountville
This interactive showroom / dining room / tasting space project has been YEARS in the making and now that it’s [finally] complete, it’s an absolutely stunning place to spend your time. We didn’t have a meal here, but enjoyed some wine out in the courtyard area before we had to head to the airport on our last visit and it was delightful! We definitely want to make a point to do a full wine tasting or even eat at the restaurant during our next visit.
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Charter Oak
We just visited this location for the first time in 2020 and I absolutely loved our meal here. Being that I am mostly vegetarian, the menu really suited my lifestyle because it had many veggie-forward dishes and everything we ordered was incredibly flavorful! Easily my new favorite restaurant in the Napa area. *Please note that the Chef’s Tasting Meal portions are NO JOKE so if you plan to go that route, be sure you are a party of three or four because the plates contain way too much food for just two people.
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Press
This meal was so elegant, our pre-dinner cocktails were delicious, and the wine list was spectacular. Our server was very knowledgeable and provided us with so many excellent recommendations. We loved this meal — highly recommend!
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Auberge Soleil
The most decadent brunch (with four courses!) in an absolutely gorgeous setting. The view is breathtaking and definitely a “must” for first-time visitors!
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Sam’s Social Club
A super approachable, delicious place to get brunch or lunch! We love to sit outside on their patio while enjoying our meal. (Random, but they have the cutest vintage swim club aesthetic in their bathrooms!)
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Gott’s Roadside
This place is ALWAYS gangbusters busy during the day… but it’s our favorite ultra-casual spot for late night dining if we don’t care about having a sit-down dinner experience somewhere (or even just want the treat of a milkshake after a meal elsewhere). If you go during the day, just be prepared to wait!
Things To Do:
Tours
There are a lot of awesome tour options sprinkled throughout Wine Country. (1) One of our absolute favorites is the Cave Tour at Schramsberg (yes, also our favorite sparkling winery… you’ll see why we love it so much when you visit!). (2) We have also taken the gondola (“aerial tram”) up to the property at Sterling Vineyards. I will admit that although the gondola was a cool experience, but we didn’t care much for the wine… maybe we need to give it another try? (3) The property at Castillo di Amorosa looks amazing so their tasting / castle tour is on our list of places-to-try. (4) If you’re a brave soul that is interested in participating in biking between wineries, there is a tour for you! We’ve never been, but it seems like a charming way to experience the Valley. (5) Walking tours are also available if that’s more your speed. (6) The Wine Train seems intriguing and like it would have a little local history baked in.
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Shopping
There are a lot of opportunities for shopping in Downtown Napa; there are also a ton of little boutiques worth visiting in neighboring towns like Calistoga and St. Helena.
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Picnicking
A few select wineries encourage or even offer a picnic at their property! We were interested in trying that this year, but it just didn’t work out with our schedule, but we’re looking forward to trying it someday! You can bring your own nibbles at select wineries and others have a prix fixe picnic and wine option that you can reserve (often easier than gathering your own supplies). You can find a list of these picnic-friendly wineries here. *A very COVID-friendly activity!
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Hot Air Balloon Rides
( Balloons Above the Valley // Aloft )
This was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience for us! It was so magical and serene to be quietly floating over the gorgeous Napa Valley landscape. I can’t recommend this adventure enough! We went with Balloons Above the Valley and had an exceptional experience, but on our last trip to Napa we noticed that Aloft actually picks up IN Yountville, so if we ever decide to go again we’ll definitely give them a try.
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Grape Stomping
I have wanted to experience grape stomping ever since I was a kid and watched Disney’s “Fantasia” (remember during “The Pastoral Symphony” all of the wine making? maybe it’s just me… 😂); it just looked like so much fun! Grgich Hills offers frequent grape stomp events throughout the harvest season, but you can find a full list of other grape stomping opportunities here. I’m absolutely adding this experience to our list of things to do on a future trip!
Where To Stay:
The North Block Hotel
This is the only hotel we will stay at when we travel to Napa nowadays — we’re ruined for all other hotels! The North Block very recently received an award for being the Number One Resort Hotel in California and I can’t say that I am even remotely surprised. It’s the best hotel that I think I have ever stayed at, if I’m being completely honest. It perfectly balances the intimacy and romance of a small hotel while offering the luxury feel of a large resort; I absolutely love it. If it’s within your budget, I highly recommend it!
Two other Yountville lodging honorable mentions are: Vintage House and Napa Valley Lodge.
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The Westin Verasa Napa + La Toque
This is where we stayed for our first visit to Napa and it suited our needs perfectly. We had a delicious meal at their on-site restaurant La Toque and it was the highlight of our stay at this Westin property!
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Auberge du Soleil
Admittedly, we have only enjoyed eating brunches here, but have heard from multiple reputable sources that the resort is wonderful and is an especially perfect location for a Girls’ Trip (such as for a birthday party or bachelorette). We’ve also heard that their spa experience is stellar!
What to Pack
After having visited Napa multiple times in their peak summer season I felt it might be helpful to share what to pack for your visit to Napa and some things to consider when planning your travel wardrobe. You can check it out here!
Let me know in the Comments section below if you have any favorite Napa wineries that we should add to our list of “Must Try’s” or if you have any questions!
Cheers and enjoy your Wine Country adventure!
Sending hugs —
xx, Natalie
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