Welcome To The Napa Valley My Friends!
If you guys only knew the feels I got while writing this Travel Guide for you all! While I may not be a Napa Valley native…. in the year in a half it took us to plan our wedding there, I visited almost 10 times!! By then end of it, I truly started to feel like it was my second home lol! My love for the Valley runs deep. I’ve made a million memories there, went through the fires with them and became so close to many of the local businesses.
This has been my most requested Travel Guide by far, so I hope you all in enjoy it! It is truly such an incredible area and if you’re looking to book a trip there anytime soon, expect to have the best time!
The Valley itself is breathtaking, luxurious and of course, the wine is everything!
THINGS TO KNOW
Before making your way to wine country, there are a few things that you’re going to want to know first!
GETTING THERE
I suggest flying into San Francisco or Oakland, renting a car and driving. Napa is about an 1-2hr drive (depending on traffic) from both! Oakland is definitely the easiest airport out of the two though and only an $80 uber to Napa is you’re not looking to rent a car!
WHEN TO VISIT
The best times to visit the Valley would be anytime between late March and early November.
- Busiest Most Expensive Months: August-October. These are the two months during Harvest Season.This is the time of year that the vines are their fullest. The grapes are being picked and harvested, the weather is phenomenal, the wineries all have a ton of really fun “new crop” parties and events. This is also the only time of year that grape stomping is offered as well! While these are all positives…. expect hotel prices to jump 3-4x their normal nightly rate. Average two-star hotels can charge up to $500/night while luxury hotels will cost you over $1000/night.
- Personal Favorite Month(s): May-June. It may not be “Harvest” during this time of the year, but I think these months are super underrated!! Although the weather is pretty great all year round (except for November through March when it tends to rain a lot) the weather during these two months is just incredible. Not to mention, the roses during this time are blooming like crazy!!!! Just check out the photo from above. I mean just absolutely gorgeous. The hotels are affordable, it’s not as crowded and also by this time, the vineyards are starting to get more “full”, so you’ll still get to witness seeing the bushels on the vines!
- When Not To Visit: November – March. During these months, from my personal experience, are just very chilly and rainy! Yes, the hotels prices drop drastically.. but the vineyards are bare after going through Harvest, it feels like it rains every day and that just isn’t the experience you’re going to want to have when visiting Napa.
WEATHER
For most of the year, Napa has some of the most beautiful weather in country. It tends to get pretty warm during the day but always drops in temperature at night! I highly suggest always having some sort of cardigan or jacket with you because you just never know!
UNDERSTANDING THE AREA
The hotels, wineries and restaurants you’ll want to visit while there run along Highway 128 (which is really just a two lane road) from Downtown Napa, all the way to Calistoga. This highway is lined by so many famous wineries and is where you will spend most of your time! When you look at the map and see “Napa”, understand that’s just the downtown area and that Napa County is much larger and everything you’ll want to see/do is outside of downtown.
FAVORITE WINERIES
Anything with a (*) next to it means they are my top choices
FROGSLEAP*
Oh, Frogsleap! My all-time favorite and is the one winery I take everyone too when visiting!
I have been to this winery more than any other winery and a trip to Napa just wouldn’t feel the same without it! It’s a super relaxed tasting, it has the best atmosphere and the grounds are not only beautiful, but yours to fully explore! On top of the vineyards, they also have a really incredible garden with every fruit and vegetable you can imagine! Pro Tip: At the end of your tasting, ask for a sample of the Rosé! It’s not apart of the “official tasting” but if you ask, they will let you try some and it’s absolutely delicious!!
(Reservation)
Trinchero Family Estates*
The most breathtakingly beautiful vineyard we have ever been too! I mean we LOVED THIS PLACE. Seriously it’s so gorgeous and we loved that it was not super crowded. If you have a group of 4 or more, I recommend buying a bottle or two (the white wine is amazing) at the end of your tasting and try to get a seat out on the terrace overlooking the vineyards.
We did this and it was seriously so fun!!! I still dream about this place it was so beautiful….
(Reservation)
Caymus Vineyards*
Caymus is another favorite but we may be biased because it truly just one of our favorite special occasion wines. The Cab is everything! This tasting is definitely a more upscale, seated tasting but absolutely fabulous!! They make you feel real fancy upon arrival and, they do a really great job at explaining each wine and the tasting is done in the garden.
(Reservation)
Halls Winery
Halls is a super cool winery with amazing architecture. The tasting is done at your leisure and they have a really cool balcony overlooking the vineyards. I’m sorry I don’t have any pictures (except for a few selfies that I’m sure ya’ll could care less about lol) because it really is spectacular!
Make sure you try the Cabernet….. it’s amazing and is the wine we served with dinner at our wedding!
Grgich Hills Estate
I’m not going to lie, I like Grgich, but it’s definitely not my favorite! It’s a more traditional tasting with nothing super “spectacular” to it but I had to add it to this list because if you visit during harvest, it is one of the only wineries that offers grape stomping and it is so fun!! It was quite the experience for us and we loved it!!
If you want to go for Grape Stomping during Harvest, I highly recommend not trying to do it on a Saturday or Sunday to avoid a huge line. You can’t make a reservation for the stomping, it’s first come first serve. We went on a Friday afternoon and had about a 10 minute wait, but they give you a glass of wine while you’re in line so it’s really not bad at all!
Sterling Vineyards*
Sterling Vineyards is super Touristy – but still super cool to do at least once!! The winery itself is up in the mountains, so you have to take a gondola up to it and the views are literally EVERYTHING. Then the tasting is done throughout the castle as you tour it at your own leisure. You get to see its history, how the wine is made, stored and etc!
Pro Tip: Buy your gondola and tasting tickets online ahead of time (the lines for both are so long) and get there before noon because it gets really crowded. I believe we went at 11:45 and it was perfect! On our way out we could see the lines forming and were so glad we went when we did.
WHERE TO EAT
While Napa is of course famously known for its wine, the food is something that should not be forgotten about! My apologies for the lack luster amount of dinner spots… normally after a long day of wine tasting and eating… we skip dinner and fall asleep early lol! Don’t worry though, I still included the few that we did go to at the bottom!
Boon Fly Cafe
(breakfast)
The Boon Fly Cafe is about 10 minutes outside of Napa Downtown but seriously so cute and so amazing!! It’s actually right off the highway in-between Sonoma and Napa! If you get there past 10 am, there may be a wait, but it’s never too bad and they have free coffee and water. Get the donut holes for the table to share and the bloody marys are amazing too!
Bouchon Bakery
(breakfast)
Super famous bakery in Yountville! If chocolate croissants are your thing – then you will want to go here!! Get there before 10:00 am though to avoid a really….. really long line….
Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch
(brunch/lunch/dinner)
We Love, Love, Love Farmstead!! Great for Brunch, Lunch and Dinner, and it the perfect spot for everyone! This is actually where we had our rehearsal dinner too!! Seriously, such a cute spot and the food is amazing! They have the cutest little general store too where you can purchase little knick knacks and do a wine tasting as well! The Long Meadow Pinot Gris is to die for an I highly recommend getting a spot in their covered patio if possible! (reservation)
Archetype *
(brunch/lunch)
Archetype is another favorite!! We go here every time we are in Napa and is where I had my bridal brunch.
I’m not going to lie though, the service is kind of awful and the hostess is always the worst…. yet we have never been to Napa and not gone here. It’s seriously SO CUTE and very IG Worthy. While the whole restaurant is adorable, I recommend getting a seat in the sunroom. From brunch food to lunch, it’s all good! If you are there for brunch, be sure to get the cinnamon rolls or the donut holes for the table to share! I know they have dinner too, but I have never gone for it.
Heads Up: Unless you are being dropped off, be prepared that parking is hard to find here! It’s right off the main highway in downtown St. Helena and they don’t have a “designated parking area”, so you may have to park on a back street and walk.
BRIX
(lunch / dinner)
Love this place for dinner! Seriously so amazing and it has a really pretty back porch area that overlooks the vineyards (Reservation)
The French Laundry
(dinner)
Literally one of the most famous restaurants in the WORLD and is incredibly hard to get into, but if you can, then do it! We have never been but I felt like I couldn’t not include it on this list (Reservation)
Afternoon Drinks / Happy Hour
Most wineries close around 3-4 so if you’re wanting to keep the party going, I recommend one of the three below!
Solbar at Solage Calistoga
The best happy hour at one of the most gorgeous hotels in all of the valley. It’s all outdoors, they bring you blankets when the temperatures drop and it just has the best atmosphere all around! I love the oversized heaters, the long fire place fountain (yes, you read that right!) and oddly enough, their sushi is to die for!! Another bonus are the little popcorn/nut assortments they bring to your table while you decide what to order.
Auberge de Soleil
This place probably has THE BEST VIEWS in all of the Valley. Auberge is already one of the most luxuriest (if not the most luxury) hotel in Napa, so if you cannot afford the $1500/night cost (you’re not alone lol), I highly recommend booking a brunch ( I haven’t had the brunch but I hear it’s great) or happy hour here!
(RESERVATION!!!!)
Sams Social Club
Located in Calistoga, Sam’s Social Club has THE BEST outdoor area!! I love to sit around their fire pits with a glass of wine. We have been here many of times and even hosted our Wedding Weekend Welcome Party here!! The atmosphere is great, it’s laid back and just all around an enjoyable experience.
WHERE TO STAY
When it comes to deciding on where to say, it all comes down to what you are looking for, how far away from things you want to be and how much you want to spend.
If money is not an option, then you can stay anywhere. There are seriously beautiful luxury hotels everywhere…. but if you’re not looking to spend $800+ a night, you have to do a bit more research. While it is ideal to stay in either Yountville or St. Helena, hotels and airbnbs near these two towns will cost you a pretty penny. For the majority of our trips, we stayed up north in Calistoga and is where we had all of our wedding guests stay as well. It’s a sweet little town, with much to do like Yountville and has more reasonably priced hotels. I’ll mention below where each hotel is!
The Senza Hotel
(Near Yountville)
$$$
We absolutely adore this hotel for so many reasons. Located right outside of Downtown Napa and only a few exits before Yountville, it’s a very centrally located boutique hotel. Their rooms and cottages have been fully renovated, are super spacious and have in-room fireplaces! The hotel itself sits right in a vineyard, which makes the experience so magical. There is something about walking right out of your room and onto your patio that opens up into the vineyards that always takes my breath away.
Another thing we love about the Senza is the fully lush complimentary breakfast that they have every morning and the even more extravagant happy hour that they have every afternoon from 4-6. Fully equipped with all of the meat, cheese, wine and bread that your heart could imagine.
If you’re looking for a resort and or a more standard hotel than this is not it. While they do have a gym and a pool, that’s not the sole purpose of the property.
Brannan Cottage Inn
(Calistoga) $$
Located in Calistoga, Brannan Cottages is another adorable and super sweet boutique hotel that holds a space near and dear to my heart. My mom and I took a trip for wedding planning during Mother’s Day weekend and stayed here! It only have 7 (I think!) rooms, but it absolutely adorable and the grounds keeper, Eden is the absolute sweetest! Whenever I’m in town, I always stop by to chat and say hi. It’s completely renovated, there are sweet spots all over the property where you can enjoy a glass of wine and a light breakfast/coffee is served in the main house every morning!
Just like the Senza, Brannan Cottage is not a regular hotel or resort. It’s a boutique hotel, that was once an old cottage and has been renovated into a hotel. Brannan Cottages does not have a gym, pool or room service…. but for what it doesn’t have, it makes up for in charm.
Best Western Stevenson Manor
(Calistoga) $$
Don’t judge a hotel by it’s name – This is THE NICEST Best Western I have ever been too. We stayed here during a last minute weekend trip right before the wedding and were blown away. There are a ton of rooms, it’s fully renovated, has a complimentary breakfast and everyone there is so nice!!! It was super charming, has a decently nice pool area and a gym too!
Solage Calistoga
(Calistoga) $$$$$
If you’re wanting luxury, then look no further! We stayed at Solage Calistoga for our wedding week and wow….. what an experience! It’s truly one of the nicest resorts that I have ever been too. The rooms are all little cottages with bicycles for you to bike around the property with. The spa was everything and the pool area is to die for!
It’s really just an above and beyond place to stay – but will definitely cost you!
Napa Farm House Inn
(Rutherford) $$$
We have not stayed here, but I have had many friends that have, as well as a few wedding guests and I have never heard anything but amazing things about it!!! I’m dying to stay here, which is why I wanted to add it to my list. I have toured the property and can attest to the fact that it is beautiful. There are only a handful of cottages on the property, but they are all so cute and new! Breakfast from Bouchan Bakery is also waiting for you on your doorstep every morning too which is another plus!
THAT’S IT!
Wow – now I am dying to go back and oddly feel homesick lol.
Anywho, while there are so many other places I could add to this list, I wanted to make it as comprehensive as possible. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave them below in the comments section!
xo,
Lauren