NAPA, CALIFORNIA: A COMPLETE TRAVEL GUIDE TO WINE COUNTRY

WHEN TO VISIT NAPA VALLEY

• MARCH-MAY – Vines bloom during the spring as the wine tasting season starts to rev up again. Weather is generally cool, but comfortable this time of the year.
• JUNE-AUGUST – Summer season is the busiest time of the year in Napa Valley, and Castello di Amorosa is a popular stop on wine tasting trips. Temperatures can get pretty toasty, especially in July and August, sometimes into triple digits.
• SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER – Harvest season is a lovely time to visit. The winery is busy with grape picking, the weather is comfortable and the summer crowds have dispersed. Vineyard colors start to change from green to orange in late October for autumn.

HOW MANY DAYS IN NAPA VALLEY

For first-time visitors, I recommend at least three full days in Napa. On a tight schedule, this is enough time to visit a handful of wineries for tastings, enjoy hot air balloon ride at sunrise, bicycle the vineyards, eat at the best restaurants and even board the iconic Napa wine train. For wine aficionados that really want to pack in the vineyard visits, add another full day.

Castello di Amorosa.

THINGS TO DO IN NAPA VALLEY

BICYCLE RIDES

Bicycling through Napa Valley’s vineyards is an up-close, unique way to experience the wine region. It’s completely serene to bike down the quiet country roads lined with grapevines with views of the rolling hills. Plan a route with stops at a variety of tasting rooms, or even a shaded picnic spot. Napa Valley Bike Tours is a great rental option either for guided tours or self-guided rides. There are three locations in downtown Napa, St. Helena and Yountville. I prefer the St. Helena location at the Charles Krugg Winery.

DOWNTOWN NAPA

Downtown Napa is a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly hub that blends wine country sophistication with a relaxed waterfront vibe. Visitors can spend an afternoon exploring dozens of walkable tasting rooms, browsing boutique shops along First Street and sampling gourmet bites at the bustling Oxbow Public Market. In the evenings, the district comes alive with world-class dining, craft cocktail lounges and scenic views along the Napa Riverfront.

HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE

Soar high above Napa Valley in a hot air balloon for an unforgettable, bird’s-eye view of lush vineyards framed by rolling misty mountains. Balloons lift off at sunrise. The flights are quite peaceful as passengers float through the air above wine country. There are three companies that run rides – Napa Valley Aloft, Napa Valley Balloons and Balloons Above the Valley.

NAPA WINE TRAIN

The Napa Valley Wine Train is a nostalgic journey through wine country aboard beautifully restored 20th-century railcars. Passengers can savor gourmet, multi-course meals paired with fine regional wines while taking in sweeping, panoramic views of world-famous vineyard estates. A unique way to experience wine country with Orient Express vibes. This is a completely unique way to experience wine country. Highly recommend!

OX BOW PUBLIC MARKET

Oxbow Public Market sits in the heart of Downtown Napa, a bustling 40,000-square foot indoor food hall set on the Napa Riverfront. The open-air market offers a wide range of food and drink including wood-fired pizzas, fresh oysters, ice cream, roasted coffee, artisan cheeses and gourmet baked goods.

WINE TASTING

An obvious one, but wine tasting is a must in Napa Valley. With more than 400 wineries scattered across the region, it’s hard to scratch the surface in just a few days, but there are plenty of fabulous options to include on a trip. A few of my favorites are highlighted below.

Del Dotto Winery.

PRETTIEST WINERIES IN NAPA VALLEY

BERINGER VINEYARDS

Beringer Vineyards is home to a beautiful 19th century mansion known as The Rhine House, modeled after the founder’s family home on the Rhine River in Germany. It looks like a haunted Victorian mansion, home to 17 rooms, gables, turrets, Belgian Art Nouveau stained glass windows and carved woodwork, all designed with heavy German influence. The winery sits in the heart of Napa Valley, right off the main highway in St. Helena.

CASTELLO DI AMOROSA

Tucked away in the western hills of Calistoga is the winery Castello di Amorosa. But it isn’t just any winery. This one has been designed to look like a medieval castle set in the rolling hills of Tuscany. It took 30 years for Italian-American winemaker Dario Sattui to build this spectacular winery that boasts an authentic drawbridge, chapel, medieval courtyard, lookout towers and torture chamber, most constructed from materials imported directly from Italy. The winery is absolutely stunning, and unlike anywhere else in Napa Valley. When you visit, make sure to climb the castle towers to look out over the vineyards. The resemblance to Tuscany is uncanny.

CHATEAU MONTELENA WINERY

Chateau Montelena is one of my favorite wineries in Napa Valley. Not only is it historically significant, it’s also ridiculously beautiful. Built in the late 19th century, the winery is home to an ivy-covered chateau built from rusticated stone (it originally served as a barrel-aging facility). The stone, along with the bartizans, merlons and crenels evoke all the feels of a Gothic storybook castle. The historical significance of the winery dates back to the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting when the estate’s 1973 Chardonnay took home top honors in the white wine category against some of the period’s more notable French contenders.

DOMAINE CARNEROS

Set at the epic entry into the wine region, Domaine Carneros greets visitors from its hilltop perch, one of the first wineries visitors see on their drive into the valley. It was modeled after the Chateau de la Marquetterie in Champagne, the home of the noble Taittinger family that founded Domaine Carneros. The dazzling French-inspired chateau serves up the dreamiest setting for sparkling wine tasting.

INGLENOOK

Inglenook is the fabled Napa Valley winery owned by the legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola. The winery surrounds a stunning Old World chateau, three stories of stone covered in webs of ivy. Inglenook looks like it’s been plucked right out of Paris, and it’s a lovely setting for an afternoon wine tasting. It’s known for its flagship wine, Rubicon, as well as its Cabernet Sauvignon.

PIAZZA DEL DOTTO WINERY & CAVES

Del Dotto is a family-run winery with three locations scattered throughout Napa Valley. All are beautiful, but it’s the striking Piazza Del Dotto located at 7466 St. Helena Road that is an absolute must-visit. The Italian-inspired winery and cave has all the feels of the countryside in Tuscany. The yellow piazza is beautiful and opens up to exquisite gardens filled with ornate fountains, meandering pathways and blooming flowers. But the highlight of a visit to Piazza Del Dotto is the 19th century hand-dug wine cave that guests enter through a giant face carved into the rocks. The caves were originally used to age and store wines, but now serve as an opulent barrel tasting room filled with marble and adorned in Murano glass.

BEST NAPA VALLEY HOTELS

ALILA NAPA VALLEY

Alila Napa Valley is an adults-only retreat set in the heart of St. Helena, a central location for exploring different parts of the valley. There are more than 60 rooms and suites that boast bright neutral color palettes with high ceilings, hard wood floors, glass doors and lots of light. Amenities include an on-site spa, fire pits, pool, vineyard views and the amazing restaurant Violetto.

AUBERGE DU SOLEIL

Inspired by the South of France, Auberge du Soleil is a lavish adults-only resort that sits on a hillside in Rutherford. The private maisons, named after Monaco and Cannes, are the pinnacle of luxury at the property. These two-bedroom villas feature sweeping vineyard panoramas, a fireplace, indoor soaking tub, outdoor soaking tub, rain shower, plush king beds and a Mercedes-Benz for exploring the valley. There are also a collection of beautiful guest rooms and lavish suites, many with private terraces, vineyard views and fireplaces. Auberge du Soleil is home to a Michel-starred restaurant, award-winning wine cellar, spa, olive groves and opulent pool.

CARNEROS RESORT

Carneros Resort is a charming farmhouse styled property located in southern Napa Valley. The property is a guest favorite for its private cottage retreats that are a spacious mix of indoor and outdoor spaces. There are fabulous restaurants at the resort, as well as a stunning pool that overlooks a fabulous view of the surrounding vineyards.

THE ESTATE YOUNTVILLE

This five-star retreat sits in the heart of Yountville, walking distance to restaurants, cafes and boutiques. The Estate Yountville actually combines two neighboring hotels – the cottage-like Vintage House and the modern Hotel Villagio. Both are lovely, but the pool scene at the former is phenomenal. It’s a standard pool, but the surrounding plush sun beds and floral fringe umbrellas give all the feels of White Lotus. Rooms are spacious, luxurious and a lovely place to return to after a day of wine tasting.

FOUR SEASONS

The Napa Valley Four Seasons location opened its doors in 2021, and it’s by far the most luxurious resort in Calistoga. It’s located on a working vineyard where guests enjoy unique grape-to-glass experiences including barrel tastings at Elusa Winery, vineyard grove picnics, production tours, vineyard strolls and more. The five-star resort offers a collection of stunning one, two and three bedroom suites, as well as traditional guest rooms and expansive villas.

HARVEST INN

The Harvest Inn sits quiet and unassuming along the bustling St. Helena Highway. The vibe of the estate grounds is English countryside with its manicured gardens, ivy walls, flowing fountains and Tudor-esque buildings. Rooms are a little dated, but clean and cozy. And the location is ideal – central to the valley for exploring wineries, and a few minutes away from the amazing restaurants of St. Helena.

HOTEL YOUNTVILLE

Another boutique hotel in Yountville that is lovely, but a bit more casual than some of the sprawling resorts in the valley. Hotel Yountville is a lovely little gem with comfortable rooms, a spa, pool and an ideal location to nearby restaurants, bakeries and tasting rooms.

MEADOWOOD NAPA VALLEY

If rustic elegance is your vibe, look no further than Meadowood Napa Valley. The five-star property sits on a 250-acre wooded estate in St. Helena where guests enjoy hiking, tennis, pool days and wine tasting, all on property. There are 36 rooms and suites at Meadowood, all luxurious farmhouse retreats that feature a variety of amenities including hardwood floors, wood paneling, vaulted ceilings, soaking tubs, private porches and glass walled showers. Feels like a five-star version of home.

MILLIKEN CREEK INN

Once a stagecoach stop in the 1850s, the Milliken Creek Inn has undergone a complete transformation into one of Napa Valley’s most sought after luxury stays. The property was awarded the Michelin Guide Two Key distinction in 2024 for an “exceptional stay” experience. Milliken Creek Inn sits on three acres of land overlooking the Napa River. There are 11 beautiful guest rooms that are cozy, elegant and refined. The spaces are designed in white with vaulted ceilings and wooden beams, black fireplaces, hard wood floors and private patios.

NORTH BLOCK HOTEL

If you’re looking for something a bit more modern and not-so remote, North Block Hotel is a boutique property that sits in the middle of Yountville. The local restaurants, bakeries and tasting rooms are all walking distance from the property. There are only 20 rooms – they are crisp, clean and lovely, but not over the top luxurious.

THE SETTING INN

The Setting Inn is a lovely little gem in Napa Valley. The farmhouse-inspired retreat is located along St. Helena Highway, very central if you plan to explore wineries to the north and south. It’s a great spot if you’re looking for something unpretentious without sacrificing luxury. Rooms here feel like home – comfortable and cozy, but still elegant and refined.

BEST PLACES TO EAT IN NAPA VALLEY

CASUAL FARE

• Bouchon Bakery (French bakery)
• Gott’s Roadside (American comfort)
• The Model Bakery (Bakery)
• Mother’s Tacos (Mexican)
• Stateline Road Smokehouse (barbeque)

MICHELIN GUIDE RESTAURANTS

• Ad Hoc (American)
• Bouchon Bistro (French)
• Charter Oak (Californian)
• Ciccio (Italian)
• Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch (American)
• La Toque (French)
• Mustard’s Grill (Californian)
• Restaurant at North Block (American)
• Solbar (American)

MICHELIN STAR RESTAURANTS

• Auberge du Soleil (French)
• French Laundry (French)
• Kenzo (Japanese)
• Press (American)

OTHER FAVORITES

• Bistro Don Giovanni (Italian)
• Bistro Jeanty (French)
• Boon Fly Cafe (Californian)
• Clementine (French)
• Charlie’s (American)
• Contimo Provisions (Brunch)
• FARM Restaurant (Italian)
• La Cheve (Brunch)
• Moulin (Brunch)
• Violetto (American)
• Winston’s Cafe (Brunch)

My favorite Napa Valley view is from the atop the vineyards of Chateau Montelena.

GET TO NAPA VALLEY

• CAR – Rental car is the easiest way to both get into and around Napa Valley. The region’s wineries, restaurants and sights are spread out, and you’ll want a rental car to move from one place to another. For example, Castello di Amorosa is located in Calistoga, whereas Domaine Carneros is located 40 minutes away in southern Napa Valley.
• FLIGHT – Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport (STS) is the closest airport, located 45 miles from downtown Napa. It’s a small airport serviced only by Alaska Airlines and American Airlines. Alternatively, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is a major airport serviced by all airlines and located 75 miles away.