Napa Valley Visitors Guide
Located 50 miles north of San Francisco is pastoral Napa Valley. It is home to numerous vineyards-most of which are open to the public. Of course, there is more to Napa Valley than its wine. You will find parks, museums, galleries and theatre as well.
Napa Valley Wineries
With over 200 wineries open to the public, you are sure to find exactly what you need for your special event or occasion. From Zinfandel to Cabernet, Pinot Noir to Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese to Merlot—you can spend a number of days visiting the beautiful vineyards and tasting their  exquisite offerings. The majority of the wineries are open for touring and most of them offer private tastings.
If you would like to taste the wines of the area vineyards without having to appoint a designated driver, be sure to reserve your place on The Napa Valley Wine Train. The Train offers a variety of packages. You can select a wine tasting trip, a gourmet and champagne meal, a Sunday dinner and concert series, a murder mystery dinner theatre and standard lunch or dinner trips. Most rides last 3 hours and travel a 36 mile course from
Napa to St. Helena.
Here are just a few of the Napa Valley Wineries:
1. Artesa Winery
2. Bouchaine Vineyards
3. Carneros Creek Valley
4. Domaine Carneros by Taitinger
5. Hess Collection Winery
6. Luna Vineyards
7. Pine Ridge Winery
8. Robert Mondavi Winery
9. William Hill Winery
Napa Valley Bed & Breakfast Inns
Napa Valley has many great places to unwind. You can choose nationally recognized hotels like the Hilton or Best Western; family friendly accommodations such as the John Muir Inn or the Napa River Inn; resorts like the Silverado with its golf course, tennis courts, pools, and spa and, the many area bed and breakfast. Some of the area bed and breakfast are:
- Beazley House is Napa Valley’s oldest B&B. It has an attractive mix of Victorian furnishings and modern amenities and is well-situated at the entrance of wine country.
- Blackbird Inn has elaborate rooms with fireplaces and Jacuzzis.
- Old World Inn is a 1906 Victorian home with a Scandinavian décor. Amenities include off street parking, a backyard hot tub and patio, full breakfast, afternoon refreshments and evening desserts.
Napa Valley Museums
The di Rosa Preserve is home to the world’s largest collection of contemporary California Bay Area art. You will see works by over 700 artists. As you stroll the 250 acres you will find 4 gallery buildings, a sculpture meadow, gardens and a meditation chapel.
For cooking demonstrations, gardening, decorating tips, artist lectures and more, spend a day at Copia: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts. This huge cultural museum opened in 2001 and has 80,000 square feet of gardens, tours, exhibitions and short programs. If you are a “foodie” this is the place for you!
At the Napa Valley Museum you can view exhibitions on the area’s cultural and environmental heritage. There are displays on the land, its people and the arts and science of California wines.
The Arts in Napa Valley
For excellent productions and great selections check with the Dreamweaver’s Theatre to see what is being performed. For music ranging from jazz to classical, as well as shows with dance, music, comedy and theatre visit the historic Napa Valley Opera House.
Napa Valley Parks & Outdoor Adventure
The 1,800 acre Bothe-Napa Valley State Park is a ruggedly beautiful park. You will find groves of pines and redwoods, deep canyons and elevations of as much as 2,000 feet. While there, you can visit the Pioneer Cemetery and enjoy family friendly fun like camping, picnicking, swimming, and over 10 miles of hiking and horseback riding trails.
The John F. Kennedy Park in downtown Napa Valley has everything you need for fun. There are picnic tables with BBQ pits, assorted sports fields/courts, a boat launch, a children’s playground, and a golf course. For additional nature activities there are walking trails, a duck pond and formal gardens.
From bird watching to fishing, biking to hunting, swimming to hiking, Lake Berryessa has this and so much more. You can pitch your tent, pack a picnic, pursue the “one that got away” as you rest and relax in one of the largest bodies of freshwater in California.
The Skyline Wilderness Park is a favorite for hikers, horseback riders, and mountain bikers. There are horse camping sites, RV sites, and basic tent sites as well as gardens and an archery range.
Photo Credits: Banner Napa Valley Photo by Lyn G; Beringer Vineyards photo and wine barrels by Jim G; |
