Napa Valley
Wine Region · Napa, California
Napa Valley is California's best-known wine region, a narrow valley about 30 miles long running north from the town of Napa through Yountville and St. Helena to Calistoga. It is built around cabernet sauvignon, with hundreds of wineries ranging from small family estates to large, polished visitor destinations. Highway 29 runs up the valley floor and the Silverado Trail along the eastern side, and the two give you the choice between busier tasting rooms and quieter ones. Most wineries now work by appointment, tastings often cost a lot, and a day of driving between sips needs a plan for who is behind the wheel. It suits couples, food and wine lovers and anyone with a budget; it is less good for a spontaneous, cheap day. Sonoma, next door, is quieter and often cheaper. Allow two to three days, avoid summer weekend traffic and autumn fire season risks, and confirm each winery's booking rules and fees.
Napa Valley, Napa, California, 94559, United States
Wineries commonly open for tastings from about mid-morning to late afternoon, often with the last seating around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, and many close earlier in winter. Most operate by appointment or limited walk-ins, so confirm the hours and booking rules for each winery before you go. Restaurants in Napa, Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga keep their own hours, and the best need reservations weeks ahead. Hot-air balloon flights launch at sunrise, weather permitting. The wine train and spas run on set schedules and book up. Traffic on Highway 29 peaks on weekend afternoons and in harvest.