Napa Valley is a beautiful area in Northern California that is known for its world class wineries and gourmet food. There are over 500 unique wineries to visit, so planning an itinerary can be difficult. Hopefully this blog will help you decide what wineries to visit, where to eat, and how to get around without having the stress of planning.
History of Napa:
For many, the most memorable moment in Napa Valley’s historical timeline is the 1976 Judgment of Paris in which 1973 vintages of a Cabernet Sauvignon from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and a Chardonnay from Chateau Montelena beat their French competitors in a landmark blind tasting competition. This victory made Napa Valley a world-class wine region, put California wines on the map, and it opened the gates to what we know today of American wines.
Getting to Napa:
Luckily, there are multiple ways to get to Napa. With its location right in the middle of three airports, SFO – SAC – STS, there are many flight options to choose from. Each drive should take anywhere from 1 hr – 1 hr 30 minutes, depending on traffic.
For me, renting a car is a must when visiting the valley. From top to bottom, the valley is about 30 miles, so visiting the best wineries requires some driving in between appointments. Of course you can always hire a driver or service for wine tasting days, no one should be drinking and driving. I still suggest a car for exploring the valley, finding yummy cafes, and to and from the airport.
Which area of Napa is best?
There are three towns in Napa Valley I believe are the best to stay and spend time exploring. Things I consider are walkability, high quality restaurants, and a variety of tasting rooms nearby. Personally, I love to enjoy all of them so I have set up an itinerary for each town. Depending on where you choose to stay, you can move these around to make the most sense for your arrival and departure schedule.
3 Day Napa Itinerary
Downtown Napa:
Where to taste in Napa:
Vineyard 29 Downtown Tasting Room
Mayacamas Downtown Tasting Room or Estate
Stags Leap Wine Cellars
https://www.stagsleapwinecellars.com
Where to eat in Napa:
Breakfast – Winstons Napa
Winstons serves farm to table style breakfast and lunch cuisine in downtown Napa with a focus on seasonality and supporting local agriculture. You will also find delicious baked goods, and they do serve a gluten free pastry!
Wed – Fri: 7:30am – 1pm | Sat – Sun 8am- 1pm
https://www.winstonsnapa.com/menu
Lunch – Oxbow Public Market
Oxbow Public Market is much more than a place to purchase organic and/or sustainably-produced food. It is also a hub of local culture, full of unique food products, specialties and treats .My favorite places to eat at Oxbow Public Market are C Casa and Hog Island Oyster Co. Before or after, take some time to walk around and see what all the shops are offering.
Hog Island
Fri-Mon: 11am – 4pm (reservation only) Thurs: 11am – 3pm (walk-in only)
My C Casa
Everyday 11am – 9pm
Dinner – Compline
Named by many as “the best wine bar in Napa”, Compline is one place that cannot be missed when you are in Napa. On top of their amazing glass list, they also have a wine shop that is curated by the owners Matt Stamp and Ryan Stetins. We always grab a bottle of wine from the shop, and open with dinner at Compline. The menu changes seasonally, but the duck fat fries remain all year long. Executive Chef Jammir Gray is leading the way for other Black and Filipina women in the industry and loves executing her meals with fresh local ingredients straight from the farms. On Sundays Compline does a “blind tasting” flight with four 2 oz pours for $25. It is a fun way to start dinner for sure!
Thurs-Mon: Lunch 11:30am-3:30 pm, Dinner 5pm-9 pm | Wed: 5pm-9 pm
Where to get cocktails in Napa:
Archer Hotel
For after dinner drinks or sunset cocktails, the Archer hotel has you covered. Head to Sky & Vine during golden hour for rooftop cocktails or if it’s a bit chilly later in the evening, the bar by the lobby and Charlie Palmer Steak serves great balanced cocktails.
Sky & Vine | Everyday 12pm-10pm
Charlie Palmer Lounge | Thurs – Mon: 4pm-10pm
Where to stay in Napa:
Napa River Inn
Archer Hotel
Cambria Hotel Napa Valley
Yountville:
Where to taste in Yountville:
Pine Ridge Vineyards
https://www.pineridgevineyards.com
Nickel & Nickel
https://nickelandnickel.farniente.com
Corison Vineyards
Where to eat in Yountville:
Breakfast: Bouchon Bakery
To start your day off right, stop by Bouchon Bakery in Yountville and pick up coffee, a few croissants, macarons, baguettes, or other pastries. The interior is small, but it holds an incredible array of mouthwatering desserts and breads. The main sellers here are the famous macaroons, which are always in high demand. Don’t be afraid of the line out the door, as this place is a famous bakery. Try and get there a bit earlier to beat the line, especially on weekends. Peek your head around the corner and you will find Chef Thomas Keller’s famous French Laundry restaurant is just across the street, along with his more casual bistro, Bouchon.
Mon-Thurs: 7am – 2pm | Fri-Sun: 7am – 6pm
https://www.thomaskeller.com/bouchonbakeryyountville
Lunch: Southside Yountville
If you are looking for a quick meal that packs fuel to finish the day’s wine tasting, Southside is your spot. Located right in the heart of Yountville, stop in here for tasty bowls, salads, soups, and sandwiches. Elevated with a chef-driven menu, Southside serves exciting flavors with local ingredients.
Wed-Fri: 8am – 2pm | Sat-Sun: 8am – 3pm
Dinner: Bottega
Chef Michael Chiarello’s passion for food and wine, inspired by his Italian heritage and California upbringing, is reflected in his restaurant, Bottega. With some of the best service in town, Bottega is always a must visit on our Napa Valley trips; comfortable elevated rustic interior, ingredient forward food, inventive cocktails, and a stunning wine list. My favorite thing on the menu is Spaghetti alla Sophia Loren, substituting gluten free pasta, Spaghetti cooked in tomato water with aromatic oil, early girl tomato sauce, and blistered cherry tomatoes The menu has a great mix of hearty meat dishes, vegetable forward antipasto, and seafood dishes you would expect to see in Italy. Do yourself a favor and finish your meal with the molten lava cake, which is one of the best desserts in Napa, and also gluten free.
Tue-Thurs:, 12 pm – 9:30 pm | Fri – Sun: 11am – 10pm | Mon: 4pm – 9:30pm
https://www.botteganapavalley.com
Where to get cocktails in Yountville:
The Restaurant at North Block
One of the newest hot spots in Yountville, The Restaurant at North Block not only serves some of the best wood-fired food around, but their cocktail program is one to watch. The bar takes advantage of local ingredients and their signature cooking method with wood-roasted jalapeno to make a tasty margarita for their guests. The restaurant has happy hour daily from 4-6pm except Mondays, and one dollar oysters every day!
Tues- Thurs: 5pm – 9pm | Fri-Sun: 12 pm – 9 pm
https://www.northblockhotel.com/dining/
Where to stay in Yountville:
Bardessono
Hotel Yountville Resort and Spa
https://www.hotelyountville.com
North Block Hotel
https://www.northblockhotel.com
St. Helena:
Where to taste in St. Helena:
Revana Family Vineyards
Larkmead Vineyards
Trinchero
https://www.trincheronapavalley.com
Where to eat in St. Helena:
Breakfast – Model Bakery
Winner of ‘Oprah’s Favorite Things 2021’ for their English Muffins, Model Bakery in downtown St. Helena is a perfect start to your wine tasting day. At the charming original location, you can choose from a variety of pastries, breakfast sandwiches, or freshly baked quiches. They even have a few gluten free pastries and cookies available, which is a perfect snack to bring along for the day.
Sun–Thurs: 6:30am – 3pm | Fri-Sat: 6:30am – 4pm
https://www.themodelbakery.com
Lunch – Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch
The talents of chefs, farmers, cattle ranchers, winemakers, and restaurant managers have all come together to create a Napa Valley experience like no other, Farmstead. Their estate-grown wine, olive oil, grass-fed highland beef and lamb, honey, and fresh eggs are featured on the menu year-round. This season, fresh from the farm ingredients include: radish, beets, baby carrots, collard greens, squash, broccolini, kale, lettuces, and fennel, which you can find throughout the menu. When we dine here, we come hungry and order family style to be able to experience as much of the menu as we can.
Mon-Thurs: 11:30am – 8:30pm | Fri: 11:30am – 9:30pm | Sat: 11am – 9:30pm | Sun: 11am – 8:30pm
https://www.longmeadowranch.com/eat-drink/restaurant/
Dinner – Goose & Gander
You can never go wrong dining at Goose & Gander, who serves rustic American food refined for wine country. Everything from salads, burgers, or appetizers to share, you can always expect a great meal and friendly service. I personally enjoy dining downstairs in the pub-like environment and no matter what I order, I never skip the skinny duck fat fries.
Sun-Thur 4:30pm – 10pm | Fri-Sat: 4:30pm – 11pm
Where to get cocktails in St. Helena:
Charter Oak
Charter Oak has gained popularity quickly for a great dining experience, but also as the place to get cocktails in St. Helena. Even though Napa is known for winer, there are some amazing places to get cocktails in Napa Valley. Their cocktails are based on simplicity and a devotion for local products. If you are with a bigger group, they even have large format cocktails that are worthy of a group photo. They always have a fun twist on an Old Fashioned, and from my experience, the bartenders make inventive cocktails if you tell them what you are interested in enjoying.
Mon-Thurs: 11:30am – 9pm | Fri-Sun: 11am – 9pm
Where to stay:
Alila
Southbridge
https://www.southbridgenapavalley.com
Harvest Inn
I hope you enjoy your next trip to Napa Valley. With this itinerary, you will get to see the best that Napa has to offer.
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