How to plan your first trip to Napa Valley
Updated: September 19, 2020
A trip to Napa Valley is a must-do for any wine enthusiast, but navigating through all the options can be a daunting task for a first-time visitor.
It's easy to get stuck in large crowds and tourist traps. There can be quite a bit of traffic. And the sheer number of wineries can be overwhelming.
Fortunately, we've collected a list of tips and suggestions that can make trip planning easy and enjoyable.
Read through the entire article or use the links to skip to various sections.
Getting There
While there are several airports near Napa Valley, Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa is by far the most convenient.
The airport is 40 minutes from Calistoga at the northern end of Napa Valley, and about an hour from downtown Napa. It's also located in the heart of the Sonoma Valley wine country, so you can visit some of the wineries there, too!
The airport is served by American, United, and our favorite, Alaska Airlines. Alaska has a daily nonstop flight from our hometown of San Diego that's incredibly easy.
The airport itself is very small, so it takes less time to get in and out. Rental cars are on site and you can be in your car and on your way in minutes.
It’s named after Peanuts creator, Charles M. Schulz. There are fun reminders everywhere, like this one.
Other nearby airports include Oakland International Airport and Sacramento International Airport. Both are served by Southwest Airlines and are just over an hour's drive from downtown Napa.
Compared to Sonoma County Airport, you'll spend a lot more time getting your rental car when you arrive, and then returning your car and navigating through the terminal on your way back.
Where to Stay
You can drive from one end of the valley to the other in about an hour, so there's not a lot of advantage to staying near any particular wineries.
We prefer to stay in the town of Napa, which is located at the southern end of Napa Valley. It offers plenty of local flavor without being too touristy, and has a lot of tasting rooms.
There are also a number of terrific restaurants you can walk to in downtown Napa. This allows you to enjoy a bottle of wine or a drink with your meal without having to worry about driving after a day of wine tasting.
We often rent one of the condos at Villa Murialdo.
The location is perfect, just blocks from restaurants, shops, and parks. It's nice having a kitchen so you can prepare a meal or two. The condos are nicely appointed and the rates are often better than nearby hotels.
Keith Stansberry, the condos' manager, knows the valley extremely well and can make a lot of great suggestions. We first met him when he managed the old Silos Jazz Club and he introduced us to Black Chicken Zinfandel.
Image courtesy of Villa Murialdo.
If you prefer to stay in a hotel, our pick is the Napa River Inn, across the street from Villa Murialdo.
The rooms are very well appointed and many have a balcony, a fireplace, or both. We enjoy staying in one of the Plaza Building rooms with a balcony that overlooks the Napa River. The balcony is a great place to enjoy your morning coffee as the sun comes up over the valley, or sip a glass of wine in the evening.
Sara Brooks, the hotel's general manager, runs a great operation. She and her staff are always friendly and hospitable.
Your stay includes a continental breakfast from Sweetie Pies, a small bakery that is popular with local residents in the morning. The breakfast can be delivered to your room, but we prefer to go to the bakery. We often chat with locals who are a great source of insider information!
Frequent travelers with Marriott Bonvoy points to burn will enjoy the Westin Verasa. It's just down the street from the Oxbow Public Market and is an easy walk to downtown town shops, restaurants, and tasting rooms. Many rooms come with kitchenettes, which can come in handy if you don't want to eat out for every meal.
Don't miss: a trip to the Napa Valley Welcome Center, located across the street from the Napa River Inn. You can pick up coupons for free tastings and get a free copy of the Preiser Key to Napa Valley.
The Preiser Key is an essential guide to keep in your car because it has touring maps and information on most wineries. It often comes in handy when you want to make a last-minute change to your itinerary.
Driving
Some people get nervous about driving when they go wine tasting and opt to hire an expensive car service.
Not us. We always drive.
Our goal is to taste wine, not drink too much. We usually share tastings if we plan to visit multiple wineries and we don't drink every drop our hosts pour for us.
It's actually a sign of sophistication when you dump your wine. (See our section on tasting tips.)
Local tip: There are two main ways to get up and down the valley. The most popular is Highway 29 on the west side. Traffic can get pretty heavy, especially in the afternoons, so we usually take the Silverado Trail on the east side of the valley. It's a much more pleasant drive with far less traffic.
Map of Napa Valley wine region, courtesy of Wine Folly.
Wineries
The sheer number of wineries in Napa Valley can be overwhelming, so here are a few simple suggestions along with some of our favorites.
Pick a few wineries based on wines you know and like.
Ask friends and family for some suggestions.
Ask locals for some of their favorites.
Time Saver: Plan each day in advance, since many wineries require reservations. Pick wineries near each other to cut down on driving.
There are three general types of wineries in Napa Valley.
The first is the tour bus tourist trap. Wineries like Mondavi, V. Sattui, and Castello di Amorosa all fit this description. People who don't know any better will tell you to go to these places.
We won't.
The crowds are too big and it's usually difficult to get personalized attention when you're tasting. Hosts tend to be a lot less knowledgeable, and more than once we’ve been lied to by someone trying to make a quick sale.
The second is the high-end experience. These wineries can be a lot of fun, but they are also very expensive. We usually do just one of these per visit.
Try the single vineyard tasting experience at Nickel & Nickel to discover how soil plays a major role in the taste of wine ($80 per person).
What if Willy Wonka had a winery instead of a chocolate factory? That would be Jarvis, where you can tour the winery's extraordinary operation that's entirely in caves ($100 per person).
The third is the appointment-only winery. More than anything, the appointments are designed to limit crowds. You can often get an appointment just by calling from the parking lot.
One of the best features of these wineries is a more personalized tasting experience. Tasting fees are often waived with purchase.
There are too many awesome wineries to list them all, but if you made us pick a few, here are some of our favorites where we consistently buy wine:
Cuvaison (Carneros). Our favorite winery.
William Hill (Atlas Peak). Consistently great Bordeaux varietals.
Quixote (Napa). Please keep this small, awesome winery a secret!
Rutherford Hill (Rutherford). Lots of special Bordeaux varietals.
St. Supery (Rutherford). Excellent across the board.
Benessere (St. Helena). Amazing Italian varietals and damn good prices.
Rombauer (St. Helena). Famously buttery Chardonnay.
Louis M. Martini (St. Helena). Outstanding Cab and Zinfandel.
Keenan (Spring Mountain). Great example of mountain fruit.
Storybook Mountain (Calistoga). Incredible mountain Zinfandel and Cab.
Pro tip: We book no more than two appointments per day, and leave room for a third winery just in case. Visiting fewer wineries allows you to take your time and really enjoy the wine.
Tasting Tips
We regularly get special treatment at wineries. This includes extra pours, off-menu tastings, and waived tasting fees.
How do we do it?
By following a few simple tips. Keep in mind that wine tasting is meant to be fun, but it's also a sales pitch. The winery wants you to buy wine!
Rather than treating a winery like a fancy bar, think of it more like a wine-education center that’s set in a relaxing environment.
Tip #1: Ask questions. Don't be afraid to show your lack of wine knowledge. Most winery hosts enjoy answering questions and educating visitors. We’ve learned a lot this way.
Tip #2: Take notes. Many wineries will provide you with a pen and a tasting sheet to write on. It's a good way to remember what you've tasted, and what you like or don't like about each wine. It's also a signal that you're a sophisticated buyer.
Tip #3: Dump wine. There are dump buckets at wineries for a reason. It is not an insult to dump your wine. Hosts see this as a sign that you're serious about tasting and exploring wine, and not just there to gulp down whatever they put in front of you.
Finally, if you are a gracious guest, many wineries will waive the tasting fees if you buy a couple of bottles.
Insider Info: We asked a group of winery hosts to share their best tips for wine tasters. We wanted to know what prompted them to give guests special treatment. Here are their suggestions.
Where to Eat
You can spend a small fortune at the famous French Laundry, but we prefer to go a bit more casual.
Breakfast
There are a few great options for breakfast in downtown Napa. We often keep it light, and use getting breakfast as an excuse to go for a morning walk. You'll appreciate it later after a long day of wine tasting!
Get delicious pastries and breakfast sandwiches at Sweetie Pies in the Napa River Inn complex. If you're staying at the Napa River Inn, don't forget breakfast pastries from Sweetie Pies come with your room.
Alexis Baking Company is a terrific cafe that's popular with locals. You can get a full breakfast or opt for a delicious croissant, scone, or other pastry.
Truth be told, we often go to the Starbucks on First & Main in downtown Napa. We haven't yet found coffee at a local shop that's better than ol' reliable.
Lunch
Wine tasting can bring you all over the valley, so it's good to have some options in each town. The selections below are arranged from South to North.
Carneros: You can get brunch all day at the Boon Fly Cafe. It's just down the street from our favorite winery, Cuvaison, so we're often there.
Napa: Grab a sandwich at the Soda Canyon Store. You can dine at one of the outside tables or take it with you for a picnic. Get delicious (and cheap!) tacos at the La Tapatia Market. Finally, the Oxbow Public Market in Napa has a lot of terrific options. Our favorite is Gotts, which serves some pretty tasty burgers.
Yountville: The little French restaurant, Bistro Jeanty, is amazing. Just be sure to bring your appetite! You'll find a tasty and diverse menu, from steaks to sushi, and R&D Kitchen. Place your order for a salad, burger, or pasta at Brix, and then stroll the beautiful garden while you wait for your food to arrive.
Oakville: We enjoy the Oakville Grocery in Oakville because it offers amazing gourmet sandwiches and have picnic tables in a garden area overlooking a vineyard.
Rutherford: The Rutherford Grill is a classic stop for hearty American fare. Get there early, as tables fill quickly at lunch.
St. Helena: Stroll the grounds and then settle in for a farm-to-table dining experience at Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch. Stop in at Villa Corona if you're craving Mexican food. There's great people watching from the outside seats.
Calistoga: Our go-to lunch stop is Palisades Eatery for great salads and sandwiches.
Dinner
There's an endless list of great restaurants in Napa Valley. We generally like to stay in town so we can walk.
You'll find a delicious, eclectic menu at Grace's Table. The glazed pork belly appetizer is amazing!
Get simple and delicious barbecue at Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin BBQ. This place can get crowded and you may end up sharing a table with another party, so don't be shy!
Our go-to place for Italian food is Ristorante Allegria. It’s in an old bank building, so there’s a fun layout and it also has a nice patio.
You can get great pizza and pasta at Azzurro Pizzeria, or check out the pub grub at Azzurro's sister restaurant, the Norman Rose Tavern.
If you're in the mood for French cuisine, try Angele. The dishes are expertly prepared and it has a patio overlooking the Napa river.
Finally, we're fans of the Napa Valley Bistro. The Berkshire Pork Chop is always a favorite!
Pro-tip: bring your own wine. Many restaurants offer an inexpensive corkage fee or charge no fee at all. This is a great way to save a few dollars on restaurant wine prices and enjoy one of your new acquisitions at dinner!
Hiking
All that wine tasting and great food can quickly leave you feeling sluggish.
That's why we try to make time for some hiking while we're in Napa. There are a lot of easy trails that provide great views and interesting scenery.
Here are some of our favorites in the town of Napa:
You can get amazing views of Napa at Westwood Hills Park after a short hike up a steep hill.
Did you bring your dog? Napa's Alston Park offers great off-leash hiking trails that are surrounded by vineyards.
Skyline Wilderness Park offers miles of trails with some great views of the valley.
One Last Tip
Some people try to do too much when they visit Napa.
We once visited eight wineries in one day. It felt like we were rushing to get it all in and do as much as possible. The experience wasn't very fun.
A visit to Napa should be leisurely. Take your time and enjoy it.
Go to a few wineries. Enjoy a picnic lunch outdoors. Take a stroll in nature. Treat yourself to a nice bottle of wine at dinner.
Once we learned to slow our pace, we had much more fun.