Napa Valley Travel: The Wine Experience

"We went to Napa for a week. What great wine!" Now there's a statement that doesn't tell you much. There are so many different areas that people think of when they say "Napa." In fact the overall area is California's major wine region. The number of varietals made possible by the microclimates is higher than just about any other area.

Actually The Napa Valley is traversed by route 29 north out of San Francisco. The town of Napa is at the south end of the valley, a little over an hour out of SF. From there, you can continue northward through Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena, and Calistoga.

If wine is tops on your activities list, you can see four or more wineries or vineyards each day . . . and not just wineries, wineries! Some of the most famous vineyards are right here on this short stretch of road.

In the city of Napa is Copia where, if you're pressed for time, you can hone in on wine tasting, selecting and serving along with food matching and cooking . . . but do it right. Unless you live nearby and can make repeat visits, plan a few days and really enjoy yourself.

As you drive route 29, be patient. Tourism is a big part of Napa and many times it's bumper to bumper. Hang in because the wines are worth the wait.

Make time to visit as much of the area as possible . . . you may OD on the beauty that's a mix of mountains, hills and floodplains and morning skies dotted with colorful hot air balloons. That's OK - it just means you'll need another fix sometime down the road. Napa always calls you back. You may want to consider going in the off season - check it out.

Dining: It's hard to find a bad restaurant anywhere in the region. Prices are what you'd expect but the tastes - matched with "local" wines are fantastic. We have to admit, though, that one of the best meals we had was picnicking outside a winery . . . sunny day, noontime, great wine, laughter, all looking out on the valley. How do they say it? "It doesn't get better than this!"

As you continue north, you will arrive at St. Helena. St. Helena is more upscale than its neighboring towns with plenty of shops and restaurants. Along with terrific restaurants, wine, and shopping, there are fantastic B&B's and rentals available.

At the very north end of your travels, you'll come to Calistoga, home of wine, great food and mud baths in spas fed from mineral water that mixes with the volcanic mud. Calistoga's actually at the base of Mt. St Helena.

Make this your destination for a final bit of relaxation after seeing the rest of Napa. Do yourself a favor . . . allow an extra day or two before you have to be home. That way, as you're relaxing in the blue-black warmth, the decision to stay another day is easy!

The Wine Experience^sm is your gateway to wine country travel throughout the world. Whether it's a visit to Champagne, a getaway weekend in Sonoma, barging in Burgundy, wearing out your shoes walking the hill towns of Tuscany, or four-wheeling in Australia, the world of wine offers just about any travel experience you're looking for.

Destination of the Week

Napa