Things to do in Napa Valley, CA

It's no secret that Napa is the center of wine production in the United States. With plenty of daytime sunshine and cool nights, it's the perfect terroir for growing perfectly quaffable wines. With over six-hundred wineries and vineyards in Napa Valley (and that doesn't even include any in neighboring Sonoma!) they run the spectrum from small and family-owned (like Neyers Winery) to massive (think Mondavi). Unlike some of the older wine-making regions in France and Italy, Napa has nearly every kind of varietal, making it the perfect place to taste and learn.

The same climate that allows Napa to grow excellent grapes makes it possible for the region to grow nearly anything, all year round. This good fortune has drawn many notable chefs to the valley (along with the Culinary Institute of America) to make it one of the best places in the world to eat, period. Two restaurants, Thomas Keller's The French Laundry and the restaurant at Meadowood have both been awarded three Michelin stars, while eight other restaurants in Napa have one star. Whether you prefer to call it 'farm to table,' or 'field to fork,' the great ingredients mean that even the simplest food is top notch.

Rolling hills...  

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It's no secret that Napa is the center of wine production in the United States. With plenty of daytime sunshine and cool nights, it's the perfect terroir for growing perfectly quaffable wines. With over six-hundred wineries and vineyards in Napa Valley (and that doesn't even include any in neighboring Sonoma!) they run the spectrum from small and family-owned (like Neyers Winery) to massive (think Mondavi). Unlike some of the older wine-making regions in France and Italy, Napa has nearly every kind of varietal, making it the perfect place to taste and learn.

The same climate that allows Napa to grow excellent grapes makes it possible for the region to grow nearly anything, all year round. This good fortune has drawn many notable chefs to the valley (along with the Culinary Institute of America) to make it one of the best places in the world to eat, period. Two restaurants, Thomas Keller's The French Laundry and the restaurant at Meadowood have both been awarded three Michelin stars, while eight other restaurants in Napa have one star. Whether you prefer to call it 'farm to table,' or 'field to fork,' the great ingredients mean that even the simplest food is top notch.

Rolling hills and acres of picturesque vineyards make Napa Valley a destination for outdoor enthusiasts. It's common to see cyclists clad in bright spandex zipping through the serene stretches of green, and less intense peddlers ambling their way from one winery to the next. Surrounded by the Mayacama Mountains to the west and north and the Vaca mountains to the south, there's no shortage of hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding trails that afford great views of the Valley. For the more adventurous, hot air balloons regularly take to the skies. 

The combination of Napa's Mediterranean climate, the easy-going pace of wine tasting days and decadent, leisurely meals and many, many outdoor fire places already makes it the perfect place to get away from the bustle of the city. Add in quietly luxurious hotels with Frette-sheeted beds and award-winning spas featuring wine-inspired treatments and mud body masque bars and it's the perfect place to turn off the phone, forget about the internet and simply unwind for a few days. 

Drawn to the area by the beautiful scenery and peace and quiet, Napa Valley is home to numerous artists, many of whom draw inspiration from the landscape and light. Local galleries (there seem to be more and more of them popping up all the time), wineries and vineyards in each one of Napa's towns feature the paintings, sculpture and handcrafted furniture of these neighboring artists and artisans as well as others. Additionally, the former di Rosa estate, now turned museum, has arguably the world's most important collection of Northern Californian artists throughout the twentieth century. 

The story of the Wine Country can be traced to the mid-19th century, when the grandfather of California viticulture, Hungarian-born Agoston Haraszathy de Mokcsa, concluded that his 500-plus-acre Buena Vista estate in modern Sonoma County could produce winemaking grapes to rival those of Europe. Indeed, in addition to a Mediterranean climate of moderate temperatures and ample year-round rainfall, this part of Northern California boasts a landscape where two verdant valleys are cleft by rolling mountains. The result is an environment not unlike that of Tuscany – and one that yields excellent pinot noir, chardonnay, merlot, and sauvignon blanc, not to mention terrific olives. Napa Valley, to the east, offers 200-plus commercial vineyards, most of which were founded after 1975. It extends from the San Pablo Bay's fertile Carneros region northward to Calistoga; its inviting hamlets and villages offer fine dining, shopping, and sightseeing opportunities.

The story of the Wine Country can be traced to the mid-19th century, when the grandfather of California viticulture, Hungarian-born Agoston Haraszathy de Mokcsa, concluded that his 500-plus-acre Buena Vista estate in modern Sonoma County could produce winemaking grapes to rival those of Europe. Indeed, in addition to a Mediterranean climate of moderate temperatures and ample year-round rainfall, this part of Northern California boasts a landscape where two verdant valleys are cleft by rolling mountains. The result is an environment not unlike that of Tuscany – and one that yields excellent pinot noir, chardonnay, merlot, and sauvignon blanc, not to mention terrific olives. Napa Valley, to the east, offers 200-plus commercial vineyards, most of which were founded after 1975. It extends from the San Pablo Bay's fertile Carneros region northward to Calistoga; its inviting hamlets and villages offer fine dining, shopping, and sightseeing opportunities.