My boyfriend and I are taking a weeklong trip to California. We'll be visiting his parents and heading out to Yosemite for a camping trip for a few days. We wanted to spend a day in Napa. Any suggestions as to what wineries we shouldn't miss and where to have lunch and/or dinner? Nicer, expensive restaurants are ok too, but not required. Preferably I'd like good food for a decent (not necessarily cheap) price. Last time we were in Napa we went to one winery and had dinner at Tra Vigne. Great restaurant... but this time, I want to spend a whole day there! Any activities and other ideas on what to do are most certainly welcome!
2007-05-08 20:04:05 · 5 answers · asked by Cochy 6 in Travel ➔ United States ➔ San Francisco
I personally would not do the wine train. i think it is a waste of money for what you get. You only get to taste the wine they have, which is usually only OK. But if you want a nice scenic ride it is OK.
couple restaurant spots for you:
Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen in St. Helena. Kind of california/french cuisine. Owned by same lady who does Mustards Grill. Excellent steak and champagne cocktails.
Bistro Don Giovanni in Napa. Italian, tuscan fare. Great grilled meats and wonderful patio dining.
Uva's Trattoria in Napa. Rustic Italian cooking, great prices and have live music most nights, usually jazz.
Wineries Sterling Vineyards has a great tram ride up in Calistoga with a view south of the entire valley.
Niebaum Coppola (maybe Rubicon Estate now), owned by Francis Ford Coppola. Kind of pricey for tour and tasting. But they have a lot of his movie memorabilia.
Mumm and Domaine Carneros do excellent tours for sparkling wine producers.
Schramsberg in Calistoga, who in my opinion does the best sparkling, does a fantastic cave tour, however, it is expensive and requires reservation.
If you just want wine tasting, and don't care about a tour or anything in Napa try Luna Vineyards or Silverado.
I don't care for the wines at Robert Mondavi or Beringer, but their tours are awesome.
I would recommend doing two, to three wineries tops. Most people really start feeling the effects of the wine at that point. Unless you don't swallow and spit the wine out. Which is perfectly OK.
2007-05-09 16:30:07 · answer #1 · answered by Lisa H 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I like Artesa and the Carneros Valley wineries. Close to Yountville too, or you can head into Sonoma instead and try the girl and the fig for dinner.
Much less congested than the St. Helena corridor.
2007-05-09 08:47:43 · answer #2 · answered by cathoratio 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there's a tiny city observed as Port Costa, merely on the foot of the Carquinez bridge, by the small city of Crockett. it really is about 20 miles from Napa. There, they have a haunted college (its been closed down for years) and there is also a haunted motel...it became once a brothel, so the doors have the girls names on it. next door to it really is the oldest concrete progression ever erected in California - it really is now a bar and interior is an surprisingly huge polar submit to! satisfied Birthday!
2016-11-26 21:04:19 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was just there this past week (both yosemite and napa). I have heard mixed reviews about the wine train. But you can take it (i believe around $100/person for an eloquent dinner....suits/jackets for men well dressed for women). But another expensive restraunt, with world class 4 star meals is DOMAINE CHANDON in Yountville. We just did wine tasting and a tour there. (oh and they have beautiful gardens!)
2007-05-09 07:45:24 · answer #4 · answered by jcss_003 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Have a mud bath, mineral bath, blanket wrap, followed by an hour of massage! Some spas have the baths in a 'couples' setting. Soooooo relaxing! The one I went to (twice) was the Calistoga Oasis Spa. Here's a website for you....have fun!
http://www.napavalley.com/thingstodo/spas/featured.html
2007-05-08 22:46:26 · answer #5 · answered by LIHK 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋