can anyone recommend a good route from Reno to Napa Valley?

Question

we're visiting in Dec & want the shortest route to wineries &
my husband does'nt like high mountain roads. is it feasable?

Answer 1

The only "high mountain road" you need to encounter is I80 over the Donner summit. Take I80 towards SanFrancisco. About 30 miles past Sacramento, you will *pass* Fairfield. Another 5-10 miles you will *pass* the 680 cutoff to Benicia. Very shortly past that you will exit on Highway 12 west, which is the Jameson Canyon Road. Drive about 5 miles, then turn north on Highway 29, which runs right up the valley. See the map:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?searchtype=address&formtype=address&latlongtype=decimal&latitude=38.23&longitude=-122.16&zoom=6
The road soon splits into 29, which runs through the west side of the city and 121(Napa Valley Highway) which runs through the east side of the city. You will want to have a plan before you decide which way to go at the split. There are many napa valley winery sites like:
http://www.napavalley.com/wineries/
(this one also has a fairly nice, printable map of the wineries on the left side of the page under "Additional Resources".)

Have a happy vacation and be aware that the Highway Patrol may watch your driving skills as you leave the wineries ;-)

Answer 2

From Reno, take I -80 west all the way to Fairfield. then take Hwy 12 WEST. whatever you do, do not take highway 12 at the budweiser plant, or you will end up in Lodi. Follow Hwy 12 for about 6 miles then catch Hwy 29 north and you are in Napa. If the weather is good, and it isn't like a sunday afternoon or anything, should take no more than 3 - 3 1/2 hours. If is a big skiing weekend, it could take anywhere from 4 - 8 hours with bad weather and traffic.

Your husband will have to deal with one high mountain road from Reno through to sacramento. It is unfortunately the only way over the sierras this far north. Once you hit Auburn it is pretty clean sailing.

also, be sure that you bring chains for your tires. If the weather is bad, the CHP can make you stop and get off the road.

Answer 3

Hwy. 80 west is the most direct route from Reno. Then take either Hwy 37 to Hwy. 121 or get off 80 early on Hwy. 12. Look at a good map and you may find a better route, but this is the way I go.