Napa Valley Wine Country Things to do & Attractions

Experience Napa Valley Wine Country & Top Attractions

Ready to embark on a truly unique Napa Valley experience? You came to the right place!

Napa Valley is truly an unbelievable Mediterranean oasis in the middle of Northern California’s gorgeous rolling hills. Nestled inside of what many refer to as the “wine country,” Napa is world-renowned for the incredible grapes and wine it produces. Visitors to the town will be astounded by both the incredible beauty of the area as well as the amazing amount that wine has infiltrated the culture here. It seems that everywhere you turn there is either an entrance to a majestic vineyard, rolling hills of vines, a quaint wine shop, or a sophisticated restaurant offering an extensive menu of fine wines for you to enjoy. A getaway to Napa will truly let you escape from your hectic everyday life, letting you live, if only for a moment, the Edenic, blissful life of Napa Valley.

Napa Valley is one of the world’s premier destinations for wine aficionados and for the foodies. It is also America’s premier vacation destination for fine cuisine, elegant shopping and lavish resorts.

Napa Valley is a delight for the senses -from world-famous wines and incredible cuisine to mist-covered mountains and sun-drenched vines, Napa Valley offers a rare sensory experience.

Whether you’re a first-time visitor to Napa Valley or repeat guest, you will experience the ultimate Napa Valley wine country in sophistication, style and comfort. Everyone loves an intense Cabernet, elegant champagne, or a crisp Chardonnay.

With all these choices of world-class wines, your day trip — or overnight stay — to Napa Valley promises to be full of flavour. Enjoy unforgettable wine tastings, stunning views, and behind-the-scenes custom tours of castle wineries, small familied owned wineries located off the beaten path and caves – You can learn how the wines are made and enjoy lovely vistas fine dining, shopping, and sightseeing in sunny Napa Valley at the same time!

For a distinctive culinary experience, you may also treat yourself to lunch or dinner at Napa’s most celebrated and famous restaurants, some with fantastic views over Napa Valley vineyards and rolling hills, or you may choose to have a picnic lunch at a winery of your choice.

If you’re a first-time visitor, you may be able to stomp during the grape harvest with your own feet. For those returning to Wine Country and looking for something new, check out more recommendation below. 

Ready to embark on a truly unique Napa Valley wine tasting experience? Picture your perfect Napa private day custom tour and let us make that wish would come true.

Brief history: In the middle of the 19th century, pioneer George Yount moved to the Napa Valley and planted the very first crop of wine grapes ever in the region. During his lifetime, the wine industry did not take off, but after he gave his business to his son-in-law, Yount’s original intention finally came to fruition. 

Grape-growing soon flourished in the fertile Napa Valley, attracting many more affluent growers from around the country and world who were seeking out the Next Big Thing in American agriculture. Charles Krug began Napa Valley’s first actual winery, distilling and creating the first signature wines of the Napa Valley and in the process transforming the valley from what was just an agricultural area into the prosperous distilling and bottling region we know and love today. Interestingly, you can still visit the historic Krug family winery today, bottling many kinds of fine wines such as Cabernet, Chardonnay, Pinor Noir, and Merlot. At the turn of the 20th century, Napa had begun its rise to becoming the formidable and prosperous viticultural region to which visitors now flock from all over the world.

Top Napa Valley destinations for food lovers

Napa Valley culinary guide for the foodies

If you are looking for wine and food paring in Napa Valley, consider visiting  one of these wineries: Mondavi winery, Castello  di Amorosa , Artesa Vineyards & Winery,Chateau Lane Winery,B Cellars,Pine Ridge Vineyards, Round Pond Estate, Del Dotto Vineyards, Knights Bridge Winery, St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery , Joseph Phelps Vineyards,Robert Sinskey Vineyards,  Signorello Estate(but it was bruneddown  by Nap fires)

Where to  casually eat and drink in Napa Valley ? Here are the top causal places in Napa for the foodies: 
Oxbow Public Market: Oxbow Public Market, located in the Oxbow District of Napa, has become the local gathering place for great food and wine in downtown Napa and throughout the Napa Valley. The 40,000 square foot marketplace, which includes a scenic outdoor deck with seating along the Napa River, features a diverse tenant mixture of local food vendors, artisan cafes and an organic produce outlet for local farms. Oxbow Public Market and its artisans and purveyors passionately support the concept of sustainable agriculture and local harvest—promoting a healthy environment, and social and economic equity within our community.

The Market is located at 610 and 644 First Street in Napa, perfectly situated along the Napa River and Napa River Trail, adjacent to the Oxbow Preserve and Oxbow Commons. The Market is open seven days a week, and only closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Most tenants of Oxbow Public Market are open until 9:00pm seven days a week with later hours on Friday evenings.
The Culinary Institute of America(CIA): The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) is the ultimate destination for the foodies and wine lovers. Exploring, experiencing, and enjoying the world of food, wine, art, and community in a relaxing and laid-back atmosphere.

The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) is an American private college and culinary school specializing in culinary, baking, and pastry arts education. The school’s primary campus is located in Hyde Park, New York, with branch campuses in St. Helena and Napa, California, San Antonio, Texas, and Singapore.

Built in the late 19th century and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, our impressive Greystone facility in St. Helena was once home to the Christian Brothers Winery. Here, you can:

Welcome CIA foodies! Explore cooking, baking, and wine classes for food enthusiasts, as well as recipes from the Culinary Institute of America!

The CIA in St Helena or at Copia,  is a culinary adventure for food lovers  Napa Valley. Take a class and learn how to cook, dine in the historic  restaurant, explore shop, taste wine, olive oil and chocolate, or delight in the beauty of the place at your pace.

Visit the historic Barrel Room and marvel over our amazing collection of 1,000+ corkscrews. 

The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. 2555 Main Street St. Helena, CA 94574. (707) 967-2307.

V. Sattui Winery  artisan deli , marketplace and picnic grounds:  In addition to making great wine, V. Sattui Winery also makes great food to enjoy with wine. Their Artisan Deli has everything you need to create the perfect outdoors picnic lunch. Next to the ole win tasting rooms , the marketplace offers  fresh snacks,  sandwiches, panini, fresh salads, pastas, and other specialty items are made fresh in their  own kitchen every day. 

They  make their own charcuterie in their  salumeria which pairs with any of our 200 different cheeses, and fresh fruits.  Be sure to try our house-made desserts such as Tiramisu, Crème Brûlée, seasonal Fruit Tarts, and our own Italian-style Gelato and Sorbetto.

Oakville Grocery and market: Oakville Grocery and market is the perfect quick stop  for the foodies and  wine lovers. Oakville Grocery  is California’s longest continually operating grocery store, joined JCB  Collection in January 2019. With locations in Oakville in Napa Valley and Healdsburg in Sonoma County, the shops offer a selection of fresh, local, organic, and biodynamic food and wine products — both to enjoy onsite as well as take home. The Napa Valley location, which has been a gathering place for nearly 140 years, features an outdoor pizza oven as a centerpiece of the outdoor area, while the Healdsburg location has an expansive patio – one of very few on the Healdsburg Plaza.

Oakville Grocery has been a wine country institution since 1881. Our flagship location is nestled amongst a landscape of wildflowers and grapevines, rolling hills, and some of the most revered wineries and restaurants in the country, in the heart of Napa Valley. This idyllic locale is now a vibrant gathering place for locals and visitors, wine drinkers and vintners, hungry neighbors, and culinary connoisseurs.

Oakville Location – 7856 St Helena Hwy, Oakville, CA 94562

Open Daily – 7:00 am to 5:00 pm

Healdsburg Location – 124 W Matheson St, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Open Daily – 7:00 am to 5:00 pm

Restaurant amenities: Family Friendly, outdoor patio and dining, picnic suppliesa, cuisine(Deli, sandwich shop, fast casual, shopping, gourmet food ) and wine tasting available in the same area. Napa Valley Genova Delicatessen:  Genova Delicatessen is a traditional Italian marketplace located at 1550 Trancas St, Napa, CA 94558. They make fresh Italian snack, food, salami sandwiches, packaged pastas  and  other gourmet Italian goods offered in a classic market.

They specialize in old-world recipes handed down through the family & using the very best ingredients to create all of our products. Offering meat, cheese and turkey ravioli, fresh pasta, gnocchi, tortellini, and companion sauces of meat, marinara, pesto, mushroom, alfredo and our very special Nonni Gravy, a sauce of crushed tomatoes, porcini mushrooms and sausage. Our products are available fresh or fresh frozen.

La Luna Market & Taqueria:  La Luna Market and  Taqueria and restaurants is located in Rutherford in Napa Valley  offering traditional Mexican Market food style.  They offer  breakfast, lunch,  and dinner. They have some outdoor seating in this nearly perfect weather. They also sell all sorts of cool Mexican products such as mesh bags, clay pots, steamers, molcajetes for fresh salsa, tortilla presses, and more!
Napa Popular Restaurants : If you are looking for a fine dining experience in one of Napa Valley popular restaurants, you may choose of these  restaurants:

Cordeiro’s Steakhouse,  Brasswood Bar + Kitchen,  Bistro Don Giovanni,  Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse, Mustards Grill, Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch,  Hog Island Oyster Co. Alexis Baking Company, Rutherford Grill, Grace’s Table, Oxbow Cheese & Wine Merchant, Ciccio, Solbar – Solage Calistoga, Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin’ BBQ, Cole’s Chop House, The Restaurant at Auberge du Soleil, PRESS Restaurant, Bistro Jeanty, Carpe Diem Wine Bar, Celadon, Boon Fly Café, Zuzu and  Archetype

Napa Valley top Michelin-rated restaurants :

The French Laundry, The Restaurant at Meadowood Napa Valley, La Toque, The Restaurant at Auberge, Angèle Restaurant & Bar,  Bistro Jeanty, Bottega Napa Valley, Brix Restaurant and Gardens, Ca’ Momi Osteria, Charlie Palmer Steak House, Ciccio, Compline Wine Bar & Restaurant, Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch, Gran Electrica, Harvest Table,

Kenzo Napa, Oenotri, Sam’s Social Club, Solbar at Solage Calistoga, Ad Hoc, Bouchon Bistro, Cook St. Helena, Evangeline, Mustards Grill, Grace’s Table ,Rutherford, Grill, The Charter Oak,  ZuZu, Goose & Gander, Mustards Grill, Grace’s Table ,Rutherford, Grill, The Charter Oak,  ZuZu, Goose & Gander

Here is the map of Valley  Wine Country Top Wineries

Top Napa Valley distilleries and breweries

Napa Valley  has more to offer than just wine, you can also experience the best in artisan brewing and  craft spirits in Napa Valley. Here are the top  Napa Valley distilleries and breweries offering beer tastings and guided tours: 

  • Calistoga Inn Restaurant & Brewery
  • Napa Valley Distillery
  • Napa Valley Distillery at the Oxbow Public Market
  • Stone Brewing Napa
  • Downtown Joe’s Restaurant
  • Fieldwork Brewing Company
  • Junction Brewery & Grill
  • Lincoln Avenue Brewery
  • ST. HELENA Mad Fritz Tap Room
  • Napa Palisades Saloon
  • Napa Smith Brewery
  • St. Clair Brown Winery
  • Tannery Bend Beerworks
  • Napa Trade Brewing

Napa Valley Top Attractions besides wine tasting

What travelers and visitors can do in Napa Valley besides wine tasting?

Among the  top things to do and see in Napa Valley  for “non-alcoholic “visitors can include:

  • Soak in one of  Calistoga’s spa and geothermal hot springs ore take a mud path. Calistoga offers a relaxing getaway in an alluring California wine country destination to relax and rejuvenate. 
  • Take a hot-air balloon ride over Napa Valley wineries and vineyards 
  • Visit Calistoga Old Faithful Geyser or the Preferred Forest 
  • Experience  Napa Valley wine train ride and dining 
  • Enjoy golfing in Napa Valley 
  • Ride a bike through the vines and vineyards  
  • Take a cooking class at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. 2555 Main Street St. Helena, CA
  • Visit Safari West near Calistoga – is a 400-acre private wildlife preserve  
  • Enjoy olive oil and chocolate tasting 
  • Go Shopping at Napa Valley outlet
  • Take a tour to admin Napa fine architecture, arts and tours wineries 
  • Enjoy other outdoors activities such as hiking, biking, golfing , swimming, shopping, 
  • Visit the Jelly Belly Candy Company which  offers its famous Jelly Belly jelly beans in over 100 flavors and an ever-changing array of new flavors and special collections.
  • Visit Napa Valley during the harvest season to celebrate wine and  grapes
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