Travel Guide: Napa
Napa gets a lot of attention, but in my opinion it isn't all that well understood. Yes, Napa is a town, but it is also a region/valley that has lots of small towns (Sonoma, Calistoga, Yountville, St. Helena, Rutherford... to name a few) and lots of wineries. If you don't like wine, or vineyards and aren't a big foodie, this probably isn't going to be your dream destination. That may seem obvious, but the wineries and the food really are the main draws. Each town has its own vibe, so don't discount the area altogether if your first stop doesn't blow you away.
{Get There}
To get there, and to do the area justice, you really do need a car, though there are day tours that leave from San Francisco and the surrounding areas if you don't want to bother with driving yourself. If you do plan on doing some wine tastings, and no one in your group wants to play driver there are plenty of companies that offer car/driver services in the area.
The area is well known for its spas and resorts, but with only one night in the area we wanted something pretty central. M also really loves the Andaz brand so we spent one night at the Andaz in downtown Napa. To be honest I didn't think the property or the rooms had the wow factor that other hotels in this chain typically have, but our room and the service was good. On a return trip I'd love to check out the Carneros Inn and Auberge du Soleil.
{See & Do}
Wineries are the big draw here. There is a wine train that you can take that stops at quite a few. Some are open without reservation, some you need reservations for tasting and tours etc. My best recommendation if you're doing it on your own and not taking a tour would be to pick out a couple that you really want to visit, either you love the wine already, or you're curious to try it and do a bit of research to see what the situation is at each.
We did one tasting at Domaine Carneros, which was recently acquired by Tattinger and we both really enjoyed the wines and the property.
{Eat & Drink}
The food options in the area are seemingly endless, but we ate at the Fremont Diner on our drive into town, highly recommended both for the atmosphere and the great comfort food and Celadon in downtown Napa which I wouldn't return to. The setting was great, in an indoor/outdoor renovated industrial space along the river, but neither of us really enjoyed the food and the service was quite brusque. I've tried the Girl and the Fig in the past and it sticks out as a place to return to. Also, if you're really into food, the famed French Laundry is in Yountville.
Check out Oxbow Public Market in Napa for some casual dining options as well as some local food shops. I really loved Ritual Coffee Roasters and have heard that Gotts Roadside is fantastic.
