More than 60 of the BEST
Things to Do in Napa Valley

Don’t leave Napa without slowing down to experience it by bike! Join a guided bike tour hosted by a knowledgeable local Tour Guide and visit local wineries for tastings. Custom private tour options are also available for both leisure groups and corporate team-building activities.

Learn More: Guided Bike Tours, Private Bike Tours, Corporate Team-Building

If you haven’t already seen the indie movie Bottleshock, definitely make plans to watch it before you visit Napa Valley. The film covers the early days of winemaking in Napa Valley leading up to the famed Judgment of Paris tasting that is largely credited with putting Napa Valley wines on the international stage. No doubt after watching the film, you’ll be inspired to visit some of the wineries that were involved is the historic tasting.

Learn More: Chateau Montelena, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Clos Du Val, Freemark Abbey, Spring Mountain Vineyard, Gustavo Wines

Experience a Napa Valley sunrise in a magical way you’ll never forget. Your experienced and knowledgeable pilot will act as your guide pointing out local points of interest and the valley’s extraordinary beauty. Enchantment, romance and excitement fill every colorful moment of this graceful adventure.

Learn More: Napa Valley Balloons, Napa Valley Aloft, Balloons Above the Valley

It’s hard to find a Napa Valley winery that doesn’t boast a beautiful view. Since the valley is a designated Agricultural Preserve (think “Wilderness Preserve”), the land here is protected from development that would mar its beauty and its foremost purpose (viniculture). So even wineries on the valley floor are surrounded by pristine vistas of vineyards framed by the Mayacamas and Vaca mountain ranges. That said, the view from these hillside wineries do take the breathtaking factor up a notch.

Learn More: Pride Mountain, Silverado Vineyards, Sterling Vineyards, Kuleto Estate, Newton Vineyard, CADE Winery, Artesa Winery

Strap on your flying helmet, climb up the wing and get snug in the open-air cockpit of a vintage biplane for a thrilling, nostalgic and ultra-romantic tour of wine country. Choose to tour the majestic vineyard landscape or opt for a flight south towards San Francisco with views of the Marin Headlands and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Learn More: Vintage Aircraft Co.

The Napa River beckons with more opportunities to get out on the water than ever before. Rent a kayak or stand-up paddle board or sign up for a guided tour that includes all the instruction you need for a day of fun out on the water. Paddle the restored tidal wetlands and experience Downtown Napa from the river!

Learn More: Napa Valley Paddle

Enjoy a car-free bike path spanning 12.5 miles from southern Napa all the way to Yountville. The Vine Trail is a perfect outlet for visitors looking to bike for fitness, enjoying the local scenery or event visiting a couple of wineries. Napa Valley Bike Tours offers instant access to the Vine Trail from their two rental shops located in Napa and Yountville.

Learn More: Ride the Napa Valley Vine Trail

Without a doubt, the crown jewel marking Downtown Napa’s recent renaissance is the Napa Riverfront. The inviting design and the waterfront promenade easily lend themselves for a late afternoon or post-dinner stroll. The beautiful building has attracted an eclectic mix of boutique shops and restaurants just waiting to be explored.

Highlights: Riverhouse by Bespoke Collection, Napa General Store, Helen Lyall

The naturally cool, humid environment of underground caves provides ideal conditions for aging and storing wines. The dimly lit, musty environs also hold an undeniable romance, making a cave tour & tasting high on the “must do” list while in Napa Valley. Keep in mind that cave temperatures vary little throughout the year – averaging 58-65 degrees – so take care to bring a light sweater for any winery experience that will include a tour of the caves.

Learn More: Del Dotto, Pine Ridge, Hall Rutherford, Jarvis, Rutherford Hill, Paoletti Estates

Although Cabernet and Chardonnay and are the predominant varietals in Napa Valley, there are a handful of producers that specialize in wines with a certain sparkle. And if you’re used to reserving bubbles just for special occasions, a visit to these producers will enlighten you more relaxed serving suggestions, in case caviar isn’t among your pantry staples.

Learn More: Domaine Carneros, Domaine Chandon, Mumm, Schramsberg, Frank Family Vineyards

“Custom Crush” is the answer to how to make wine when your pockets aren’t quite deep enough to own your own winery. A custom crush facility is a bonded winery that allows other wine brands to make wine at their facility. A visit to a custom crush tasting room presents the opportunity to taste extremely limited production wines that are often rarely found outside of the Napa Valley. It’s great way to discover – and support – Napa’s burgeoning winemakers.

Learn More: Napa Wine Company, Silenus Vintners, The Wine Foundry, Wheeler Farms Wine

A few weeks after the frenzy of grape harvest, another harvest season begins in Napa Valley: olive harvest. Round Pond offers the only formal olive oil tasting in the Napa Valley; however, numerous olive oil producers have storefronts in the valley where visitors are invited to taste and learn what distinguishes a good quality oil from the mass-marketed impostors. A bottle of locally made olive oil also makes a great gift for any non-wine drinking friends back home, too.

Learn More: Napa Valley Olive Oil Company, Olivier Napa Valley, The Olive Press

Napa Porchfest is an annual music festival held in late-July in Downtown Napa. A sizeable section of Old Town Napa is cordoned off for the event where more than 50 local homeowners’ porches become impromptu stages for more than 100 bands performing rock, bluegrass, jazz, blues, folk, reggae and even classical. More than 2,500 attendees rove the festival on foot, by bike and even motorized Laz-Z-Boy recliners have been spotted in past years. It’s a music festival with homespun charm and tons of fun if you can make it!

Learn More: Napa Porchfest

When you realize the sport of bocce originated with the Greeks and the Romans, it makes sense why it feels so natural to play with a glass of wine in hand. The rules are simple and it’s easy to learn, making it a game beginners can learn to enjoy quickly. Contact wineries ahead; bocce court reservations may be required.

Learn More: Dutch Henry, Bell Wine Cellars, Calmére Estate, Silenus Vintners, Trinchero, Tudal, Summers Estate

Along with its world-class food and wine, Napa Valley is also home to some of the best cycling routes in the world. So it’s no wonder why many so many charitable organizations choose to host fund-raising cycling events centered here. Every year, thousands of cyclists travel to the valley to participate in these events and collectively raise millions for charitable causes. With routes ranging from 20 to 100 miles, there’s a ride suited for participants of all levels.

Learn More: Cycle for Sight, Campo Velo, ADA Tour De Cure, Ride to Defeat ALS

With tasting fees at most Napa Valley wineries trending between $40-60, the days of free tastings may seem like a bygone era. However, there is a handful of wineries that still offers free tastings. It is the wineries’ prerogative to change their tasting fee policies, so double-check with individual wineries before you visit. Also note that some of these wineries require an appointment. Lastly, it may go without saying, but when you are personally hosted at a winery for a complimentary tasting it’s certainly good form to purchase a bottle or two per person.

Learn More: Sutter Home, Buehler Vineyards, Otra Vez

The official wine of summer is so much more than just a pretty drink to match your manicure. Rosé pairs well with backyard barbecues and lazy afternoons at the park. It’s approachable and fun for wine newbies and still a compelling selection for wine aficionados reaching for something refreshing on hot summer afternoon. Here’s a roundup of Napa Valley Rosé producers worth checking out.

Learn More: Peju, Benessere, Elizabeth Spencer, Starmont, Swanson, Goosecross Cellars

No need to worry about ghouls or goblins. The term “Ghost Winery” refers to a small handful of historic winery buildings in Napa Valley that pre-date the Prohibition Era, which reduced the number of wineries operating in California from more than 700 in 1920 to about 40 by the time Prohibition was repealed in 1933.

Learn More: Regusci, Trefethen, Far Niente, Freemark Abbey, HALL St. Helena, Frog’s Leap, Spottswoode, Mayacamas

Go beyond the tasting room and play winemaker for a day. A blending experience is great way to deepen your understanding of the characteristics of unique varietals and how they play off one another to create a harmonious blend. And at Conn Creek Winery, you can taste Cabernets from each of Napa’s unique AVAs and create your own 100% Cab blend.

Learn More: Raymond Vineyards, Judd’s Hill, Conn Creek, Franciscan, Joseph Phelps

When Magrit Mondavi first saw the lawn at Robert Mondavi Winery, she turned to Bob and said, “Why don’t we do a concert?” In the five decades since that conversation, the winery has hosted legendary artists for its annual Summer Concert Series. The venue is truly perfect for an intimate night of music among the vineyards.

Learn More: Robert Mondavi Concert Series

Villa Ca’Toga is the residence of artist Carlo Marchiori. Tours are offered just once a week (on Saturdays) May through October. The eclectic property includes a sculpture courtyard, Roman Theater, Thai stupas, fountains and Greco-Roman ruins. The interior residence enchants with a main salone and six large rooms that each offer an interpretation of a different theme.

Learn More: Villa Ca’Toga

For a short ‘n’ sweet hike, take to the trails at Napa’s smaller local parks. Alston Park in northwest Napa has three miles of trails bordered by vineyards. In Browns Valley, Westwood Hills Park has three miles of trails through heavily wooded tree groves and grassy meadows. Skyline Park in east Napa has a network of 25 miles of trails, but the 2.5 mile trail to Lake Marie is perfect for shorter hike. Bothe State Park, tucked between St. Helena and Calistoga, has more than 10 miles of trails that are predominately shaded, making it a great option for summer hiking.

Learn More: Alston Park, Westwood Hills Park, Skyline Wilderness Park, Bothe Napa Valley State Park

There is no better way to celebrate the bounty of Harvest in Calistoga than at a 1,000-foot-long dining table set up along Main Street (Lincoln Ave.) under a harvest moon. At least a dozen restaurants and more than three dozen wineries serve guests throughout the evening for a memorable night of food, wine and friends. Tickets for this one-night event, held annually in September, go on sale in July (tickets sell out within 24hrs, so plan ahead).

Learn More: Calistoga Harvest Table

It should come as no surprise that many people who are passionate about fine wines also have a passion for world-class art. At many Napa Valley wineries you’ll find inspiring seasonal exhibits and lovingly curated permanent collections in the form of sculpture gardens, photography exhibits, murals and paintings. Visit these wineries to find out why many consider wine and art the perfect pairing.

Learn More: Hess Collection, The Donum Estate, Hall St. Helena, Artesa

The inherit romance of wine country inspires many to choose Napa Valley as the place to get down on one knee and ask the ultimate question. And when you choose to propose at a winery, the memory of your life-changing moment will extend well beyond that day. The wine from that winery will always hold special significance. You can serve the wine at your wedding reception and enjoy it on your anniversary for many years to come.

Photography: marriageproposalnapa.com

Learn More: Miner Family, Peju, O’Brien Estate, Bennett Lane Winery, Artesa, Chateau Montelena, Domaine Carneros, Castello Di Amorosa, Sterling Vineyards

It’s virtually guaranteed that after your first long day of wine tasting, come 4 o’clock or so, you’ll be looking for an afternoon pick-me-up. Thankfully, there are plenty of great places to get a decent jolt of caffeine throughout the valley. And a bag of local beans makes a fun gift for your coffee-loving friends back home.

Learn More: Ritual Coffee Roasters, Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Co., Calistoga Roastery, Yo el Rey, Kelly’s Fuel & Provisions