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If you love top-notch wine and delicious food, Napa Valley is for you! This trip was seriously magical and given our affinity for wine, I can’t believe it took us so long to visit but our first wedding anniversary made the perfect occasion to make it happen! I actually planned a trip to Napa as an option for our honeymoon back in 2022 so part of the planning was already done for me!

In the early stages of planning this trip, I made a list of all the wineries I wanted to visit and divided them up over the days we’d be there (Wed-Sat) – this came out to 4 wineries a day. First timer, much? Reality check, there is just not enough time in the day for that. Not to mention, tours & tastings require reservations (which are at similar times) that are only offered so many times a day. We took some off the list and ended up with 2 wineries per day. 

Tip: Aim for 2 wineries per day - you don't want to feel rushed. Also, consider hiring a driver! 

When deciding where to stay in Napa Valley, luxe accommodations are endless. We chose St. Helena as it was central to the wineries we planned on visiting and had a very walkable downtown. We did also consider Yountville, Rutherford, and Calistoga and will likely try one of those next time! Alila Napa Valley is part of World of Hyatt, so we were able to transfer Chase UR points to Hyatt to cover the majority of our stay (~40,000 points per night, which is an excellent redemption rate for this property). 

Highlights: Far Niente Library Cave Collection Tasting, Napa Valley Aloft hot air balloon ride, HALL wines, Spa Solage, lunch @ Auberge Du Soleil

The Itinerary

Day 1
Fly into SFO & pick up rental car 
Winery #1: Domaine Carneros 
Check-in to Alila Napa Valley
Dinner at Goose & Gander
Dessert & nightcap at Acacia House

Day 2
Breakfast at Model bakery
Spa Solage
Lunch at Auberge Du Soleil
Winery #2: Frog’s Leap Winery
Winery #3: Rombauer Vineyards
Yurt Dinner at The Charter Oak

Day 3
Hot air balloon ride
Winery #4: Far Niente Winery
Winery #5: Piazza del Dotto
Dinner at Press
Drinks at Acacia House

Day 4
Breakfast at Acacia House
Winery #6: Beringer Vineyards
Brunch at Farmstead
Shopping in St. Helena
Winery #7: HALL Winery
Back to SFO and fly red-eye home

How to Get There

There are three options for airports – San Francisco, San Jose, and Sacramento. All are a similar-ish distance (~1.5 h) to Napa Valley, so compare flight & rental car prices (or let me do that for you!) You can pre-arrange a driver to pick you up, rent a car, or get an Uber/Lyft (this will run you upwards of $200). Depending on where you stay and what you plan to do, most everything is pretty spread out, so I’d recommend renting a car BUT if you planned to stay in say St. Helena and only visit wineries around there, you could do it without a car. 

Where to Stay

We absolutely loved Alila Napa Valley. This adults-only hotel is set amid Beringer Vineyards and the views are to die for! All the rooms (room tour here) have balconies with fireplaces or jacuzzi tubs. The bathrooms are marble and spa-like with large soaking tubs.  OH and the toilet seats are heated – what more could you want! Here are our recommendations with options in all price points! 
St. Helena – Alila Napa Valley, Meadowood, Inn St. Helena, Wydown
Yountville – Hotel Villagio, North Block
Rutherford – Auberge Du Soleil (splurge)
Calistoga – Auberge Solage (splurge)
Sonoma – Kenwood Inn & Spa
Napa City – Andaz Napa, Maison Fleurie

What to Do

Wine tasting, obviously: Our favorite wineries were Frog’s Leap (Rutherford – reservations strongly recommended), Far Niente (Oakville – reservations required), & HALL (St. Helena – reservations recommended). See the section on 'Where to Wine Taste' for more details on this.

Hot air balloon ride:  Such an incredible experience with Napa Valley Aloft. It requires an early wake up but it is SO worth it. I thought I’d be nervous but it was such a smooth, easy rise up and I felt at ease the entire time! The entire experience takes a few hours but I wanted it to last all day! You meet in  Yountville and take the balloon up and over vineyards until landing somewhere around Napa city and then a shuttle takes you back to the meeting spot in Yountville. 

Spa day: There are many incredible options for spas but we chose to capitalize on Calistoga’s reputation of natural hot springs and healing waters and try the (relatively) newer Solage Spa. We chose the “Signature Mudslide” which included a mineral-rich mudbath, a luxurious soak (add the champagne) & resting in a gravity sound chair. We also spent time in the geothermic pools which was just what we needed after a long day of travel! 

Eat: Napa Valley is known for some of the most incredible restaurants. If we had to choose favorites we’d say Auberge Du Soleil, Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch, & Press but everything we ate was top notch! 

Other activities: Hike, golf, shop

Where to Eat/Drink

I tried so hard to get a reservation at TFL. Reservations become available on the 1st of the month for the following month at 10am PST or 1pm EST. For example, reservations for October will become available on September 1st. I had several laptops lined up and ready when the clock struck 1pm EST and within seconds, all reservations for our desired dates were booked.

The Model Bakery (St. Helena): This was recommended by a friend and they did not steer us wrong. They have the most delicious breakfast sandwiches & pastries. Get a breakfast sandwich on a highly sought after English muffin! The coffee is great too! 

Goose & Gander (St. Helena): Walkable from Alila NV. Housed in a historic bungalow with a dining room, basement bar, and gorgeous garden. We sat in the dim lit pub-like dining room and the ambiance was romantic. Get the G&G Burger with a duck egg! 

Acacia House (St. Helena): Alila’s on-site restaurant where we enjoyed breakfast, dessert, and several drinks. For breakfast, expect fresh juices, mimosas, pastries and out of this world chilaquiles. The London Fog dessert was mouthwatering – earl grey mousse, honey custard, honeycomb toffee, brown butter crumb, bergamot pate de fruit. Based on how much we loved our breakfast and dessert, I’d bet the dinner is just as impressive. 

Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch (St. Helena): We came here for brunch on our last day and sat in the greenhouse. We ordered oysters and a cheese/charcuterie board. We ended up ordering a second round of oysters! They also have a cute market inside. We love it here and wish we visited prior to our last day so we could've come back multiple times! 

Auberge Du Soleil (Rutherford): This iconic luxury Napa Valley resort is known for its breathtaking vineyard and distant mountain views and is well worth a visit for a drink or meal on the terrace. If you can time it for sunset, even better! Another Michelin rated restaurant where you will find the freshest seasonal ingredients from Napa Valley purveyors. We stopped in for lunch and were seated at a table along the edge of the terrace with a dreamy view. We ordered refreshing cocktails (L’espirit Du Soleil & Fleur De Lis), wine (Auberge Du Soleil chardonnay), oysters, salad, and a margarita pizza. This was a top dining experience for sure! 

Press (St. Helena): St. Helena’s Michelin-rated restaurant serving seasonally inspired eclectic & elevated cuisine and the most extensive Napa wine collection in the world. They have an option for a tasting menu as well as a la carte ordering. Since we had been eating all day, we opted for a la carte but next time we’ll try the tasting menu for sure! We sat at the bar and enjoyed the yellowtail belly, oysters with wasabi foam, black cod, and the signature pretzel – everything was SOOOO tasty with the exception of the wasabi foam on the oysters – not our taste.

The Charter Oak (St. Helena): Known for incredible seasonal food and a stellar wine list. We did the Yurt experience which was a chef-prepared tasting menu. The yurts were heated, well-lit, and blankets were provided (a gesture I much appreciated). The evening began with a glass of champagne, followed by several sharables including raw vegetables from TCO’s farm. Next up came pork ravioli in brodo which was to die for, and lastly dry aged ribeye with potatoes and greens. The evening ended with mochi cake and a specialty cocktail. Highly recommend this experience if you are there during Yurt season (Nov – Apr). While you couldn’t order food from the main menu, wines and cocktails were readily available. 

The French Laundry: If you can secure a reservation to this world renowned gem, please GO! And report back!

Where to Wine Taste

When narrowing down our list, we opted for wineries closest to St. Helena – which still left plenty. We researched other trusted travel bloggers and queried friends who had been to Napa. Ultimately, we ended up with a solid list and already have a round-up for our next trip. 

Domaine Carneros: We stopped here on our way from the airport to St. Helena. It is closer to Sonoma and has amazing views, especially during mustard season (Jan-Mar). I chose a sparking flight (SO GOOD) and my husband ordered the red sampler. We also ordered cheese and charcuterie (they also offer caviar) and they have the cutest gift shop we enjoyed perusing! 

Frog’s Leap Winery: We loved this family-owned winery. We did the Responsibly Farmed, Sustainably Produced Tasting, learning all about how they care for the soil to produce the healthiest wines using organically grown grapes! They have a resident pup and offer the most thoughtful touches – like wool blankets on the chair for you to use during your tour and tasting! Their cabernets and chardonnays were delicious! 

Rombaeur Vineyards: Another winery with amazing views! This was a more casual tasting atmosphere and they make the most buttery chardonnay! This is a wine we drink often at home so it was cool to visit and taste it at the winery! 

Piazza del Dotto: The newest addition to the Del Dotto wineries! We did the Cave Experience & Barrel Tasting that takes you around the lush grounds and through the marble cave, while tasting red wine varietals directly from their barrels – so cool! The tour concludes with a pour of featured bottle wine and homemade sour dough pizza! Highly recommend! 

Far Niente: The property is gorgeous and the wines are exquisite. Quite possibly the best chardonnay I’ve ever tasted. Their cabernets are incredible as well. We splurged for the Cave Collection Library Tour and Tasting so we were able to drink some of their aged cabs and had a curated tasting to go along with it. The tasting took place in a private room atop a spiral staircase with amazing views of the grounds. We had such a special experience here and loved the wines so much that we joined the Wine Club! 

Beringer Vineyards: This family-owned winery is located next door to Alila where a huge Victorian mansion sits at the forefront of the grounds. We did the Veranda tasting on the porch and tasted a variety of delicious reds and whites!

HALL Wines: Last but certainly not least, this was one of our favorite wineries due to the  incredible cabernets, gorgeous vineyard views, and artsy Instagram-worthy tasting areas! We seriously loved this winery so much. It is located on Highway 29 so easy to get to but set back enough that you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere once on property! It’s very expansive and has a variety of indoor and outdoor settings for tasting. The cabernets here were sooo good and their labels are so fun! 

Nothing to Wine About Here

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