VoyageMonkey Travel Blog

Less than 1-hour north on the beautiful City of San Francisco, you’ll discover California’s wine country, the Napa Valley.  Napa Valley is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world.  Find spectacular views, picturesque rolling hills planted with vineyards year-round, mustard growing in the late winter, and wineries dotting the landscape.  The lush valley of vineyards stretches 25 miles from the Town of Napa in the south valley, to the town of Calistoga in the north valley.  Whether you are wine tasting, pampering yourself with a mud bath or spa treatment in Calistoga, dining at renowned restaurants, or just enjoying your stay at one of the fabulous resorts, Napa Valley is the perfect getaway destination.  Make your travel reservations now and save at VoyageMonkey.com Travel. 

You will find plenty of activities and attractions in the Napa Valley.  Of Course, wine tasting at the local wineries is the most popular activity among tourist.  You can pick up a winery map almost anywhere in the valley and start your tasting journey.  There are two main roads that run the length of the valley between Napa and Calistoga.  They are the main road, highway 29, and the more picturesque and less traveled Silverado Trail.  Together these nearly run a loop around the valley, passing many of the most popular wineries and restaurants.  There are many ways to travel between wineries rather than driving.  The Napa Valley Wine Trolley allows you to experience Napa Valley in a motorized open-air Cable Car! The Trolley provides 6-hour wine tasting tours around the valley each day.  Alternatively, the Napa Valley Wine Train is also super popular and is Napa’s most distinctive restaurant on wheels.  The Wine Train offers gourmet fine dining, wine tasting, and exclusive winery tours, all aboard beautifully restored antique rail cars. Advance reservations are required for the Wine Train.  Other wine tasting tours include traveling through the vineyards on a 7-mile loop to several boutique wineries in a horse drawn carriage.  The carriage tour offers beautiful scenery, world class wines, and a sumptuous lunch.  You will also find many limousine companies in the area that specialize in wine tasting tours. There are also many bike touring companies that have guided tours and rent bicycles so you can peddle around the wine country. 

Other popular activities in the Napa Valley include taking a hot air balloon ride over the valley and vineyards.  If you are more daring, you can fly in a glider plane, experience soaring on a thermal updraft and sailing on the wind, or barnstorm in a Vintage Bi-Plane.  There are many Spas in Napa Valley that include an array of beauty and body treatments, full salons, steam rooms, saunas, whirlpools, fitness rooms, and even mud baths.  A few of the popular Spas include The Spa at Silverado Resort, the Villagio Inn & Spa, Solage Calistoga, and Health Spa Napa Valley.  Avid Golfers can enjoy playing the pristine championship golf courses in the beautiful landscape of the wine country.  Eagle Vines Golf Club, Chardonnay Golf Club, and Silverado Resort & Spa all offer 18-holes of lush vegetation, lakes, ponds, grape vines, and beautiful scenery.  Many visitors to the Napa Valley tour Safari West, a 400 acre wildlife sanctuary.  Safari West is home to over 400 mammals and birds and offers an intimate exposure to wildlife via open-air jeep tours daily.  Visitors to the preserve can experience a taste of Africa in the wine country.  If you are a foodie, the Culinary Institute of America offers a memorable experience at its restaurants, retail stores, and offers public tours. 

When it comes to dining, the Napa Valley has no shortage of fine dining restaurants.  Wine is meant to be enjoyed, especially with food. Top Chefs prepare delicate artistic creations of food paired with fine wines for a fantastic dining experience.  You can find everything from a sumptuous Italian Dinner or French feast, modern American cuisine, Pacific Rim, steaming seafood or tangy BBQ ribs and steaks.  Some of the most popular restaurants include Bistro Don Giovanni , Cole’s Chop House, Carpe Diem Wine Bar, La Toque at Westin Napa, FARM at the Carneros Inn,  Press St. Helena, Market (St. Helena),  Solbar at Solage Resort, Tra Vigne, and The French Laundry. 

Recommended hotels and resorts in Napa Valley include the Silverado Resort & Spa, the Andaz Napa Hyatt, the Westin Verasa, the Solage Calistoga, the Vino Bello Resort, the River Terrace Inn, The Meritage Resort & Spa, The Carneros Inn, and the Wine Country Inn.  VoyageMokey.com Travel regularly has travel deals on Napa Valley hotel accommodations, flights and rental cars for your California wine country getaway.