Heading to Napa Valley? Here’s What You Need to Know
Thinking about a trip to Napa Valley this year? We love Napa (and the surrounding areas) and we think it’s a great area to visit. Now is a great time to go as it’s still off season and you won’t have to battle crowds at the bar. We love going early in the year and having more time to chat with the staff/owners about the wine, enjoy the ambiance and snag bonus tastings. If we had ton write a Napa guidebook, these tips would be top of mind:
Napa Valley isn’t just Napa Valley: Napa Valley is definitely the most talked about part of the region but Napa and Sonoma Valley neighbor each other and both are worth the visit. We wouldn’t suggest visiting both in one day but it’s easy enough to stay in Napa or Sonoma and visit the other for the day.
Google Maps is your friend: Speaking of knowing the area, once you’ve decided which vineyards/tasting rooms to visit, pull them all up on a map. There are several different cities within Napa and Sonoma and your time is best spent staying in one location versus driving up and down the county. Some vineyards are literally 2 minutes away by car so it makes it very easy to try a few in a row. Before you get too excited, read the next bullet point…
Limit your tastings: Repeat after me: Just because there are 4 vineyards in a row, doesn’t mean you should go to all 4! Napa wines tend to be strong so 2-3 tastings is plenty in one day! Plus, you don’t want to feel rushed. Many vineyards offer tours and/or have beautiful scenery and it’d be a shame to miss that because you’re determined to squeeze in an unnecessary number of tastings.
Plan transport in advance: Uber and Lyft were easy to find in downtown Napa but once you head into vineyard territory, don’t rely on ride shares. We’ve tried both the rented car road and the designated driver option. Obviously, having our own DD was great but it can be pricey so it’s more economical if you have at least 6 people.
