We're planning for our 5th anniversary this November, and have decided on Napa because it's a place we can't really go with kids. Any recommendations on wineries to visit, things to do, places to stay, places to eat?
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Oooh I love Napa!! So beautiful!
When we went we stayed here : http://www.solagecalistoga.com/
It was beautiful! The restaurant there has a michelin star and it is really really good. The setting is gorgeous and they are in a great location for wineries.
As for wineries to visit, I'm sure people can give many more recommendations that I can, but the one place I really loved was the Schramsberg Winery--it's champagne and it was really fun! And who doesn't like champagne?
http://www.schramsberg.com/ -
http://winetrain.com/ It's a thing to do/eat/ see all in one.
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@hilsy85: @hilsy85: Thanks! I'm working on compiling a list of recs here - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qvCGDng9DHfRoRRkOrYwu9JUXcIrL_oPrlfY7qCAu68/edit?usp=sharing
@hilsy85: A coworker recommended I stay in Calistoga instead of actual Napa too. That place looks gorgeous, and such great reviews. Definitely keeping this in mind. And I loooove champagne.
@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Sounds like fun! Does it take you on a tour around Napa? And do you make pitstops at different wineries? How does it work?
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@Mrs. High Heels: The Carneros Inn is a Plumpjack Group hotel and they have fantastic wines and resorts
Happy Happy 5th Anniversary!!!
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Far Niete was our favorite tour by far!! It's pricier than other vineyards but such a personalized tour too. Highly recommend!! We also went to Rubicon Estate (Coppola's winery) and Mondavi and ate at Auberge du Soleil.
I've heard good things about Silver Oak too.
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@filly: Thank you.
And my coworker recommended Carneros Inn! He recently stayed there just this past year.@LindsayInNY: Adding these to the list, thanks!
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@Mrs. High Heels: Awesome spreadsheet!! I'm going to wall you my FB photo album of Napa
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@LindsayInNY: Oh yay, thanks!!!
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If I recall correctly, Far Niete might've been $50 or so a person but included some food - http://farniente.com/visit-napa-valley/wine-tours/ It's a good way to try some pricier wines though!
Their sister winery, Nickel and Nickel, might be cheaper?
Grgich Hills is also good wine!
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Wine (see my icon).
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I really enjoyed Frog's Leap (http://www.frogsleap.com/), and V. Sattui (http://www.vsattui.com/) is an old favourite (but be prepared for tons of tourists during lunch). Stags' Leap Winery was one i was sad i didn't get to check out, as it's supposed to be beautiful. http://stagsleap.com/estate/manor_house
I also enjoyed dinner at étoile at Domaine Chandon.
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The French Laundry was delicious!
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@Mrs. High Heels: when I return to Napa, I want to finally do this the train ride is scenic, wine tasting on board as well when the train stops at wineries, and lunch or dinner is served on board.
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Oh I love napa!!! I have been twice and stayed in Yountville which I would highly recommend.
Lots of things to walk to right near by. The second time we were there I dont think we even left Yountville.
@rahlyrah: so jealous you went there!!!
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This blogger honeymooned in Napa: http://blairsheadband.blogspot.com/search/label/travel
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@LindsayInNY: did you JUST change your icon today, haha? I don't recall ever seeing the wine part til now.
too funny!@Freckles: Stags leap looks gorgeous. Another friend recommended V.Sattui too - good to know it gets crowded during lunch though.
@rahlyrah: The French Laundry... sigh.... in my dreams. One day!
I met Thomas Keller once at his Ad Hoc book signing, and I was pretty starstruck.@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: That sounds like a great way to do everything at once!
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Wine Country Inn in St. Helena (accommodations)
Wineries
Duckhorn
Frog's Leap (mentioned before)
Cakebread
Robert Sinsky
Arger Martucci (if they are still open) -
@Mrs. High Heels: I changed it last week maybe? But when I found the one with wine, I knew I needed it!
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I have only been up there once but I second the Carneros inn.. their Farm restaurant was so good ..
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Thanks everyone who weighed in - these are a ton of recommendations! It's going to take me awhile to weed through them all, but you guys are getting me excited!
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@Mrs. High Heels: I'm so excited for you! Have fun with the planning!
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Definitely stay somewhere that isn't in Napa. Calistoga and Healdsburg are both amazing and have more charm.
Eat at the very best restaurants you can afford.
Take a champagnerie tour. Super interesting and a totally different experience than a regular winery.
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@Mrs. High Heels: I was oddly less than impressed with Carneros Inn after being so pumped about it during the times I was obsessed with wedding blogs. But Calistoga is amazing. On a way lesser scale, the Westin is just as nice as well. The French Laundry is a dining experience of a lifetime. Cain Winery is amazing, and free, but you have to check out their website to get a reservation. (FYI, the drive to the winery is not as treacherous as yelp reviewers say.) Caymus Vineyards has a great tasting experience as well for the price. And if you like champagne, I love the Domaine Carneros vineyard. Its right near the Carneros Inn. Have fun, you lucky girl!
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@septca: @MrsMcD: My coworker said the same thing about Calistoga and the outskirts of Napa. He said, "don't even bother with Napa City - it's dirty and gross!" - don't know how true that is? Not sure if we'll be there for only 1 night or 2 nights, so I really want to make the most of our time there.
@MrsMcD: Is Cain Winery is free - as in, the tastings are free too?
Has anyone had any experience with bike rentals in Napa? Are the wineries close enough so you can bike from place to place?
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@Mrs. High Heels: The bike question made me LOL because I'm imagining you and DH (and I have no clue what you even look like!!) drunk bike riding, LOL!!!
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@Mrs. High Heels: I wouldnt say it's dirty or gross, but it's built-up and not as quaint as you'd like.
Re: bikes, it totally depends which vineyards you want to visit. The *best* way to do Napa is with a driver.
If you can swing it, this is an unbelievably incredible place to stay (or just have a drink/meal):
http://www.aubergedusoleil.com/ -
@LindsayInNY: LOL ok you have a point! I'm laughing at that image now too! Might not be the best idea, hahaa
@septca: WOW.. that's all I've got to say!
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Clos du Val is a gorgeous winery and vineyard in th stag's leap district. i am a wine club member and their wines are awesome, but the property is also gorgeous.
I also love Mumm Napa if you like sparkling wine
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@Mrs. High Heels: Hey, it's way better and safer than driving I'm sure?!
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@Mrs. High Heels: the solage calistoga has free bikes that you can use! So fun!
ETA they also have nice sports cars (mercedes convertibles, audi, etc) that you can use to drive around, to the wineries, etc. DH had a lot of fun with that!
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@Mrs. High Heels: Shoot! I just looked online and I see the tastings are now $35.00. Sorry about that. When I last went for my mini-moon not too long ago, it was free but a bit of a hassle to arrange. Cain is my favorite wine, though, so I'm partial to favoring that experience.
I've not had any experience with bike rentals. But a lot of the wineries are for sure within biking distance of each other. So many, though, are a bit of a drive.
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oooh, following! I've always wanted to go to Napa!
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We're semi-local, so we do Napa pretty often.
To stay: We love the Westin Verasa - walking distance to the market, salt water pool, daily wine tastings in the lobby, and the rooms come with a small kitchenette (no stove) so you can eat all the goodies you pick up.
Meals: We like Bistro Jeanty and Bouchon (both French) in Yountville, or Ad Hoc in Yountville (they had a great brunch!). Hog Island Oyster Co. inside the market. Gott's Roadside either at the market or St. Helena is delish if you want some casual/less expensive eats. We've never been, but friends have raved about Morimoto in Napa.
Nosh: Go to Model Bakery next to the market and get some fresh baked goods for breakfast (the strawberry custard danish is TO DIE FOR) and grab a pour-over at Ritual Coffee inside the market. Get some good bread from Modern to make sandwiches using yummy charcuterie from the Fatted Calf next door (their mortadella and pates are the bomb!). Bouchon Bakery for macarons in Yountville.
Wineries: If you like red wine, make an appointment at Judd's Hill. They have small, private tastings and the wines are delicious. You can also make an appointment to blend your own wine! Domaine Carneros and Mumm Napa are both beautiful for champagne tastings, although Domaine Chandon is a great place to have a glass of bubbly before any dinner reservations in Yountville. We are wine club members at Artesa, which is in Napa and sorta hidden away, but surprisingly large and modern and beautiful (which gorgeous views of the valley). We really like their red wines (their Pinnacle is amazing) and their bubbly - lots of Spanish influence. You can do a day in downtown Healdsburg in Sonoma where a lot of wineries have tasting rooms and just knock out a bunch there if you want - Bear Republic brewery is also there if you want some hoppy beers.
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@MrsMcD: Thank you for the info! I'm no wine connoisseur, so I will probably be pretty easy to please in the wine department at Napa.
@gingerbebe: So much great info, thank you! We're definitely going to Ad Hoc and Bouchon, and I've heard good things about Gott's Roadside and Hog Island Oyster (I'm a huge fan of oysters so I'm drooling at the thought of it already). My friend was just telling me about Fatted Calf - she took a pig butchering class there. So many great recommendations here! How many days in Napa would you recommend to a first timer?
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We loved the Pink Mansion as a place to stay in Calistoga! We stayed in their largest suite (can't remember the name of it) and it was so romantic and lovely - highly recommend it!
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@Mrs. High Heels: For purely Napa Valley, we usually do 3 days, but the first time we did 4. I think going longer than that either gets too expensive and/or you get wined-out. Try to group your tastings/food outings in the same geographical area because its time consuming to drive back and forth between towns.
We've also stayed at the Napa Marriott and the Vino Bello timeshare resort attached to the Meritage Resort - if you like having a condo. Both were nice. The Vino Bello is at the southernmost part of the valley, making places like Yountville further, but its a good middle point if you also want to hit up Sonoma.
We usually strive to do a cheapish breakfast with the pastries/bread/coffee and then make our own lunch using leftovers or charcuterie/bread. Its nice to nosh on a purse sandwich between tastings because the cops do enforce if you drive - esp. around closing time at the wineries (they all close around 4-5pm). Then we have a nice dinner out.
We love the salmon rillettes appetizer at Bouchon because its WAY too much to eat in one sitting - so we take it home, spread it on baguettes with arugula the next day for lunch, and nom away. DH loves the standard steak frites and I really like the trout.
Oh, also, Three Twins ice cream inside Oxbow Market is SOOO good.
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@gingerbebe: I'm so glad you mentioned the Vino Bello Resort! There's a groupon out for it right now, but I wasn't sure about it bc the reviews mentioned timeshare - http://www.groupon.com/deals/ga-bk-vino-bello-resort-2 - $119/night for Napa sounds like a steal. I've had three twins ice cream from our local Sprouts grocery store - it's soooo good! Um, you make me want to just copy/paste everything you wrote and follow it to the tee.
@Ree723: Their 4-poster beds look so luxurious there!
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Get the 1 bedroom - we had the King studio initially and then paid a little extra to upgrade and the difference is huge - the condo is PALATIAL.
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Happy Anniversary! We honeymooned in Napa and had the best time. Here are a couple random recommendations:
-The garlic french fries at Gott's Roadside
-Lunch at Bottega in Yountville. It's Michael Chiarello's restaurant and we loved it. Lunch was a lot more reasonable than dinner. They also have a great store right next door to the restaurant. We loved the stainless steel water glasses at the restaurant so much that we went next door and bought some for home!
-Mumm winery has a big patio where you can just sit at a table and drink sparkling wine and eat snacks and look at the pretty view
-Del Dotto Vineyards has a cool cave tour and barrel tasting. -
Sorry for two posts but I feel like I must share this last tip with you - There's a cheese shop in Oxbow Market in Napa, and a tour guide at a winery recommended we ask them for "crack cheese." We did and it was amazing! It's some sort of marinated feta goat cheese thing - they knew what we were talking about when we said someone told us to ask for crack cheese.
Wine (see my icon).
too funny!
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