Silverado Trail

Nicknamed “Napa Valley’s Main Street,” this popular wine-country town has a bumper crop of shops, art galleries, and cute cafes. Join an olive oil tasting at Olivier and satisfy your sweet tooth at Woodhouse Chocolate. Merryvale Vineyards (the first winery in the valley to be built after the repeal of Prohibition) holds daily tasting seminars in its historic cask room—it’s a great way to educate your palette before you head out to area wineries. That said, there are plenty of in-town tasting rooms—nice if you don’t want to drive. A local Passport St. Helena gives you access to eight stroll-to wineries, where you’ll get exclusive tastes of top vintages paired with small bites.

"You’ll get exclusive tastes of top vintages paired with small bites."

Though St. Helena is undeniably appealing, try to pull yourself away long enough to check out Hall Vineyard, where top-notch wines and edgy art go hand in hand. The property is dotted with sculptures and installations and wow-worthy views from the second-floor “glass house” tasting room.

Back in town, relax with a Harvest Signature Mud Wrap & Massage treatment in the garden at Health Spa Napa Valley, then dress up for dinner cooked by budding chefs at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in the magnificent Greystone estate. 

It's true: Healdsburg is as amazing as everyone says it is. First, there’s that perfect town square, surrounded by tasting rooms filled with beautiful people, boutiques tempting at every turn, and swanky restaurants glowing at dusk. And then there’s Les Mars Hôtel, which feels more like Louis XIV's Loire Valley than Sonoma County. What may have once been a sleepy country town at the north end of the Sonoma Valley is now one of the classiest destinations in California wine country.

"Tasting rooms filled with beautiful people, boutiques tempting at every turn, and swanky restaurants glowing at dusk."

One of the best places to anchor your explorations of surrounding Sonoma Avas, Healdsburg has plenty to offer in its own right. Locally grown produce gets the spotlight here, and the twice-weekly (June through October) farmers market is a model of fresh, local, and sustainably grown fruits and vegetables. Stop in at Healdsburg Shed, an expertly curated haven of kitchenware, cookbooks, and garden tools. Be sure to try a seasonal house-made shrub (a vinegar-based drink) and wood-oven pizza, and see if there’s a class or workshop you’d like to attend (topics include gardening, cooking, sustainable living). Pick up artisanal cheeses and a fresh crusty loaf at tempting Oakville Grocery and have an impromptu nosh in the square. Finish the day with a decadent meal of pork-belly biscuits, Hamachi crudo, and squid-ink pasta at Chalkboard.

Located at the northern tip of Napa Valley at the base of Mount Saint Helena, Calistoga is the less travelled, laid-back sister to bustling central Napa. It’s ironic in a way, since the town of Calistoga helped put Napa Valley on the global wine map. In 1976, the town’s Chateau Montelena (and its 1973 Chardonnay) beat the best French wines at the legendary tasting known as the Judgment of Paris.

Today, Calistoga’s local wine scene still has attention-grabbing appeal—in part thanks to Castello di Amorosa, the medieval-style, multi-turreted castle on a hill built by Italian-style winemaker Dario Sattui. A tour of the 121,000-square-foot castle (built over 15 years with authentic materials) makes for a fascinating hour, with its five towers, courtyard and loggias, a Tuscan-style farmhouse, a frescoed great hall, stables, a prison and even a torture chamber (if you don’t like the wines?). Finish up with a 45-minute session of barrel tastings and sips of current releases.

Wine is not the only elixir that people love here. Calistoga is the valley’s spa and hot springs capital, and visitors have flocked here seeking rejuvenation in mineral-rich volcanic waters since the 1800s. Spas and resorts range from casual (and clothing optional) to upmarket, and most offer hot soaks, saunas and massages. Indian Springs Calistoga, Solage and Calistoga Ranch are just a few of the area’s upmarket properties which feature luxury spas. Visit Napa Valley has more listed on their site.  

One can’t visit without experiencing the quintessential Calistoga experience: the mud bath. Make an appointment for 'The Works' at Dr. Wilkinson’s Hot Springs Resort, where you’ll be treated to a traditional mud bath with facial mask, aromatic mineral whirlpool bath, steam room, blanket wrap and massage.

Calistoga is also a key spot to enjoy another Napa Valley signature experience: a hot-air balloon ride. Floating above the morning mist, looking out across the still valley as the sun peeks over the surrounding hills—can you imagine anywhere you’d rather be? Cap it all off with a traditional glass of bubbly when you come back down to earth. 

Whether by foot, car, or train, experts will do the talking while they show you the ins and outs of the valleys. Van and bus tours can be booked through hotels or tourism offices; also ask about guided bike tours. On a 90-minute walking tour of Downtown Napa, learn about the region’s history—the Gold Rush, Prohibition, and the boom years during World War II. Roll through the region in vintage rail cars, decked out with velvet curtains and finery, on the Napa Valley Wine Train, offering a variety of tours—including a multi-course meal and wine. In Sonoma County, hitch a ride on a replica of a late 1890s San Francisco cable car to enjoy tastings at four wineries, plus a catered lunch by local favorite, the Girl & the Fig. For do-it-yourself touring, consider getting a single or multi-day pass to enjoy wine tastings in a given area; having one of these passports, like the one for the Wine Trail region (Dry Creek, Russian River, and Alexander Valley) might also net your discounts on wine purchases, private guided tours, and behind-the-scenes walks with winemakers.