4 Unforgettable Days in Napa, CA

4 Unforgettable Days in Napa, CA

Maximize 4 Days in Napa Valley by eating at the best restaurants, visiting luxurious and boutique wineries, hopping on board the Napa Valley Wine Train, and creating your own bottle of red blend to take home.
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Transportation

Airports near Napa Valley:

* Oakland (OAK) is approx. 60 miles away (we recommend)

* San Francisco (SFO) is approx. 70 miles away

* Sacramento (SMF) is approx. 75 miles away

Once on the ground:

* Rent a car and drive (during a nice summer weekend, we recommend renting a convertible and taking the scenic route as we did. Tolls apply)

* Book a private transportation service/ shuttle

* Ride share (based on traffic, this may be the most expensive option)

Day 1: Arrive + Sip

Arrive at your hotel by late afternoon (3pm) and check in. 

Most of the time, we opt for a hotel with a balance of luxury and budget. We stayed at the Archer hotel located in downtown Napa.

Archer Hotel Napa
@thetravelingtylers
Located in the center of downtown Napa with a rooftop bar to witness the daily sunsets. Walking distance to plenty of wine bars and restaurants.
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For great budget options, consider:

Cambria Hotel Napa Valley
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Clean, modern hotel 1 mile from downtown Napa.
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Napa Winery Inn
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Clean and quiet Inn. Hot Breakfast. Convenient location to most wineries in Napa Valley.
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For amazing luxury options, consider:

Bardessono Hotel and Spa
@thetravelingtylers
Beautiful, contemporary hotel. Walking distance to bakeries, coffee shops, and upscale restaurants.
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Carneros Resort and Spa
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Picturesque location with pool and award winning spa.
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Explore Downtown Napa by foot and visit a few of the many wine bars for a few tastings

Brown Downtown Napa
@thetravelingtylers
Black-owned. Such a personalized experience! Any of their Zinfandels will make you want to buy every bottle! Enjoy the history while sipping and enjoying their beautiful charcuterie board. Reservation required.
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Housley Napa Valley
@thetravelingtylers
No reservation required. Definitely try their Rose’. You may also spot Mrs. Tamera Mowry-Housley like we did!
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Dinner

Celadon
@thetravelingtylers
Cozy setting along the Napa River with a greenery walkway. Delicious food and excellent service!
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Oxbow Public Market
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If you are looking for a quick bite for breakfast, lunch or dinner that you can take back to your room, stop by this marketplace for a variety of foods and drinks.
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Day 2: Wine Train + Wineries

Start your second day exploring Napa Valley while on board the iconic Napa Valley wine train. We opted for the 3-hr lunch journey that included a welcome toast in the lounge area of the train, a delicious 3-course gourmet meal when seated at your table, and one stop for a tasting at Grgich Hills Estate. If you would like to spend a full day on the train with more stops, opt for their Legacy Experience which is a 6-hr journey. 

Napa Valley Wine Train
@thetravelingtylers
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Black Stallion Winery
@thetravelingtylers
Explore the vineyards while picking and tasting the grapes. Then relax for a tasting of their sweet wines.
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Domaine Carneros
@thetravelingtylers
Beautiful location with amazing views while you choose to sip on sparkling wines or any of their other wine tasting packages.
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Dinner

RH Yountville Restaurant
@thetravelingtylers
Ambiance unmatched! Beautiful property and vibes as you dine below a crystal chandelier. Reservation required.
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Day 3: Create your own Red Blend + More Wineries

This day is centered around a Barrel Blending Experience. With your reservation at Conn Creek, you are given a private tasting of four different cabs, one merlot, one malbec, and one petit verdot. From those, you are able to create multiple mock blends in order to determine which combination is your perfect red blend.

Breakfast/Brunch

Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch
@thetravelingtylers
Farm fresh to table. Delicious!
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Wine Tastings

Conn Creek Winery
@thetravelingtylers
A MUST! Create your own red blend! Conn Creek keeps record of your blend so you can order as many bottles of your blend for years to come!
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V. Sattui Winery
@thetravelingtylers
A fun tasting room where you can also enjoy lunch and purchase breads, olive oils, and cheeses.
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Dinner

Bottega Napa Valley
@thetravelingtylers
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Day 4: Before You Depart Napa Valley

Make the most of your last day in Napa Valley. Indulge at one of the many farm to table breakfast/brunch spots and squeeze in one last winery or check out an afternoon spa for a massage. We opted for brunch at the infamous Boon Fly Cafe and a winery that was in the direction of heading back to OAK.

Breakfast/Brunch

Boon Fly Café
@thetravelingtylers
Farm fresh to table. You cannot go wrong with anything you order here but definitely order the bucket of mini fresh baked donuts.
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Wine Tasting

J. Moss Winery
@thetravelingtylers
Black-owned. Interesting explanations of the variations of taste due to grape environments. Personalized menu for your visit upon reservation.
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*TIP*: Book your winery visits/tours at least 2 weeks in advance at www.exploretock.com 

For more visuals of our experience, visit @thetravelingtylers on IG.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hello! We are husband and wife, Brandon and Bethany. We have fallen in love with traveling for the past 10 years to 39 countries and counting. We equally enjoy both the detailed planning as well as the experience of the execution. Traveling is our love language and we enjoy traveling with a balance of luxury and budget! The chance to explore new places, immerse ourselves in the culture, try new foods, meet new people, have fun, relax, reset, and just LIVE. Nothing compares. Here, we create guides and itineraries to destinations that we have personally visited. Memories are forever and we love continuing to create them while helping others create their own lifetime memories!
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