Napa Valley has more wineries than there are days in a year…Over 475 as a matter of fact. But who’s counting? Although this fact alone would make for the perfect girl’s weekend, there’s more to Napa than wine. Besides visiting the wineries, you can relax in a volcanic mud bath…while drinking wine. take a ride on the wine train, even hike among redwood trees or through a petrified forest… So grab a wine glass (or the entire bottle) and get ready for a hangover!
Getting There
One of the closest airports to Napa Valley is in San Francisco . We flew from NYC to San Fransisco non stop in about 5 hours. A not so quick stop at the car rental counter and then we were on our way….Napa Valley, here we come! The ride from the airport to St Helena (where we based ourselves) took under 2 hours. An easy ride once you get out of the city.
Things To Do
Book a free wine tasting at V. Sattui – On Tuesdays and Thursdays, you can do a free tasting at V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena. They say you can taste 3 wines with the free tasting, but the guy pouring the wine told us to pick 5-6 wines…..thank you very much, wine-pourer. I chose 6. The wines were very good. Who am I kidding? All wines are good. There is a great deli counter at V. Sattui where you can grab dinner for a reasonable price and a better than most gift shop as well. We bought a bottle of their sparkling wine along with some deli salads to have for dinner back at our hotel after the tasting. Reservations can be made online here at V. Sattui and it was only a 10 minute walk from the hotel.
Visit The Beringer Winery for one of their tours- The Beringer Winery was actually walking distance from where we stayed. We opted for the Legacy Cave Tour which includes entrance to the hand dug tunnels for a historical tour along with 3 different wine tastings. The winery offers several other options, including a tour of the estate with tastings as well but the grounds are free to explore. The Legacy Cave Tour was the cheapest of the tours at Beringer. Tickets were 35. each at the time we visited.
Take a Day trip to Calistoga- The town of Calistoga is about a 30 minute drive from St Helena. The main street is filled with unique shops, a variety of restaurants, and of course…wine tasting opportunities. We spent the morning shopping and eating brunch at Sarafornia before heading to the spa.
Sink into a volcanic ash mud bath– As soon as I found out that this was a thing, I was there in my mind. I must say that the experience was even better, and certainly dirtier than I imagined. It begins with the mud bath (bathing suit optional) and if you think a bathing suit will keep the mud out of your cracks and sacks, you are so wrong. The mud is so hot at the bottom of the bath that you actually lie on top and pull the mud onto your body. The “spa girl” puts mud on your face and a cold cloth on your forehead. This is followed by a group shower (nothing says friendship like showering together) and a soak in a mineral water jacuzzi. Wait! We are not finished yet!! After the hot spring, you are brought into a “cool down” room where “spa girl” puts cucumbers on your eyes and an ice cloth on your face while you lie down and relax. Finally, you can chill out and relax in the mineral pools. I am most certain that my muddy buddies and I were still finding mud in places unimaginable for days….
The Golden Haven Hot Springs Spa and Resort– This was an excellent choice for our Mud bathing experience. It is the best deal in Calistoga with the entire package costing 135. pp including free use of the facilities for the day. They offer the option of 2 or 3 people in a room, everything is clean and exactly as promised. The resort is located in Calistoga and can be combined with a day trip to the town.
Hike in a Petrified Forest– For a mear 12. dollars, you can walk among massive redwoods turned to stone over 3 million years ago. The park has dirt trails that lead to amazing views of Mount St Helen with really cool petrified redwoods scattered along the way. Be on the lookout for some slithery friends throughout the park…stepping on Sam the Snake would truly be “petrifying”.
Day trip to San Francisco- Under a 2 hour drive from St Helena, you will find the magnificent city of San Francisco where there are too many things to do to mention….We decided a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge would be a good way to spend some time in the city. My fear of heights caused me to speed walk across the very long and very high bridge…or was it the wind that blew me across? Not sure. A day in San Francisco wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Fishermans Warf and a stop to view the seals that lounge around all day off of pier 39. As a bonus, there is an In and Out Burger a few blocks from the Warf.
Where to Stay
El Bonita Motel– Located in St. Helena with a nice pool area and small breakfast included. Great location within walking distance of downtown and several wineries. Prices were very reasonable for Napa.
Holiday Inn Express and Suites- Great location including a free happy hour. Parking costs more than a new car….but that’s to be expected in San Francisco.
Where to Eat
Himalayan Sherpa Kitchen- The food was fantastic. Right in the center of town
St. Helena Bistro– Great dinner and decent prices considering you are in Napa
Station St Helena– Great pizza in a retrofitted, working gas station… I know. Only in California.
Cafe Sarafornia– Perfect bruch in Calistoga. Amazing prices in a chill atmosphere.
So if you are looking to be in drunken state in the Golden state, and get down and dirty while your’e at it….consider a trip to Napa Valley. With 475 wineries to visit, the hardest decision is which ones to choose.. Pack your bathing suit (or don’t), pack your sunnies and a sense of adventure and get moving. Cheers.
Movie recommendations; Wine Country.
