Ideas for Napa?

[starchild]

You'll totally enjoy the drive. So funny that David tried to hide the announcement..hehehe..that's so something that Will would do. You have to check the outlets out though, you can get some steals! And yes, go to Calistoga it's so quaint. Oh, I feel homesick :o( Those places used to be within driving distance...take pics for us :o)

[Rachelle E.]

Awww! I promise I'll take pics for you!

I can't wait to go...I lived in northern CA for 4 years and never managed to get there and check everything out! Ridiculous!!

Thanks for all your help!!! :-)

[brecluse]

I've only stayed in Sonoma, so no lodging recommendations. However, I do totally have some winery recommendations. Frog's Leap: I simply cannot say enough about this winery. You have to make a reservation for the tasting room, but even if you don't do that it's worth the trip. We basically brought a lunch with us and when stopped in they gave a glass of wine and told us to enjoy the grounds and to take any fruit/veggies (not grapes though ) we wanted. I was totally impressed with their garden/pond/orchard, and they were super nice and the wine is good as well so it's win, win, win.

I also think hitting some the champagne places right off the bat is a nice way to start. Gloria Ferrer and Domaine Carneros are really close to each other and I LOVE Schramsberg which is actually in St. Helena (north of Napa I think)-but I've never been to Schramsberg so can't really speak to the tasting/tour experience.

If you do make it to Sonoma I very much recommend eating at the Girl and the Fig: fantastic place, food, and people.

[Christine]

why are you looking to stay in Walnut Creek? there isn't really anything to see there except a mall...stay closer to SF if you want to sight see.
sonoma and napa are about an hour apart, so make sure you include that in your plans.

I would recommend V. Sattui winery (free tasting) its on the 29 in Napa. That is the most popular area for wine tasting. Also just down the road is Peju Province, which is beautiful and good wine.

If you want to try some of the smaller family wineries, try the Silverado Trail (Mumm's sparkling wines is there). Miner winery is also very good, nice small family vineyard.

As for places to stay, bed and breakfasts are always great. We had our reception at the Gaia, and while I had some problems with them (not anything to do with the rooms though), their rooms are beautiful and its pretty affordable (it's in American Canyon, which is right on the 29 but about 15-30 minutes away from the main winery area)

have fun, let me know if you need more info.

[Rachelle E.]

Well, mostly I was looking at that hotel in Walnut Creek because 1. I have no idea how far apart everything is! And 2. it just looked like a really pretty hotel...and I liked that it was a little smallish and not a big chain hotel. you know? That was the main draw. . .but also they have a "stay and play" package with that golf course I mentioned and David REALLY wants to play there. Although he can do that regardless of where we stay I guess, it just seemed like a good package deal - it includes a gc to their spa (as well as golf, room etc.) and I am a sucker for spas! lol!

Anyway, we're definitely still looking at stuff. Nothing set in stone yet. So I'm definitely open to hotel suggestions. I like the idea of staying in a B&B, but David is typically hesitant about that kind of thing. Feels weird like he's staying in someone's house. The only way I got him to that one for our anniversary is because we actually stayed in a cottage on the property that was separate from the main house. Although maybe we could do a B&B for a night or two and hotel for the rest of the time? Sometimes the annonymity of a hotel is nice. . .coming and going w/out feeling like you might be disturbing someone, sleeping 'til noon and not feeling guilty about skipping the breakfast. . .

We'll keep looking for sure. It's nice to have some experienced people to run these ideas by!

That being said...would you choose to stay closer to Napa or Sonoma? Is one area better than the other? Just different?

We're really just looking to escape our little suburb in Texas, enjoy some scenery, some wineries, spa, golf and food. . .well, and maybe a little shopping!

[ed pingol]

whenever friends come to visit napa, we usually recommend the following: v. sattui winery (great wine, cute picnic area for lunch); artesa winery (gorgeous, modern art architecture/landscape, with a view to match); greystone (culinary institute of america's student kitchen where they serve great food at a discounted price). the silverado trail gondola ride is supposed to be spectacular.

[Justine Miller]

I went to Napa for my Honeymoon in March of 07- we stayed at the Aurora Park Cottages in Calistoga. Calistogs is very pretty.. Napa itself is a little commercial if you ask me, but if you drive just a tad farther into the far end of the valley, you get a whole other view. St' Helena is nice, but spendy, but there are a lot of cute botique shops there. There is also a GREAT sushi restaurante called GO FISH.
Some wineries that I LOVED were Peju- BEautiful property and the wines are all very crisp and tasty. jessup Cellars is really a nice small place adn they have a great table wine called Table for 4. Also in Calistoga is a small family run place called Vincent Arroyo. call ahead and ask for Vincent to give you a personal tour and ask him about his dogs, JJ is his balck lab and he helps tell Vincent when the grapes are ripe. You also get to taste the wine strait from the barrels. The larger wineries are ok, cakebread, robert Mondavi, Sterling etc.. but they just dont offer the same expereince as the smaller wineries do. Have fun and it is a blast there!

[Christine]

ahh we went to Peju for our wine tour the day after our wedding I love it.
You know a beautiful drive is silverado trail. Heading out towards Mumm

[chris van atta]

I have a friend thats a Limo driver for several wineries, like 10 yrs now,, she is awsome and will pretty much get you to all the key spots write me for info and number, chris