Napa Trip Advice

Just a couple of things we think you should consider when making decisions and planning for your next trip to Napa Valley. People usually have a lot of questions about how best to spend their time (and money) while visiting Napa Valley.

Napa Trip Advice #1: The Winery Shuttle is a great way to go wine tasting for the first time in Napa Valley

• No worries about how to get there

• Wineries are already "preapproved" as great wine tasting experiences

• No worries about driving; more fun for all

Napa Trip Advice #2: Take a leisurely two-hour guided cruise along the Napa River:

• Plan ahead as schedule is dictated by the tide times/sunset

• Bring a picnic for two including wine

• Bask in the warmth of the sun while letting the light breeze cool you

• See Napa Valley from an entirely different perspective

Napa Trip Advice #3: For Hot Air Ballooning, try to schedule it in the beginning of your trip

• In case the weather doesn't work out in the beginning you may have an opportunity to go later during your trip

• If traveling from a different time zone other than Hawaii, getting up at 7 am in Napa will feel like getting up 'normally' back home

Napa Trip Advice #4: Try to stay where you will play at night

By its nature, you are practically required to drink alcohol in Napa Valley.  Therefore, it is safer and in the long more cost effective to stay at a Napa Valley hotel or bed & breakfast in the area of Napa Valley where you will expect to go out at night, like Downtown Napa.  We recommend staying in or near the downtowns of Napa Valley (Napa, Yountville, St. Helena, Calistoga) in order to lessen driving while imbibing.

Napa Trip Advice #5: When planning your wine tasting day out consider the following Napa Trip advice:

• One is plenty and wrap your day around one appointment-based experience

• do no more than two full estate winery tours

• Bring water, bread and Tylenol for your day out to nosh on in order to keep your consumption/'time/weight ratio balanced

• A good day is hitting 4 wineries

• Be judicious in your time and tasting with each winery

• Proper etiquette would say buy something at each winery

• If you are purchasing a little in a lot of places there are local shippers that can send your wine home to you - Buffalo's Shipping Post

• Plan your day with one-two appointments with other walk-in wineries

• Wineries are usually open from 10am ? 5pm.

• Start at sparkling wine houses like Domaine Carneros, Mumm Napa Valley, Domaine Chandon as sparkling wine is usually easiest on the palate at 10 am

• Share tasting flights to mitigate drinking & driving.

• A flight is usually the equivalent of one glass of wine or more

• Use your dump buckets, the winery won't be offended

Napa Trip Advice #6: Book 1-2 tours during a weekend and leave the rest of your day open to just drop in and enjoy your vacation here in Napa Valley.

Napa Trip Advice #7: Despite the fact that you may have rental car, take a taxi whenever you should. California Law states that you are driving under the influence is your blood alcohol content is .08% or more.

Napa Trip Advice #8: We offer 110% Best Rate Guarantee for our Napa Valley Hotels. Click here to check pricing and availability for Napa Valley Hotels and Resorts.