With three days to spend in Napa, B and I drank in all the wine and all the views. If you follow this 3-day itinerary, you’ll see and taste some of the best wines in the country. You can expect a weekend full of history, one-on-one time with some of the most knowledgable sommelier’s and plenty of wine.
One important thing to note, Napa Valley is way more spread out than you may think. For reference, it’s can be anywhere from a 5 to 20 minute drive in-between wineries. So, you will want to get a car or driver for the weekend as wineries are not a quick walk from each other. For hotel recommendations, airBnB has some great options, but there are plenty of hotels in both Napa and Sonoma.
DAY 1
NAPA RIVERFRONT
We arrived a bit later in the afternoon, so we only had the night to check out Napa. We headed straight to downtown Napa before dinner. While there, you can take a walk down to the Riverfront for a beautiful look at the city. The riverwalk lines the city center filled with restaurants, bars and shops. There are plenty of accommodations here for those who want to stay in the heart of it.
CARPE DIEM WINE BAR
Before heading to dinner, grab happy hour drinks at Carpe Diem Wine Bar. This is where we snagged our first of many wine flights of the trip. They had a decent wine selection and it seemed like a place B and I would go to for pre-dinner drinks if we lived here. It’s right next to the lively atmosphere of the Riverfront.
FARMSTEAD AT LONGMEADOW RANCH
If you are looking for a dinner recommendation while in Napa, definitely head to Farmstead! This restaurant and winery, located in St. Helena, was the best meal of our time in Napa. With a lot of outdoor space, this would be such a great dinner spot in the spring or summer with their dreamy rustic decor. Known for their farm to table dining style, their food did not disappoint. I can’t recommend it enough. Be sure to try their wood grilled heritage pork chops!
ANNA’S CANTINA
Before calling it a night, grab a night cap at Anna’s Cantina. Located right down the street from Farmstead, it has a local vibe to it. There are dollar bills handing from the ceiling and regulars line the bar. A local and friendly bar.
DAY 2
Heading into Napa, I knew I wanted to visit as many wineries as possible and really experience all it had to offer with the little amount of time we had. To do this, the best resource I found was Local Wally‘s guide. He offers free guides and itineraries for Napa. He also gives limited time deals on the Priority Wine Pass, which I also highly recommend getting. By using the pass, we saved nearly $200 in visiting wineries. For more info on the pass, check out Wally’s website.
OXBOW PUBLIC MARKET
Before a full day of wine ahead, grab coffee and a bite at Oxbow Public Market. Here, they have plenty of options for breakfast and if you attend later, lunch. They also have local items to purchase throughout the center of the market. We ate and drank at the little coffee shop at the end, Ritual Coffee Roasters. Before heading out, grab a green juice to energize for the day. Juice first, wine later.
NAPA VALLEY SIGN
Before heading into the wineries, you should stop to see the iconic Napa Valley sign. Famous from movies like Bottleshock, the sign off of Highway 29 is there to welcome you on your way to wine o’clock.
CAKEBREAD CELLARS
YA’LL! If there is just one winery you are going to visit while in Napa, make it Cakebread Cellars. Not to be confused with Cupcake wine, which you see on most supermarket shelves. This winery came highly recommended and I can see why. Although Cab is King in Napa, this is where I fell in love with Pinot Noir.
Purchase a winery tour (this one doesn’t come with the priority pass). You’ll tour the grounds and taste their remarkable wines. This was by far my favorite winery. Also, if you are looking for a great red that everyone will love, get an exclusive bottle of their Rubaiyat before heading home. You won’t regret it.
BERINGER VINEYARDS
Beringer is next and it’s a must because of the history. It is one of the more well known wineries as it’s the oldest in the Napa Valley. You’ll see the Beringer brand in most grocery aisles. A taste-testing here is included in the Priority Wine Pass. The winery is up on the hilltop to give you a gorgeous view of the valley.
GRGICH HILLS ESTATE
Grgrich is the winery that famously won the “Paris Tasting” in 1976. For the first time ever, they beat out the French wines that typically win the blind taste testing. This iconic blind-taste test win essentially put Napa Valley on the wine map. Here, you will want to use your Priority Wine Pass for a two-for-one tasting. Try their Chardonnay, which is what made them famous.
Their backyard, full of vines, is also a sight to see. It’s absolutely beautiful and I would love to come back in the summer when things are more lively. You can even stomp some grapes.
CASTELLO DI AMOROSA
Castello Di Amorosa. Wow. This place is absolutely gorgeous with its castle vibes. Three wineries in one day is a lot so spreading them out is ideal. But, if you have time and aren’t full of wine just yet, take a tour of the castle. At the end, you wind up in the basement of the castle where you can do some more taste testing. Here, you will get a lot of one-on-one time with the sommelier. It’s an interesting setting to taste some great wine.
AD HOC
After drinking wine all day, it’s time to relax with some good food. Grab a reservation at Ad Hoc. While it’s second on the list to Farmstead, it’s equally delicious. Also, don’t leave without trying their chocolate mousse. To die for!
JAM CELLARS
After dinner, head back to downtown Napa and end your night at JAM. After a long day and a great dinner, it was so fun to sit up at the bar and listen to some local live music.
Their decor was on point. The walls were littered with records, lounge seating in the back and they even had a disco ball to top it off. If you’re staying in Napa for the night, don’t miss this gem.
DAY 3
We originally planned to do Napa one day and Sonoma the next, but after our first day in Napa, there were still so many wineries that we wanted to visit. To compromise and explore more than just Napa, we chose to eat breakfast and dinner in Sonoma.
From what I discovered when researching, Sonoma has just as many good wineries. They offer smaller and lesser known brands, but give off a more localized feel. Next time we visit, we are definitely checking out some wineries in that part of the area.
SUNFLOWER CAFE
If you are early birds like we are, head over to Sonoma for a great breakfast at Sunflower Cafe. This tiny place was so sweet and made for a great breakfast location. You order at the bar and then find a seat to await your food. There is a nice outdoor patio that we sat at, but they also have indoor seating. They serve huge and delicious portions ranging from comfort food (B’s go-to) to egg-white omelets (my go-to).
ROBERT MONDAVI
Not much is open until 9 a.m. in Napa. So, if you have some time to kill, check out another Napa staple — Robert Mondavi. This place is typically one of the first wineries open. You’ve probably seen it on the shelves of the grocery aisle and it makes for a good table wine. We tried their moscato there and I fell in love with it. So good. Also, great views.
V. SATTUI
Next up, was V. Sattui. This half winery, half marketplace is an excellent stop for people who want to sip on wine while they shop and taste some local cheese. We tried some wine inside the marketplace, but weren’t blown away by anything. I think this place would be great on a warmer day as their outside is so beautiful. If visiting on a nice day, you can choose to have a picnic on their lawn.
STERLING VINEYARDS
This vineyard, along with Cakebread, is one I would recommend to anyone visiting Napa for the first time. We spent most of our morning and afternoon there. It’s so unique from the rest of the vineyards and offers the only Aerial Tram. The tram will shuttle you up to the winery and it’s included in the Priority Wine Pass as a two-for-one.
Getting up to the winery is a sight to see. The valley is directly below you and makes for a great experience.
Once off the tram, you get to tour the winery. It’s mainly an outdoors sip and walk tour with some epic views along the way. There are quite a few stops on the tour where, you guessed it, you get to taste the wine.
You’ll end on the rooftop of their winery, which gives one of the best views. You can order some food off the menu or buy full glasses here.
RAYMOND VINEYARDS
If you are up for one more winery, try Raymond. This place is perfect for the person who is always looking for a good photo opp. It has a few art pieces and sculptures scattered on the grounds — making it great for the instagrammer in your life. There is even an outdoor space for you to roam around in.
If you are looking for another tasting, head indoors and check out more of their art inside the tasting room. The hands on the wall are meant to represent the many hands that touch just one bottle of wine before it reaches the customer.
GIRL AND THE FIG
For your last dinner, spend it at Girl and the Fig. This restaurant has been reveled as the best in Sonoma and for good reason. They had a great selection and atmosphere.
PLACES I WISH I HAD TIME TO VISIT
If you have more time, check out the wineries I wish I had time to visit and let me know what you thought of them!
