Napa is the largest city in Napa County, California, and the southern gateway to the Napa Valley, one of the world's best-known wine regions. It is the county seat, in the North Bay above San Francisco. The valley floor runs about 30 miles (48 kilometres) north from the city of Napa to Calistoga, between the Mayacamas Mountains to the west and the Vaca Mountains to the east, and is no more than about 5 miles wide.
Visitors come to taste wine among vineyards that cover the valley floor and hillsides, to eat well in its small towns, and to soak in Calistoga's hot springs, hike in state parks and drive the quiet Silverado Trail. The city of Napa has a lively riverfront downtown and the widest choice of places to stay, from apartments and cottages to family homes. Up-valley towns such as Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga are smaller and closer to the vineyards. Fall harvest is the busiest season; winter is quieter and green after the rains.
The city of Napa, at the southern end of the valley, has the most homes, cottages and apartments to rent. Its downtown along the Napa River is walkable, with restaurants, tasting rooms and the restored Napa Valley Opera House, and it suits first visits, groups and anyone who wants evenings without driving.
Yountville, about 10 miles north, is a small, walkable town known for its restaurants. St. Helena, farther up the valley, has a historic Main Street surrounded by vineyards. Calistoga, at the northern end below Mount Saint Helena, is more relaxed, with hot springs, spas and easy access to hiking.
The countryside between these towns is mostly farmland protected by Napa County's Agricultural Preserve, so most rentals are in or near the towns. Staying in the city of Napa is convenient for the Bay Area; up-valley towns save driving to northern wineries.
Napa Valley became an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1981, among the first in the country, and today contains seventeen smaller sub-appellations. The southern end, near San Pablo Bay, is cooled by fog and sea breezes, while the sheltered north around Calistoga is often much warmer. Soils range from old bay sediments in the south to volcanic ash and lava in the north, and summer fog often lingers until mid-morning.
Cabernet Sauvignon is the variety the valley is best known for, alongside Chardonnay, Merlot, Zinfandel and Pinot Noir. Hundreds of wineries, from small family estates to large houses, line State Route 29 on the west side of the valley and the Silverado Trail on the east. Many tasting rooms work by reservation, so plan ahead, and agree on a designated driver or hire transport for tasting days.
Calistoga grew up in the 1860s around a hot springs resort, and mineral pools and mud baths remain part of a visit. Nearby, the Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park, between St. Helena and Calistoga, preserves a water-powered mill built in 1846.
Robert Louis Stevenson State Park, north of Calistoga, has a trail of about 5 miles (8 kilometres) to the summit of Mount Saint Helena, with wide views over the Bay Area on clear days. The Scottish author spent his honeymoon in a mining cabin on the mountain in 1880 and wrote about it in The Silverado Squatters.
In the city of Napa, the riverfront is good for walking, and the Napa River, which rises on Mount Saint Helena, flows past downtown toward San Pablo Bay. Hot-air balloon flights over the vineyards at dawn and cycling on quiet side roads are other popular ways to see the valley.
The Wappo lived in the upper valley and the Patwin to the south long before Europeans arrived; the name Napa is of Native American origin, though its meaning is disputed. A Spanish missionary expedition explored the valley in 1823, and the city of Napa was founded in 1847.
George C. Yount planted the first recorded vines in 1838, and commercial winemaking began in the late 1850s. By 1880 the valley had more than 400 sizeable vineyards, but phylloxera, Prohibition from 1920 and the Great Depression set the industry back for decades. Recovery came after the Second World War, and in 1968 Napa County created its Agricultural Preserve to keep the valley floor in farming. In 1976 Napa Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon beat leading French wines in a blind tasting in Paris, a result that made the region internationally famous. A magnitude 6.0 earthquake damaged parts of the city in 2014.
The closest major airports are San Francisco International (SFO) and Oakland International (OAK), both roughly an hour to an hour and a half's drive from the city of Napa depending on traffic, and Sacramento International (SMF), at a similar distance to the northeast. Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport (STS), in Santa Rosa, is smaller but closer to the upper valley. Napa County Airport (APC), south of the city, serves general aviation.
Two roads run the length of the valley: State Route 29 through the towns on the west side and the quieter Silverado Trail along the east, linked by short cross roads. A car is the easiest way to explore, though weekend traffic on Route 29 can be slow. The VINE public bus links the valley's towns. The currency is the US dollar, and California is on Pacific Time.
The Napa Valley has a Mediterranean climate: warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters, with most rain falling between October and April. Summer days are often hot, especially up-valley, while mornings can be foggy near the bay. Heat waves occasionally push temperatures above 100°F (38°C), and snow is rare on the valley floor.
Late summer and fall, when grapes are harvested, are the busiest and most atmospheric months, with high demand for rentals on weekends; book well ahead. Spring brings green hills and new growth in the vineyards, and winter is the quietest season, with lower demand and lush scenery. Wildfires have burned parts of the surrounding hills in recent years, notably in 2017, so during the dry season check air quality and local alerts before you travel.
The city of Napa has the widest choice of rentals and a walkable riverfront downtown, and is handy for the Bay Area. Yountville and St. Helena put you among the vineyards in small, walkable towns, while Calistoga, at the northern end, suits hot springs, hiking and a slower pace.
Late summer and fall, during the grape harvest, are the busiest and most popular months. Spring is green and pleasant, with fewer visitors, and winter is the quietest and wettest season. Summer is dry and often hot, especially in the upper valley.
The city of Napa is roughly an hour's drive from San Francisco, and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Oakland International Airport (OAK) are each about an hour to an hour and a half away, depending on traffic. Calistoga, at the valley's northern end, adds roughly another 45 minutes.
It is the easiest way to get around, because wineries, parks and towns are spread along about 30 miles of valley. The VINE public bus links the towns, and many visitors hire a driver or tour for tasting days so that no one has to drive after drinking.
Two or three days allow a few winery visits, a walk around downtown Napa and a stop in Yountville or St. Helena. With four or five days you can add Calistoga's hot springs, a hike up Mount Saint Helena and slower days among the vineyards.
Napa Valley is known above all for wine, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, and for the 1976 Paris tasting in which its wines beat leading French labels. It is also known for its restaurants, Calistoga's hot springs, vineyard landscapes and hot-air balloon flights.
No. In unincorporated Napa County, renting out a home for less than 30 days has long been prohibited by county rules, and each town, including the city of Napa, sets its own rules and permits for short stays. Check that a rental is permitted and confirm the current local rules before booking.
It can be. Children enjoy the hot springs pools in Calistoga, the historic Bale Grist Mill, parks along the Napa River and easy walks in the state parks. Many wineries welcome families, but tasting is for adults aged 21 and over, so plan a mix of activities.
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