What is Napa like? (Fairfield, Bell: hotels, house, restaurants)

[bjh]

Am contemplating a trip to California wine country soon and would greatly appreciate any insight you have on the Napa valley. What is it like?

What should no visitor leave without doing or seeing?

I understand the valley is beautiful year round. Please describe what a visit there is like.

[bhcompy]

one of the things i enjoy doing in napa is the wine train tour

[bjh]

Anyone taken a hot air ballon ride? Do they have them?

[calif]

They do have hot air balloon rides but if it is foggy down that way they launch from Middletown, which is in Lake County.

[yamamama]

If you are interest in art, be sure to check out the di Rosa preserve. Hot air balloons are fun - some companies guarantee a balloon ride over Napa, others don't. Downtown Napa has several wine tasting rooms. This is a great way to stop in one place and sample the products of several different vintners. Be sure to eat at Taylor's Refresher, either upvalley or in the city of Napa.

[CMKM-Miller]

If you want to know what the real Napa is like, take a look at their on-line newspaper, Napa Valley Register. Gangs are a HUGE problem in Napa primarily due to the large hispanic population in the area so those grapes can be picked for wine lovers. That and there is nothing in town for teens to do.

Don't get me wrong, the area itself is very pretty. You'll have wonderful weather any time of the year you visit. You'll have morning fog which will slowly burn off throughout the day. It never gets too hot in the summer, low to mid 90's typically with cooler evenings due to the proximity to the bay area. The drive up Silverado Trail, Highway 29, or Highway 121 to Lake Berryessa is quite lovely.

Copia, the center for arts/wine/food will be open only temporarily on Fri,Sat, and Sun due to financial problems. There are many wonderful restaurants to eat - French Laundry, Celadon, and I can't remember all the others. Been over a year since I've been there. I hear the Napa River Inn (Hatt Building) is haunted so that could be an interesting stay should you decide to stay there.

[mamh]

Jones's Steak House is my favoritist place to eat in all of Napa County..Its out at the county airport and great for lunch or dinner..We go there everytime we go home..
Take ride over to the Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield , get a sure high and a great tour to boot...They make the jelly bean Ronnie Reagon made famous...
Don't have hotel shock at the prices for hotels..Even a small we stay at by the Napa River is pricy and we are just in town to see family..
The valley is very pretty year around..Don't forget your jackets it can be cool there..
Enjoy

[ColfaxTeri]

I like St Helena, and Calistoga or some of the other smaller towns, where you can walk around, enjoy some great food and wine. This time of year after the harvest it might not look its best, it is beautiful just before harvest with the grapes and the turning leaves. Rain has started so everything will start greening up soon. As a side trip I would suggest a drive out to the coast, Bodega, Jenner, see the wild coast and the redwoods, enjoy some seafood.

Bring plenty of $$ the resturants in Napa are not cheap for the most part.

[ElleBebe]

Originally Posted by CMKM-Miller

Gangs are a HUGE problem in Napa primarily due to the large hispanic population in the area so those grapes can be picked for wine lovers. That and there is nothing in town for teens to do.

Wow, really?? I never would have guessed that. I've visited Napa several times, and have never seen evidence of this, although it does make sense... I don't think that a visitor should worry about gangs though.

I also recommend the Wine Train, although do it for lunch and not dinner, especially if you're going during the late fall/winter months when the sun sets early. My husband and I went in November for our birthdays last year and we went on the dinner train; the sun had set by the time we boarded and it was cloudy so we couldn't see anything outside except for store lights when we went by buildings.

Visit smaller wineries if you're going to do a lot of wine tasting; the smaller ones, especially off the beaten path, are usually less crowded and you can chat with the tasting room staff. You're more likely to be able to talk to a winemaker or person who really knows a lot about wine, and you might get free tastes.

[tenn or ozark bound]

Originally Posted by ColfaxTeri

I like St Helena, and Calistoga or some of the other smaller towns, where you can walk around, enjoy some great food and wine. This time of year after the harvest it might not look its best, it is beautiful just before harvest with the grapes and the turning leaves. Rain has started so everything will start greening up soon. As a side trip I would suggest a drive out to the coast, Bodega, Jenner, see the wild coast and the redwoods, enjoy some seafood.

Bring plenty of $$ the resturants in Napa are not cheap for the most part.

What resaurants in Calistoga do you like? I'm looking for a restaurant to celebrate our anniversary at. Do you know the All Season's Cafe and Wine Shop on Lincoln Ave?