Napa Valley
United States
- Countryside
- Californian vineyards
- Country life
- Wine and dine
Producing some of the best food and wine in the United States, the rolling hills of the Napa Valley and nearby Sonoma are a magnet for gourmands and wine lovers.
The vineyards may not be as extensive and the wineries not as grand as their European counterparts, but what Napa lacks in old-world traditions it makes up for with warmth and informality. Forget about snooty sommeliers and their pompous pretensions; here wine tasting is always a pleasure rather than a trial. With impeccable French-inspired cuisine, a benign climate and some beautiful scenery it’s hardly surprising that San Franciscans flock here year-round for some refined R’n’R.
Pictured: Calistoga Ranch
Boutique hotels in Napa Valley
Our round-up of the hippest hideaways and boutique hotels in the Napa Valley area.
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Getting there
Don't know how to get to Napa Valley? Whether you want to fly, drive or float in by hot-air balloon, we tell you the best way, with local travel tips, too.
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Worth getting out of bed for
Highlights Napa Valley's best attractions, from wine-tasting to horse riding – there are plenty of gentle pursuits to tempt you.
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Eating, drinking & dancing
We've tracked down the best cafés for people-watching, the bars with the coolest cocktails, the most accomplished restaurants and the liveliest local nightlife in Napa Valley. All you have to do is make sure you've packed your favourite threads…
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Smith Maps
Here is the map of Napa Valley; each Mr & Mrs Smith hotel is marked by a flag; click it for more details.
moreLocal knowledge
- Taxis
- Black Tie Taxi (+1 707 259 1000) operates 24 hours a day and serves the entire Napa Valley area. Keep their number handy, in case you get too tipsy to drive home.
- Tipping culture
- 15–20 per cent is usual for almost every conceivable service – if in doubt, tip.
- Packing tips
- If you plan on hiring a convertible to breeze through the vineyards in, bring a headscarf or cap unless you want to arrive looking windswept and ‘interesting’. A pair of sunglasses is a good idea, to dim the dazzling light on those mornings after you’ve overindulged.
- Recommended reads
- Napa Valley: The Ultimate Winery Guide by Antonia Allegra and Richard Gillette; The Silverado Squatters by Robert Louis Stevenson; East of Eden by John Steinbeck.
- Cuisine
- Napa Valley is serious gastro territory, with some of the most sophisticated and delicious food in the States, much of it organic. There’s a strong emphasis on French cuisine – this is definitely one place where you won’t be offered ‘Freedom fries’. As you’d expect, there’s also a big emphasis on Californian wines, too. For some expert cookery demonstrations, visit the prestigious Culinary Institute of America’s California campus in St Helena (www.ciachef.edu).
- Currency
- US dollar.
- Time zone
- GMT -8.
- Dialing codes
- United States: 1. The area code for the Napa and Sonoma valleys is 707.
- Do go/don't go
- The exciting autumn harvest is known locally as ‘the Crush’. You might want to time your visit and go just after or just before, when the weather is perfect and the crowds less madding.
