Tell me about Napa Valley

[drivingtofrance]

We are going to the USA in July and will be staying mostly with family (Tahoe and San Francisco) Me and DH do plan to nip off for a couple of short breaks though. Napa Valley has always been on my list but I haven't yet made it there.

Does anyone have any tips on where is good to base ourselves - how many days we'd need etc. Napa seems to be less than 2 hours drive from where we will be staying in the Bay Area.

I will ask my family members too of course but appreciate as much info as I can get.

Thanks

Sonoma and Yountville spring to mind. Look at Lonely Planet California for more ideas. It will be very hot! I like the redwoods further north!

Thanks Bubbles

Sonoma is also on my list of possibles. Maybe it's less expensive than Napa too.

Still in the planning stages tbh. We have flights booked so far, nothing else.

Do you want to go wine tasting?

Yes probably.

Have done so in Murphys (like it there) and Lodi - we didn't stay overnight there just a quick tasting trip.

Napa is small and lovely but I wouldn’t use it as a base......

Unless you’re really into wine and golf.

When we go we stay at the Harvest Inn in St Helena. They gave avoid bar and restaurant and nice surroundings. They also have a courtesy car within a 3 miles radius to drop you at wine tastings.

Napa itself is a nice town. We stayed at the Archer Hotel.

If you stay in Calistoga there are hot springs at some of the hotels and it is a pretty little town.

We have also stayed in Healdsburg over in Sonoma County which is lovely with lots of nice restaurants

That should say they have a good bar

The Harvest Inn looks very nice indeed!