My First City Guide - Napa!

I get lots of questions from friends about cities I have travelled to and have meant to put these together FOREVER!  I am NOT a Napa "expert" - I am just sharing what I like to do and places I like to visit!

I plan on attacking them one at a time (as I have time). Starting off with...Napa!!  I'm not exactly sure where this will lead me but I will just start out and hack on it as needed.

Logistics - Generally I never try to do day trips to Napa from San Francisco. That being said I HAVE but I do not recommend it and it's just a bad bad bad idea. BAD. If at all possible, try to move to a hotel in Napa or designate some poor soul to be a DD. Pick the friend you like the least since this is cruel and unusual in my opinion.

Favorite Places to Stay - Hands down my goto is the Embassy Suites - Napa. It is nicely located and they have gone through some fairly significant renovations that I cannot wait to see (i.e.  hence the scraped interior pictures)!

I have also stayed at several other places and if you are so inclined I would check out Silverado Resort (recently renovated), or Zinfandel House, or if you are well above my tax bracket I would always want to stay at Auberge Du Soleil (get out your checkbook! - Consider yourself warned!). 
Above having a nice, clean room I think location is the biggest issue if you only have a few days. You will not be in the room hanging out (if you are a wine lover, like moi)! They have MANY bed and breakfasts but when I am out and about 99% of the day, I'd rather spend my $$ on more wine to ship home!

Favorite Places to Eat - Disclaimer - there are LOTS of places to have VERY expensive and fantasic meals in Napa.  I don't typically enjoy that as much as a place where you see locals and just enjoy good food or something special about the experience.  So don't hate that I am not spending all mah cash money at the French Laundry!

Bounty Hunter - Good fun, low cost, amazing beer can chicken....not to mention an amazing wine list....

Oakville Grocery - Seasonal prepared foods, made-to-order sandwiches and salads, breads, cheeses, charcuterie, and baked goods can be taken to-go or enjoyed on the property....All kinds of deliciousness!




Taylor's Refresher - awesome burgers and nice quick FILLING food (ok, not at all low cal but will soak up some wine...kind of like conditioning, right?)

Auberge Du Soleil - my splurge meal.  Absolutely the most amazing view of Napa you could ask for.

Check out that wine list!!

 

Years ago I would have added V. Sattui as a place but it has been ruined by the mobs of people that visit....so sad! You won't catch me there with all the screaming kids...No joke, last time I went I got to see score of parents that apparently feel wine tasing is a great family activity...with TODDLERS!  I looked for my pictures but couldn't find it.  I'm not a prude or a bitter empty nester but I just didn't enjoy wine tasting with screaming kids running around - picnicing, fine...but at a wine bar - not so much.  Don't hate - to each his own!  I just realized I do ... A LOT.  ...


Check back for the next posting on the good part - the wineries!  Yeah!!