Napa, CA

lodging

Carneros Resort and Spa

Unrivaled service, spectacular views, legendary pool, excellent food (and even better wine!), and central location to everything in both Napa and Sonoma.

Sonoma, CA

experience

Ram's Gate Winery

Relatively new vineyard in Sonoma. Spectacular views with beautiful outdoor space ideal for tastings and food. Can walk the grounds and chat with the friendly staff.

Napa, CA

experience

B Cellars

Beautiful grounds, expansive wine tasting lunch experience with excellent pairings and great service. All wines are sourced from other vineyards which allows them to get very creative with their wines and blends. Make sure you take the tour and try some wine directly from the cask!

Saint Helena, CA

experience

Duckhorn Vineyards

Really cool grounds and gardens. Good spot for late afternoon tastings on the large deck. Known for their cabernet, this was our fave vineyard and we bought several bottles, which they waived shipping on all the way back to New York! Great friendly service!

Napa, CA

experience

Artesa Vineyards & Winery

Very cool hilltop venue for a tasting. This place looks and feels like a villain's lair from a James Bond movie. Cool sculpture garden, amazing views, and great wines. Upscale spot but worth the visit on a warm clear day.

Napa, CA

restaurants

Boon Fly Café

Best brunch in Napa / Sonoma counties. Best corned beef hash I've ever had. Conveniently located on the grounds at Carneros but you don't need to be a hotel guest to dine here. Definitely plan this into your Napa / Sonoma trip ideally on the morning you expect to be most hungover!

Yountville, CA

restaurants

Ad Hoc

As the name suggests, Ad Hoc serves new items every single day. From local game to true farm-to-table veggies this place is very special. On a warm night request a table outside. Maybe you'll be as lucky as we were to have homemade fried chicken with great wine to wash it down.

Napa, CA

restaurants

Model Bakery

Best bakery in Napa and Sonoma counties. No contest. You'll find their baked goods in the Greater San Francisco area too but it's freshest here. Make sure you try the EVERYTHING!

Saint Helena, CA

restaurants

Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch

Cool grounds, convenient location, a great venue for a large event (it was being set up for a wedding when we were last there) and the option for a pricey 12 person combined table wine pairing dining experience, but the best way to enjoy this incredible food and fun sophisticated bar scene is to eat in the main restaurant at a seat at the bar.

Napa, CA

experience

Balloons Above the Valley

This was our first hot air balloon ride and it was made very memorable thanks largely in part to Balloons Above the Valley making it so special. Safe, fun, and beautiful. The entire team, especially Scott and our balloon captain Chad, was amazing and they helped capture these really cool photos. We also had the champagne brunch experience after the ride and it was very tasty and a fun way to cap off the ride. Highly recommend!

Sonoma, CA

experience

Gundlach Bundschu Winery

Known as "Gunbun" for short, this is the oldest family owned vineyard in California. Great outdoor picnic table sitting area overlooking the grounds and water reservoir. They have a very powerful story of the vineyard's endurance through multiple fires that nearly crippled the vineyard - gives you a higher appreciation for Gunbun's resilience and their excellent wine.