How to Spend One Day In Napa, California

There’s endless opportunities for a fun time in the Napa Valley, with restaurants, spas, and over 500 wineries. I’ve never spent more than 24 hours in the area, but luckily, going to Napa for a day is the perfect bite-sized trip. Pick out a wine tasting or two and a place to eat, and you’ll be good to go!

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If you’re staying overnight, I recommend finding a cute airbnb nearby. The homes in Napa proper are adorable with a cottage/farmhouse feel and plenty are listed on airbnb. I haven’t had the chance to stay in one on my trips to Napa just yet, but I have stayed overnight in the city. If you’re looking for a hotel, I recommend the Andaz Napa. It’s a Hyatt concept hotel located right in downtown close to a bunch of fun things to do. Sergio and I stayed in a junior suite and it was wonderful! (Unfortunately don’t have any cute photos from the hotel)

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For breakfast or brunch, I cannot recommend Napa General Store enough. This restaurant is right on the river and has the best food. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, and a store with local goods and wines. If you aren’t feeling a sit-down place for your morning, you can grab some pastries and a coffee at the Model Bakery, also located in downtown Napa. Make sure to grab some english muffins while you’re there, it’s the specialty!

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Now onto some wine tastings. There’s two wine tastings that I just ADORE in Napa.

If you’re into white wines/sparkling wines, I would highly recommend Mumm Napa. There’s great views of the vineyards here. The outdoor patio tasting is $40 and comes with three wines, plus we received one complimentary wine to taste while we were waiting to be seated.

If you’re more of a red wine person, Pine Ridge Vineyards is the best. The vineyard is located right on a hillside and offers wine tastings and cave tours. The estate tasting is $45 and allows you to taste 5 different wines: one chardonnay and four cabernet sauvignons (their specialty). Sergio and I were also given a sixth wine to taste, their Fortis wine, which goes for $225 a bottle! Take a stroll over to the demonstration vineyard for a nice photo spot with the vineyard rows.

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For lunch, I recommend Brix Napa Valley. Brix is a farm-to-table restaurant with a beautiful back patio/backyard. While you’re waiting for your food, you can roam the gardens and vineyard rows (it’s an excellent photo spot if I do say so myself). This restaurant is a bit pricey, so if you’re looking for something cheaper, I recommend heading to Oxbow Public Market! There’s a bunch of good options here for lunch, including C Casa, a Mexican restaurant, and Gott’s Roadside, a fast food-type burger joint. Oxbow is also where Model Bakery is located, if you want to pop in for a pastry/dessert.

hopefully this helps in planning out your day in Napa!