A list of every fun, action-filled, and family-focused adventure that Napa Valley offers during any twelve-month period would be endless. The Wine Country businesses, communities, and citizens work hard to present a massive variety of fun things to do in Napa Valley that will interest, fascinate, entertain, and educate all visitors to the area.
While the following list of fun things to do in Napa Valley is intended to demonstrate the versatility and broad focus of Napa Valley’s array of adventures, prospective visitors may look deeper to find even more activities to suit their particular tastes.
Music and Entertainment
Bottlerock Festival May 27-29, 2022
The weekend-long Bottlerock Festival in Napa is one of the premier musical events in the nation. Five separate stages will present a continuing slate of well-known and respected international and regional talent, all performing in a variety of musical styles.
The festival, which tends to sell out in advance, will also feature an outstanding array of food, wine, artisan beers, and, naturally, world-class entertainment.
This year, a few of the featured performers will be Metallica, Pink, Twenty-One Pilots, and many, many more. Guests can even enjoy performances by the local Napa Valley Youth Symphony.
Napa Uptowne Theatre Concerts
Beginning in May, Napa Uptowne Theatre will be hosting a sequence of top international singers and musicians. The upcoming schedule for 2022 includes:
- May 20 & 21: Boz Scaggs
- June 19: Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs
- June 21: Lyle Lovett And His Big Band
- June 25: Who’s Bad: Michael Jackson Tribute
- July 7: Clint Black
- July 15: Y&T
- July 23: ABBA The Concert (Tribute Band)
- July 28: Richard Marx
- Sept 20: Weird Al Yankovic
- Oct 1: The Wallflowers
- Oct 2: Get The Led Out
- Oct 9: Graham Nash
- Dec 2: Steve Vai
Music Under the Stars
Throughout the summer, some communities of Napa Valley offer delightful free Music Under the Stars presentations. Guests can enjoy their picnic meals and beverages under the stars as they watch and listen to an ever-changing lineup of talented regional performers.
Porchfest Napa: July 31, 2022
Porchfest is an annual City of Napa tradition that takes the music “out of the garage and onto the Porch!” On the last Sunday of July, Napa closes off some of its main streets to allow local musicians to display their talents from many of those famous front porches of the City.
Free of charge to everyone and truly fun thing to do while in Napa Valley, visitors can walk, bike, or dance from porch to porch while enjoying some of their favorite songs in a safe, alcohol-free environment. Groups can bring picnic lunches or try the many terrific options from a lineup of food and beverage trucks.
Napa Valley Wine Train
Climb aboard a carefully restored early 20th Century Pullman rail car to travel back to an “elegant age” as you move slowly through the towns and vineyards of beautiful Napa Valley. The Napa Valley Wine Train offers excellent gourmet multi-course meals, winery tours, wine tasting outings, weddings, and other special events.
Passengers can also experience a delightful 36-mile round trip outing between Downtown Napa and St. Helena, enjoying the remarkable Napa Valley landscape and even some boutique winery visits.
Outdoor Adventures
Balloons Above the Valley
One fabulous way to begin any Napa Valley adventure is with a safe and memorable morning Napa hot air balloon ride with Napa’s Balloons Above the Valley. You and your loved one, family, and friends can begin a day of adventure while peacefully above the beautiful far-reaching Napa Valley landscape. You will marvel at the mountainous backdrop that frames the Valley as you and your group drift quietly above the vineyards, wineries, and communities along the length of the Valley.
Once the experienced Balloons Above the Valley pilot brings the balloon comfortably back to earth following an approximately one-hour flight, you will prepare to set off for the following fun things to do on your list.
Hiking in Napa Valley
Hikers of all ages, experiences, and endurance levels can enjoy the many hiking opportunities that Napa Valley’s scenic topography offers. Hikers can easily locate their “sweet spot” from shorter trails through beautiful groves and grass meadows to more challenging mountainside and wilderness trekking.
Many local outdoor adventure resources can advise an appropriate route best suited for your group. Here are a few of the many popular hiking outings, according to Visit Napa Valley:
- Skyline Park: Offers both easy and more challenging trails. Visitors can even scale the Ridge Trail to where San Francisco Bay becomes visible. Check with the Skyline Park Insider’s Guide for more information.
- Westwood Hills: This 3-mile park trail winds through forest and glen and, at one point, offers a beautiful view of the City of Napa. The route is perfect for taking a picnic lunch and enjoying the scenery from benches and tables along the way.
- Alston Park: A dog-friendly hiking area, visitors can bring their four-legged buddies along and enjoy an adventure where half of the park is considered off-leash while the other half remains “on-leash” at all times.
- Bothe–Napa Valley State Park: With over 10 miles of hiking trails, visitors hike through the redwoods, Douglas fir, and Tanoak before stopping for a picnic lunch or even setting up camp for the night.
- Moore Creek Park: near St. Helena, hikers can circumnavigate the blue water lake or trek to a nearby “hidden” water hole at a higher elevation.
Bike Tours
Several companies offer group and self-guided bike tours in Napa Valley. Perhaps you may choose a single-day bike tour that leads guests to a small number of wineries in Napa Valley. Or, you might reserve a spot for a more rigorous 6-day backroads tour that begins in Napa, heads to Bodega Bay on the Pacific Coast, and doubles back to Healdsburg before returning to Napa.
Individuals, families, and groups may rent bikes for a casual ride along the Napa Valley Vine Trail, which runs 12.5 miles from South Napa to Yountville. Eventually, the Vine Trail will cover 47 miles from Vallejo at the southern point to Calistoga, the northernmost community of Napa Valley.
Golfing and PGA Tournament
Several communities and resorts in Napa Valley maintain top-quality golf courses for their guests and visitors. Some of these excellent venues are the Silverado Resort, Eagle Vines, and Napa Golf Courses in Napa; Meadowood and Mt. St Helena Golf Courses in St. Helena, Chardonnay in American Canyon, and Vintners Golf Club in Yountville.
For golf fans, PGA Tour’s Fortinet Championship will be held at Silverado Resort and Spa Golf Course on September 14-18, 2022. This event will kick off the 2022-2023 FedEx Cup regular season and will feature many of the top professional golfers in the world. This event has been voted the “the most fan-friendly” event on the PGA Tour.
Wine Tours
A visit to Napa Valley is never complete without a winery tour and wine tasting outing. Several Napa Valley wine tour companies offer safe join-in or custom tours to a predetermined number of quality wineries.
The tour companies may also include amenities like a specially catered lunch plus expert-led tours and commentaries on winemaking and grape cultivation in the wineries and vineyards.
In some instances, guests will be collected and returned to their hotels while enjoying expert and entertaining commentary throughout the experience.
Art in Napa Valley
Art, Sip and Stroll, Yountville, May 21
Yountville’s Art, Sip and Stroll event celebrates the delightful convergence of excellent wines and art enjoyment. The event features over 50 artists and their work, plus an array of wine tastings, craft beer, live music, and a full array of food options. Visitors drift through the art presentations, stopping to enjoy their favorite works and some of the products of local Yountville wineries.
Food and Farmers Markets
Napa Valley’s agricultural output boasts more than grapes for excellent wines. The variety of growing conditions and soils, plus the beautiful climate, are ideally suited for growing a full range of superb produce and vegetables. Throughout the summer, communities like Napa, Calistoga, and St. Helena present popular Farmer’s Markets that feature beautiful produce and handmade goods that are perfect as gifts or to take home and enjoy.
The current 2022 Farmers Market Schedule has the City of Napa presenting every Tuesday and Saturday, St. Helena on Fridays, and Calistoga on Friday. Each event will take place in the center of the respective towns.
Reserve Your Hot Air Balloon Ride in Advance
Memorable, safe, and thrilling hot air balloon rides over Napa Valley conducted by the longstanding professionals of Balloons Above the Valley are becoming more popular each year. Napa Valley itself has become a famous hot air balloon destination due to its perfect atmospheric conditions, great weather, and incomparable terrain and views.
Treat your loved ones and friends to the perfect adventure, drifting quietly above the spectacular expanse of Napa Valley and beyond as you take in the incredible views of vineyards, stately wineries, pristine villages, and mountainous backdrop.
For more information about a Balloons Above the Valley adventure and to book your outing, visit their website. Or, you may phone Balloons Above the Valley at 1-800-464-6824.