If you want to find a place where relaxation and fun are seamlessly combined, try these fun things to do in Napa Valley. Of course, the area is also home of the world-famous wines and peerless landscape. Whether you have a planned visit or are just passing through Napa Valley, you can find endless possibilities for how to enjoy your stay there.
Since Napa Valley alone has over 400 wineries to visit, the last thing you want to be concerned with is driving while visiting the wineries and wine tasting. You may hire a car with a knowledgeable chauffeur who will take you to various wineries and other interesting tourist spots. Or plan for a wine tour bus or shuttle service especially if you plan to go with a large group! The transportation companies will map out an itinerary and plan the day for you, but it depends on the wineries you’d like to visit. These companies can also arrange for private tastings or tours.
But what if you want to do some tastings but you just happen to pass by the vineyards one day? The majority of wineries in Napa, as well as Sonoma, require an appointment for tasting, although you may be delighted that there are a few wineries who offer wine tastings for walk-in visitors. Check out boutique wineries such as Alexander Valley wines, Prager Port, Frog’s Leap, Dutch Henry, Frank Family, Artesa Winery, and so many others. The Tuscan-style castle-like winery Castelo di Amorosa does not need appointment for wine tastings but requires appointments for guided tours with a wine tasting as well as food and wine pairings.
If you happen to pass by the Napa Valley, take a stroll through St. Helena and see its picturesque main street. It features gorgeous preserved old houses and other buildings like shops, cafes, restaurants, boutiques, and many others. You can come there anytime whether you have planned to visit there or are just passing through.
You can also check out its vibrant art scene! Napa Valley is no stranger to arts as it is the home of several galleries, museums, art events, and much more. Most museums and galleries welcome walk-in visitors.
Riding a hot air balloon can be a very exhilarating experience because guests will have the chance to see the beauty of the Napa Valley while flying high above the ground. The well-arranged rows of grapevines appear like a part of a patch-work quilt on the rolling hills as they greet the first rays of the sunlight. Riding on a quiet breeze, you will feel infinite peace and oneness with Mother Nature as you see the sun slowly rising from the horizon. Riding the hot air balloon is not only fun but can also be an eye-opening, enlightening experience!
You may sign up at any hot air balloon operators in Napa. But unlike other companies, Balloons Above the Valley (BATV) offers a wide range of sunrise hot air balloon and wine tours packages which include pre-flight breakfasts, post-flight brunches, on-the-ground wine tours, optional shopping and sightseeing, picnic lunches, and more. If you live in or are staying in downtown San Francisco, choose BATV’s “San Francisco Hot Air Balloon and Wine Tour Package” where you will be transported from the city to the Wine Country by riding on one of a fleet of limo buses, and back to San Francisco by riding the ferry.
While you’re in Napa Valley or nearby areas such as San Francisco, explore opportunities not only for fun and excitement but also for enriching your traveling experience. Going to wineries and tasting wines, stepping back in time in wondrous St. Helena, visiting shops, restaurants, galleries and cafes and riding a hot air balloon are just only few of the many fun things to do in Napa Valley.