Whether you prefer non-stop activity and entertainment or a week of relaxation punctuated with unforgettable experiences, Napa Valley has something for everyone. The incredible environment, magnificent climate, and legendary hospitality offer the best in everything for couples, friends, and families to enjoy.
A weeklong stay in Napa Valley should include a mix of exploration, fine dining, wine tours and tastings, live entertainment, and outdoor activity.
To begin your Wine Country experience, a safe and exhilarating start to any visit to wonderful Napa Valley is a morning hot air balloon ride Napa-Valley-style. As the Balloons Above the Valley balloon ascends slowly above the landscape, you and your partner will greet the morning with a panoramic view of glorious Napa Valley and the mountainous backdrop.
Choose Accommodations that Match Your Agenda
Napa Valley boasts many excellent hotels, inns, and B&Bs to match any preference. With stunning 5-Star hotels and spas that offer all the amenities and activities to many of those delightfully quaint and historic bed and breakfasts, visitors need only decide how they wish to spend their time and what location is best situated for their chosen activities.
To experience more of Napa Valley, many week-long visitors select accommodations in one community, then transfer to another by midweek in one of the Valley’s other communities.
Enjoy World-Class Dining
Offering an elite group of a dozen Michelin-starred restaurants to scores of casual restaurants and cafes to fit your taste, Napa Valley has it all. You will never need to look far for an enjoyable dining experience or a romantic dinner for two.
If you have never experienced the Napa Wine Train, the experience is a beautiful opportunity to view the region from a new perspective as you wining and dine comfortably in a refurbished 19th Century rail car. The Napa Wine Train offers several packages, so guests can select a unique activity that fits their schedule.
Backcountry Scenic Drives
Set aside a day to explore and head east through the countryside. Sage Canyon Road (California Highway 128 East) takes you from the beaten path into the Vaca Mountain Range, where you will spot some historic boutique wineries, incredible views, and incomparable picnic and hiking locations.
Eastbound Route 128 is accessible from Napa via Route 121 or St. Helena and Rutherford.
Your destination should be the beautiful, 23-mile-long Lake Berryessa, the largest lake in Napa County. Here you can hike, fish, picnic, rent a houseboat, or just enjoy the scenery.
You might also consider a westward 22-mile automobile adventure from Calistoga to Spring Mountain, where you can explore the incredible valley views and drop by some out-of-the-way boutique wineries. A stand-alone reason for making this trip is the 3.4 million-year-old Petrified Forest that everyone should visit at least once.
Explore “UpValley” Towns
If you are staying in the City of Napa, plan to spend several hours exploring the other towns that lie to the north. Communities like Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena, and Calistoga have contributed significantly to the area’s history and winemaking reputation, and each offers its own charm and interest. Explore the fascinating shops, galleries, restaurants, and community parks along the way.
And, of course, you should plan to spend time at one of the many highly acclaimed wineries throughout these areas.
Hot Air Balloon Rides Napa Valley
Balloons Above the Valley is the premier hot air balloon rides near me in Napa Valley. Hot air balloon rides Napa Valley have become an iconic experience that more and more visitors are choosing to begin their Napa Valley visits.
Enjoy the breathtaking panoramic views and fresh air of beautiful Napa Valley. You will experience an exhilarating feeling of freedom and quiet escape as your professional pilot guides the hot air balloon through a slow and controlled flight and soft landing at the destination.
The professionals at Balloons Above the Valley focus on passenger safety and have decades of experience in delighting their guests with safe and enjoyable experiences.
Document your progress for friends and family with the limitless photo opportunities of stunning Napa Valley during your hot air balloon rides near me. You will view a broad landscape blanketed by hundreds of vineyards, numerous large and small wineries, and beautiful communities while drifting slowly and silently above the Napa Valley landscape.
Wine Tours of Napa Valley
The best and safest way to tour the wineries and taste the excellent wines of Napa Valley is by reserving your space with one of Napa Valley’s notable wine tour companies. You and your group will travel safely and comfortably in a modern, well-equipped vehicle to visit and taste the wines at select Napa Valley wineries. A worry-free option, expertly curated and managed wine tours allow participants to enjoy the scenery, commentary, and, of course, the best wines of Napa Valley’s boutique wineries.
Enjoy the Great Outdoors
Couples, families, and groups find Napa Valley an outdoor wonderland. The region boasts an excellent climate and offers several beautiful parks and settings for picnics and several well-marked and scenic hiking trails to enjoy.
For bicycle riders, the Napa Valley Vine Trail is currently completed between the City of Napa’s Kennedy Park to Yountville, a distance of 12.5 miles. Eventually, the Trail will connect the entire length of Napa Valley, from the Vallejo Ferry to Calistoga, a total of 47 miles.
The region has several bike rental shops, so you may leave your bike at home if you like.
Live Musical Entertainment
Napa Valley features nightclubs and bars with local and regional talent performing nightly.
And during the summer, the communities of Napa, Yountville, St. Helena, and Calistoga offer weekly free summer concerts under the stars performed by local talent for visitors and residents to enjoy free.
BottleRock Napa Valley is an annual three-day gathering of world-famous and regional musicians. The festival consists of over 75 performances and has become one of the most important musical gatherings in the nation.
Festival Napa Valley will feature a two-week-long lineup of world-class entertainment for all ages from July 8-23, 2023. Attendees will be treated to an array of classical, jazz, opera, dance, and more during this time.
Each year in July, Napa Porchfest features a unique “out of the garage and onto the porch” musical event where people can stroll from porch to porch throughout Old Town Napa to enjoy local musicians set up on historic porches around the area.
Other popular Napa Valley live musical performances include:
- Blue Note Napa concert series at Silverado Resort in May – September
- Napa Valley Jazz Getaway in June
- Oxbow RiverStage concert series starting in June
- Blue Note Jazz Festival in July
- Festival Napa Valley in July
- Music in the Vineyards in August
Relax, Restore, and Heal at a Napa Valley Spa
Likely during midweek or near the end of your week-long adventure, a soothing and rebuilding session at a Napa Valley spa will restore your energy and prepare you for the next experience. Or you may have your spa session just before returning home following an action-packed week in Napa Valley.
Napa Valley offers several high-end spas that provide a full range of rejuvenating and pampering treatments during half or full-day visits. Unwind and relax with your choice of massage options, mineral baths, mud and facial treatments, and more.
Kid-Friendly Options
Napa Valley is family-friendly. Throughout the region, communities and businesses have come together to create educational, stimulating, and fun things to do for children.
These include:
- Connelly Ranch offers a working farm and education center where young people can learn about and enjoy the animals and explore many of the mysteries of nature.
- Bothe Napa Valley State Park offers family hiking of several trails and tours of a working grist mill. Camping and swimming are also available.
- diRosa Center for Contemporary is an art museum to be enjoyed by all. In addition, the museum offers an educational book corner for kids and an outdoor sculpture walk.
- Wetlands Edge Park offers a nature walk through the American Canyon wetlands, where you can spot several types of wildlife and birds. Take along your binoculars to get a closer look.
Reserve Your Balloons Above the Valley Adventure Today
There is no better way to kick off a weeklong vacation to Napa Valley than with one of the best early morning hot air balloon rides Napa-style, with Balloons Above the Valley.
Whether you are planning an adventure for you and your partner, a friends getaway, a company outing, or just family fun, the professionals at Balloons Above the Valley have provided over four decades of safe and enjoyable hot air balloon rides near me.
Guests meet early in the morning at the Model Bakery near the Oxbow Market in Napa for coffee and pastries. A Balloons Above the Valley driver will transport the passengers to the designated launch site to observe the balloon inflation.
When the balloon is ready, the passengers board, and the experienced pilot allows the balloon to ascend slowly and safely. Because the balloon floats silently along with the wind currents, passengers will experience little buffeting or rocking motions.
After a 45-minute to one-hour flight, the skilled pilot will descend safely to the designated landing zone, where everyone will disembark and return to the Oxbow Market. A post-flight champagne brunch is optional.
To learn more, make your reservations, or purchase Gift Certificates for future balloon rides near me, visit the Balloons Above the Valley website.
Or, for answers to your questions or to make reservations, you may also phone a Balloons Above the Valley reservationist at 1-800-464-6824.