Sometimes, you don’t really have to have a reason to pack up and head out for a getaway. For instance, vacations in Napa Valley can be really done on an impulse. It feels quite delightful, exciting, and refreshing to have spontaneous travels and to “get quite caught up in the moment” as it provides a sudden break in a boring routine.
Spur-of-the-moment vacations or getaways in Napa Valley do not require much planning. Sometimes you plan them just a day or night before on a very short notice, but most of the time you make last-minute decision trips. Just pack your bags, turn on your car’s engine, or get aboard a bus, train, or an airplane … and go to the Wine Country which offers otherworldly sights and delightful pleasures. You may go there alone or have a friend to tag along in your spontaneous adventures! As long as you’ve got enough funds at hand, you can spend a day or two, visit wineries, and buy treats and souvenirs to your heart’s content.
If you want to do some wine tours in Napa as soon as you get there, you’ll need to find wineries that accept walk-in visitors. Most wineries in Napa require appointments and guests really have to book their reservations for wine tours and wine tastings. However, you can find a few wineries that are open to tastings for walk-in visitors such as Alpha Omega, Beaulieu Vineyard, Artesa Winery, Black Stallion Estate Winery, Chateau Montelena, Clos du Val, Cliff Lede Vineyards, Clos Pegase, Domaine Chandon, Mumm Napa, and Rutherford Hill Winery. Many of these wineries like Artesa Winery and Mumm Napa also function as art and photography galleries, so they really provide total satisfaction to all of your senses.
Okay, say that you really want a spontaneous weekend getaway in Napa and you plan to stay in a hotel. It’s still best to book in advance several days before your “surprise” trip to the Wine Country with your friend or loved one and go for a check in at the hotel of your choice. The earlier booking for the reservations, the better! It not only helps you get available suites; it can also let you enjoy unbelievable discounts!
If trying out the Napa cuisine is your priority, you will never run out of choices as there are endless lines of restaurants and grub hubs there. You may want to try haute cuisine even just once especially if you’ve got cash or wide credit limit to spare. You can try fine dining at the French Laundry or Morimoto. Then you can try the comparatively cheaper eats by trying out the mid-range restaurants, or by going to Oxbow Public Market or Oakville Grocery to buy artisanal treats and then have a picnic at one of the wineries you plan to visit.
But if pampering is something you’d love to do, you and your friend or loved one should go to Calistoga. The city in Napa County, known for its hot springs, is undoubtedly the best place for spas and wellness centers. Some of these centers have sports facilities such as tennis and golf — and won’t you want to play sports with the stunning views around you?
But if you want to take a spontaneous trip to Napa Valley to the higher level, you could take a hot air balloon ride! A hot air balloon is another fantastic way of exploring Napa Valley. It lets you see the Napa Valley from an entirely different perspective, something that you don’t get a from a hilltop winery. Enjoy uninterrupted views of the neat rows of lush vineyards, rolling hills, and deep valleys as you gently float in the sky. Don’t forget to bring your camera along!
There are a lot of hot air balloon operators in Napa Valley but Balloons Above the Valley (BATV) should be your first choice when you decide to include hot air balloon rides in your Napa Valley wine tours. If you want to have a hot air balloon ride in your “spontaneous” Napa Valley trips, it’s still best to book your reservation in advance in order to enjoy hassle-free hot air balloon rides as well as pre-flight breakfast, post-flight champagne brunch, and wine tours. Check out BATV’s lineup of tour packages, pricing, and reservation details: https://balloonrides.com/tour-options-pricing-reservations/.
Vacations in Napa Valley can be spontaneous — it only adds to the the excitement and fun in discovering the beauty and pleasures that the Wine Country has to offer!