A Perfect Napa Valley Itinerary For a Weekend Getaway

I’ve got you covered with this guide to the perfect Napa Valley itinerary!  Napa Valley is rich with fabulous food, scenery, and of course, wine!  If you’re planning a weekend in Napa, it can be tough to figure out how to fit everything in to your Napa itinerary, so here’s the lowdown on exactly how to plan your days for an amazing first time in Napa Valley.  I’ll show you how to plan a Napa Valley wine trip that you’ll remember forever. And if you’re interested in checking out the area further, you’ll love my guide to the best wine tasting in Sonoma.

My long weekend in Napa Valley a few weeks ago was a dream.  Sweet sunny days, lazy poolside afternoons, and so much food and wine I barely fit into my jeans on the way home.  In other words: a perfect trip.

It definitely didn’t start out that way.  Planning the perfect Napa Valley itinerary took some work, so I’m here to help you plan your trip based on everything I learned! If you’re spending a weekend in Napa Valley, this guide will walk you through exactly what to do every step of the way.

And if you love wine tasting in California, you’ll also love my Paso Robles itinerary, doing some wine tasting in Temecula, as well as all of the wineries close to Los Angeles!

How Many Days to Spend in Napa Valley

If you’re planning your Napa Valley itinerary, the first decision to make is how many days to spend in Napa.

While it is certainly possible to visit Napa as a day trip from San Francisco, I recommend spending 2 or 3 days in Napa. By spending either a weekend or a long weekend in wine country, you will really be able to explore different parts of the valley, sample a variety of different wines, and be able to enjoy the experience at a relaxed pace.

What To Do in Napa Valley for 3 Days

Planning your Napa itinerary can be overwhelming, especially if you’re visiting Napa for the first time. There are so many amazing wineries, restaurants, and things to do in Napa…how do you decide what to plan?

I’ve got you covered with this ultimate Napa Valley itinerary! It’s a day-by-day guide for what to do in Napa for 3 days. From where to eat, where to go wine tasting, and what to see while you’re in Napa, follow this trip itinerary to have an amazing trip!

The Perfect Napa Valley Itinerary

For this 3 day Napa Valley itinerary, you’ll visit some of Napa’s most charming towns, taste the area’s best local wines, and soak up the culture of being in wine country.

This guide is the perfect plan for how to spend a long weekend in Napa!

Pro tip: before you head to Napa, get yourself one of these.  Less than ten bucks and I promise you’ll need it on your weekend in Napa!

All set?  Here we go…

Napa Itinerary Day 1: Yountville

Start off the day with brunch at Bouchon Bistro and come hungry.  The fried chicken and waffles are OMG amazing, and if you have room for the cheese plate – do it.

Yountville Boutiques + Domaine Chandon

Walk off brunch by strolling through the shops in adorable downtown Yountville and then walk over to Domaine Chandon for some sparking wine tasting to toast the beginning of an awesome weekend.  It’s by far one of the best sparkling wineries in Napa!

For the afternoon, head back to the hotel to grab their free bikes and take an afternoon ride along the bike path that runs right through Yountville.

Oakville Grocery

If you’re in the mood for a snack, return your bikes and head up to Oakville Grocery, located just north of the downtown Yountville area.

This gourmet grocery store is a Napa Valley institution. Founded in 1881, it is the oldest continually operating grocery store in California.

It’s the perfect place to pick up picnic fare, snacks, or even wine by the bottle. If you’re in the mood to do more wine tasting, you can sample a number of different local wines….on tap!

Bottega

Once you’re ready for dinner, head to Bottega for some delicious Italian food.  

If you’re not tired after dinner, the bar at Bottega is a lot of fun late-night.  Otherwise, call it a night and prepare for another day of indulgence ahead!

Napa Valley Itinerary Day 2: Rutherford and St. Helena

For the second day of your weekend in Napa, you’ll visit some of the area’s most charming vineyards, and – you guessed it – sample some more delicious food.

Bouchon Bakery

Start your day at Bouchon Bakery – located right next to the Bouchon restaurant itself and home to delicious pastries and also caffeine (the breakfast of champions).

Frog’s Leap Winery

After breakfast, drive north to Frog’s Leap, a family owned winery, and one of the most adorable wineries I’ve ever visited.

During your visit, you can enjoy tasting their wines on their back porch overlooking their garden and stroll through the barns that house their barrels.

If he’s around, you can also say hi to John, the owner, who’s probably keepin’ in real by grilling lunch for everyone and hanging out with his dog Abbie.   Check out his story and get a glimpse of his personality here – it’ll make you love their wine even more.

Rustic setting at Frog’s Leap

Sky full of stars: a pretty peek into one of the barns

Roll out the barrels!

John, the owner of Frog’s Leap, grillin’ up a storm

Inside the Frog’s Leap farmhouse

Saint Helena

After the winery visit, keep driving north into downtown St. Helena. Now is probably a good time for lunch, and I recommend checking out Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch or Tra Vigne Pizzeria.  

Walk off lunch with a wander through town and stop at Woodhouse Chocolate for a chocolate or two.  YUM.  

Culinary Institute of America

For a really unique foodie experience in St Helena, you can also enjoy a meal at the Culinary Institute of America.

Located on the campus, the Gatehouse Restaurant showcases the work of the institute’s students once they have completed two years of training. The menus are seasonal and absolutely delicious! If you have the time and are interested, taking a cooking class at CIA is one of the best things to do in Napa besides wine tasting.

Gott’s Roadside

If you’re in the mood for more of a casual lunch, check out Gott’s Roadside. It doesn’t get any better than a Gott’s famous cheeseburger, but if you’re looking for something healthier they have great salads, too.

Nickel & Nickel

For the afternoon, head back south to Nickel & Nickel for a tour and tasting.  This is one of the best tours in Napa and they’ll take you down into their wine caves that run below the property.  

Nickel & Nickel makes an amazing Cabernet Sauvignon wine. Their wine is spendy (especially the Cabernet Sauvignon), but that’s all the more reason why it’s fun to taste.

Beautiful buildings at Nickel & Nickel

So pretty and peaceful on the back patio

Head back to your hotel to freshen up before walking to dinner at Bistro Jeanty for tasty French food (the creme brulee is soooo good) followed by a nightcap at Lucy at Bardessono.

Napa Itinerary Day 3: Carneros and Downtown Napa

If you can manage to eat more in the morning (then I know we’ll be friends), grab more pastries and coffee from Bouchon Bakery (once you start, you can’t stop).

READ MORE: The Perfect San Francisco Itinerary for a 3 day trip

Darioush

For the last day of your weekend in Napa Valley, you’re headed south.  Drive to Darioush, a winery on the Silverado Trail with the most striking and dramatic architecture you will see anywhere in Napa.  

Yes, you will probably think you’re arriving at a theme park when you show up.  Taste the wines at the bar and then wander around the main area – where you can buy the delicious wine (obvs) as well as other cute little gifts.

Domaine Carneros

Afterwards, head further south over to the Carneros region, the jumping off point for most visitors to Sonoma County. For your first stop, check out Domaine Carneros to taste a flight of sparking wines.  

Domaine Carneros is another impressive sight to see and it’s easy to spend a few hours hanging out on the patio with a cheese plate and lotsa bubbly. If you don’t enjoy sparkling wine, Domaine Carneros also produces an excellent pinot noir.

Flight of sparkling wines + cheese is about all it takes to make me happy

View from the patio at Domaine Carneros

Beautiful Domaine Carneros

Downtown Napa

If you feel like doing some more exploring, head next to the downtown area in the city of Napa.

Located just next to the Napa River, downtown Napa is home to a number of tasting rooms, art galleries, boutiques, and restaurants. Here, everything is within walking distance, so it’s easy to jump from one tasting room to the next, or just stroll along the riverfront.

Oxbow Public Market

A great stop in downtown Napa is Oxbow Public Market. Similar to the Ferry Building in San Francisco, Oxbow Public Market is home to over 20 individual artisanal vendors. It’s a lively spot that’s really fun to explore.

Dinner in Yountville

Next, head back to your hotel. If you’ve got time before dinner, catch some rays at the pool before getting cleaned up to go and enjoy dinner at one of Yountville’s amazing restaurants.

French Laundry

I couldn’t write a blog post about the perfect Napa Valley itinerary without mentioning the French Laundry. Napa Valley is home to many world class restaurants, but perhaps none more famous than the French Laundry and head Chef Thomas Keller.

One of several Michelin-starred restaurants in the Napa Valley area, the French Laundry is perhaps the most famous. Chef Thomas Keller’s classic French techniques amplify the season’s finest ingredients to make for the meal of a lifetime.

If you want to include the French Laundry as part of your Napa itinerary, start planning as soon as you can! Bookings are released on the first of the month for the following month ahead.

Ad Hoc

If you want to experience chef Thomas Keller’s talents without the French Laundry price tag, check out Ad Hoc, another Yountville favorite.

Ad Hoc features casual, family-style dining with a 4-course menu that rotates daily. I still dream of the fried chicken at Ad Hoc!

Napa Valley Itinerary Map

I’ve put together all of the recommended stops on my Napa itinerary in a map. The image below is a preview, and you can access the full map here. I hope this helps with your trip planning!

Tips for Wine Tasting in Napa Valley

With your Napa Valley itinerary all set, here are a few tips for wine tasting in Napa Valley.

Tasting Fees

I’ll cut to the chase: visiting Napa Valley can be expensive, but the high cost is not just due to travel expenses. Almost all the wineries in Napa charge tasting fees that, in the past few years, have skyrocketed in price.

At most wineries, tastings range from $25 – $100+ per person. If you plan to do 2-3 wine tastings per day, that adds up quickly! So make sure to factor the cost of wine tastings in your travel budget so that you can plan accordingly and avoid sticker shock.

It is still possible at some Napa wineries to get a free wine tasting if you join the winery’s wine club, but be aware of any minimum purchases that are associated with joining the wine club.

Priority Wine Pass

If you plan to do a lot of wine tasting when you visit Napa Valley, consider purchasing a Priority Wine Pass. The Priority Wine Pass offers discounts, 2-for-1 tastings, and other perks at certain wineries in Napa Valley.

Ultimately, the value of the wine pass will depend on which wineries you plan to visit, and how much wine tasting you plan to do, but it is worth checking out if you’re looking for ways to save money in Napa!

Winery Reservations

Almost all of the best Napa Valley wineries require winery appointments to do tastings. While you can still “wing it” at wine bars or boutique wineries, it is best to plan ahead to be sure that you can visit the wineries on your wish list.

Share Wine Tastings

If you’re going to Napa, you might want to consider sharing wine tastings…and entrees!  Visiting wineries is one of the best things to do in Napa Valley, but all of the wine and food adds up FAST. If you’re like me, you’ll want to sample everything and not miss out because you’re full.   

If you make the mistake of not doing this, you will likely end up full (and over-served, not that I’m judging) before you want to be!  

Anywhere you do a tasting or wine pairing, there will be a container to pour out the wine after you taste it, so never hesitate to do that – many people do.

Wine Tastings vs. Winery Tours in Napa

Many of the wineries in Napa have multiple options for visiting: wine tastings, vineyard tours, tastings with cheese, tastings with lunch, etc.  

You’ll decide what’s right for your trip but here’s my best advice: one winery or vineyard tour per trip to Napa is probably enough.  Tours are really interesting, so they’re worth doing once. However, they are also expensive and can get repetitive if you take more than one.

Visit 2 or 3 Wineries per Day

As you’re planning your Napa trip, build some downtime into your schedule.  Two or three wineries per day is PLENTY.  

One of my favorite afternoons in Napa was the day I spent lazing by the pool for a few hours.  It’s a great place to just relax and take a slow pace instead of racing from one place to the next.

So if you’re visiting Napa, remember that there is also plenty to do besides just visit wineries! Whether you decide to lounge by the pool or explore one of Napa Valley’s natural hot springs, having some time to just relax is always a welcome addition to your itinerary.

Napa Valley Travel Tips

To help with your Napa trip planning, here are a few important tips to keep in mind. These are all of the things I wish I had known in advance before I visited Napa!

Getting to Napa

You can get to Napa by air or by car. The closest airports to Napa Valley are:

• Oakland International Airport (OAK): 1.5 hours by car to Napa
• Sacramento International Airport (SMF): 1.5 hours by car to Napa
• Santa Rosa Airport (STS): 1 hour by car to Napa
• San Francisco International Airport (SFO): 2 hours by car to Napa

From any of those airports, you will need to rent a car or take other ground transportation to Napa Valley.

Personally, I prefer to fly inta dro the Sacramento International Airport because there is far less city traffic than you will find when flying into the Oakland International Airport.

Santa Rosa is also a good option, although there are fewer direct flights from Santa Rosa to other U.S. cities.

How to Explore Napa

The best way to explore Napa is by car. The valley itself is almost 800 square miles, so having a car (or a driver!) is the best way to see the variety of sub-regiones in the area.

If you plan to do a day of wine tasting, either designate a driver, or book a transportation service.

Napa Valley Accommodations

One of the first things to figure out when planning your Napa itinerary is where to stay. Be ready for PLENTY of options!

Napa Valley is home to some incredible resorts. There are so many that it can honestly be difficult to pick the best hotel or vacation rental. And what’s even more of a challenge is deciding what area in Napa Valley to stay.

Yountville is a Perfect Home Base

For this Napa Valley itinerary, I recommend staying in Yountville. Staying in Yountville is the perfect choice for your first time in Napa for a few reasons.

First, Yountville is very central to the entire Napa Valley region. You can easily head north to Saint Helena or Calistoga, or south to Carneros and downtown Napa.

Secondly, there are SO MANY wonderful restaurants in Yountville. This quaint town is home to all kinds of amazing places to eat: from Michelin-starred fine dining to casual-but-delicious wood fired pizza.

Finally, Yountville is quite walkable. If you decide to go without wheels for the day (not a bad idea in wine country!), you can easily visit plenty of wineries, tasting rooms, shops and restaurants.

Where to Stay in Yountville

If you’re sold on staying in Yountville, here are my top picks for hotels:

Best overall: Hotel Yountville. Once you check into the Hotel Yountville, you should understand that you will probably never want to check out. The gorgeous outdoor pool, cozy fireplaces, and complimentary bicycles leave you wanting for nothing during your stay.

Best Home-away-from-home: The Estate Yountville. Guests at The Estate truly feel at home with complimentary breakfasts, a welcome glass of wine, and even a winery partnership program offering guests discounts on tastings at participating vineyards.

Best romantic escape: Maison Fleurie. If you’re looking for the charm of a B&B with the amenities of a boutique hotel, you’ll love Maison Fleurie. The gorgeous garden setting is incomparable, and with only 13 rooms, each guest is treated like family.

What To Pack for Napa Valley

If you’re wondering what to wear for wine tasting in Napa Valley, I’ve got you covered!

Napa is pretty casual, with a few exceptions of restaurants where you wouldn’t look out of place dressed up.  I wore sundresses and maxidresses during the day, and jeans and a nicer top to dinners.

No matter the season, it cools off at night so definitely bring a sweater or jacket if you’ll be out and about at night (which you should be)!

Frequently Asked Questions About Planning a Trip to Napa Valley

If you’re planning a trip to Napa, I’m sure you have plenty of questions on your mind. Here are some of the questions I get asked most often by friends who are going to Napa for the weekend:

There You Have it – The Perfect Napa Valley Itinerary!

If you have more time in Northern California, I highly recommend this 3 day Yosemite itinerary for a taste of one of the most beautiful places in the state!

Need More Packing Tips?

For more packing tips, I’ve rounded up my best tips on travel packing for women.

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