Things to Do, Taste, and See in Napa Valley

Brent and I recently spent the weekend in the beautiful Napa Valley, California.  For how close it is to Sacramento we have just never made the trip.  I am so glad we finally did because it is gorgeous (even at the end of January)!  We are not big wine drinkers so we mainly enjoyed the sites and the delicious local food.  Here is a round up of places we visited that are all family friendly and do not require wine tasting (though wine tasting is available pretty much everywhere!).

V. Sattui was the first stop on our trip as it is a popular place to picnic.  They have a market, gift shop, and winery to shop from and then you can head on out to their large grassy seating area for a picnic.  This definitely was our "picture perfect" stop as we enjoyed fresh bread, local olive oil, and grape juice made from the winery in a romantic picnic setting.  When I think of Napa Valley, my hopeless romantic imagines such a setting so I was pleased to check this off of our travel list!

The grounds are open to walk around and are just breathtaking.  I imagine how much more stunning everything would be in the Spring and Fall.

Across the street is Dean and Deluca, a fun little kitchen and fine foods shop.  This would be a great place to stock up on snacks and sweets to enjoy on your scenic drive of Napa.

Off of the Silverado Trail (a beautiful scenic drive) is Darioush where you will find amazing columns and architecture.

They have a small chic boutique as well as a tasting bar inside. 

We stayed at the Napa River Inn which was located in at the Historic Napa Mill in Downtown Napa.  We found a deal through Travelzoo for an Executive Suite with a fireplace which also included a dining credit and free breakfast.

For dinner we ate at The Pear, a darling southern food restaurant downtown.

Downtown Napa offers beautiful sites off the river as well as plenty of places to walk around and shop.

Within walking distance is the Oxbow Public Market which is an inside marketplace full of tasty eats and sweets.

Right next door is Gott's Roadside, an amazing little hamburger joint.  I recommend the white pistachio milkshake!

The stunning Beringer is also a must see.  The tasting room, winery, and grounds are all worth the stop.  If you are wine tasting, their tour includes a tour through their underground caves or you can taste and eat while sitting on their beautiful wrap around porch.

Our last stop was Castello di Amorosa.  Another amazing feast for the eyes.  If I was going to splurge on a tour, it would be this one.  We were only able to enter up the steps and through the entrance without paying for a tour but the view of the outside of the castle alone was worth the trip.

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