Napa Valley

Yountville is located in Napa Valley, California where the famous wines are created. Napa Valley is known for its beautiful and majestic scenery and marvelous vineyards that dot the countryside. People from all over the world visit Napa Valley for this breath-taking scene and to partake of the best wines in North America. However, Yountville has much more than just wineries for you to visit on your vacation.

Yountville is home to fine art galleries such as Gallery 1870 Napa Valley. The gallery has exquisite displays of local and international artists. You can visit the gallery in the Vintage 1870 shopping complex or call 707-944-9670 for more information. The Images Fine Art gallery has unique paintings and sculptures from around the world. They are located at 6540 Washington Street and their telephone number is 707-944-0404. Raku Ceramics and RASberry’s Art Glass Gallery is one of those unique places that has visitors standing in awe as they view this art form. They are located at 6540 Washington Street and for more information contact them at 707- 944-9424

After visiting the art galleries, you may enjoy shopping at the Ranch Market Too. Here you will be able to partake of a variety of wines and local produce from around Napa Valley. This market is located at 6498 Washington Street, not far from the art galleries mentioned above. To learn about when the market is open you can call 707-944-2662.

For lodging, many guests prefer the Yountville Inn located at 6462 Washington Street. The inn is close to many wineries, restaurants, and shops. You will enjoy waking up in the morning and taking a short walk to visit all the sights in the area. The minimum room rate is $175. Contact: 707-944-5600

The Villagio Inn & Spa is encircles with gardens, flowing waterways, and fountains. If you are searching for the perfect spa for your vacation then the Villagio will treat you like royalty. They are located at 6481 Washington Street and their telephone number is 707-944-8877 or 800-351-1133. Castle in the Clouds Bed and Breakfast will make you believe you awoke in a fantasy palace. From atop a hill in the heart of Napa Valley you will feel more like you are staying on a cloud as you look upon the valley high above from your luxurious suite. The Castle in the Clouds Bed and Breakfast is located at 7400 St. Helena Highway and their telephone number is 707-944-2785.

Fine dining is nothing new to the residents of Yountville and visitors to the area have learned about these unique restaurants and their delectable dishes. Brix restaurant serves Californian cuisine. The view is almost as spectacular as the delightful meals that are served. Brix is located at 7377 St. Helena Highway. For reservations, you can call 707-944-BRIX (2749). Domaine Chandon has unique regional and seasonal cuisine to have your taste buds asking for more. The cuisine is Californian; however, French techniques are used to give your mouth an adventure you will not soon forget. Their address is One California Drive. For reservations, you can call 707-944-2892 or 800-736-2892. Napa Valley Grille is the perfect place for trying California Wine Country cuisine. Napa Valley Grille is located at 6795 Washington Street. Their telephone number is 707-944-8686. If you are in the mood for a good old-fashioned steak then you must check out PJ Steak. It is located at 6725 Washington Street. It may be a steak house but remember you are in wine country nothing can be ordinary. For reservations, you can contact them at 707-945-1000.

If you wish to visit the Oakville, Rutherford area of Napa Valley you will find a serene, quiet and peaceful community. This area is full of some of the most beautiful wineries in the world and some have tours available for you and your entire family.

Where to stay in Oakville or Rutherford maybe the first thing you consider. One place that has guests coming back year after year is the Rancho Caymus Inn. The inn has 26 Spanish Hacienda suites available year round. To make your reservation or learn more about their facility you can contact them at 707-963-1777 or 800-845-1777.

Rutherford and Oakville are home to a few unique art galleries that is a must see while you are visiting Napa Valley. The list of art galleries include Read the rest of this entry »

The City of Napa was incorporated in 1872. It is located around 50 miles northeast of San Francisco. Napa is a smog-free climate with temperatures in January around 37.4 degrees Fahrenheit for the low and 57.7 degrees Fahrenheit for the high. In July, the lowest temperatures are 52.2 degrees Fahrenheit and the highest temperature is 82.1 degrees Fahrenheit.

Napa has many wonderful and unique activities that the entire family will enjoy throughout the year. For accommodations, you will find some of the most exquisite and comfortable out of the way places for romantic rendezvous or in one in the middle of the action.

Some of the most popular accommodations in the City of Napa include Read the rest of this entry »

Calistoga is located in the beautiful Napa Valley. It is at the northern end of the Napa Valley, which is known as California’s famous wine country. Calistoga may have several wineries but is best known for its hot springs spas. The most popular bath is one with hot volcanic ash, which is fast becoming the hottest trend in mud bathing.

Calistoga’s history was of course with native Indians living in this unique valley. It had all they needed, from hunting to marvelous weather conditions. There were many villages in Calistoga along with Spanish colonies; each enjoyed the rejuvenating effects of the hot springs. The first white settlers arrived in the 1840’s and began stacking claims to areas around Calistoga.

Samuel Brannan the man that published San Francisco’s first English language newspaper, the California Star, purchased more than 2,000 acres with the intent to develop a spa reminiscent of Saratoga in New York. His Hot Springs Resort, which encircled Mt. Lincoln, with the Spa / Hotel on the spot that is now Indian Springs Resort, was opened in 1862.

The railroad was finally completed to Calistoga by 1868. The main reason many settlers decided on Calistoga was for the mining of silver and mercury, growing grapes, prunes, and walnuts, and of course the attraction for tourist with the hot springs.

One famous visitor to Calistoga was Robert Louis Stevenson. In the late 1870 and early 1880 prior to his famous writings, Robert was in France. There he met Fannie de Grift Osbourne. When she returned to San Francisco, he was not far behind. She divorced and they were promptly married in May 1880. Three days after their wedding, they headed to Calistoga Hot Springs Hotel for their honeymoon. They wished to stay in the area and moved from the hotel to a cabin close to the Silverado Mine. This is where Robert Louis Stevenson wrote The Silverado Squatters and used many local residents, characters, and features of the countryside for inspiration.

Attractions around Calistoga include parks, golf, spas, and wineries. The most famous parks include: Read the rest of this entry »

The outlying areas around Napa Valley include American Canyon and Lake Berryessa. American Canyon was incorporated in 1992. It is situated about 35 miles northeast of San Francisco at the southern end of Napa County.A “green belt” encircles practically all the city with the remainder of the outskirts of American Canyon being Napa River and a 500-acre wetlands preserve to the west, a 640-acre Jack and Bernice Newell Wilderness Preserve to the east and unique vineyard dotted foothills of the Sulphur Springs Mountains to the northeast.

For things to do while visiting Napa Valley, American Canyon has the Phillip West Aquatic Center that features a 25-yard swimming pool, a snack bar, open grassy areas, chaise lounges, and a wading. The Aquatics Center is located at 100 Benton Way. Residents only pay $1 for ages 12 and under and $2 for ages 13 and over. Non-residents pay $2 for ages 12 and under and $3.25 for ages 13 and over. For more information, you can contact 707-647-4570.

The Skate Park is where the in-crowd likes to hang. The skate park is open from 8am until sundown except for when school is in session. While school is in session, the park is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 3:15pm until sundown and Wednesdays from 1:30pm until sundown. For more information, you can contact 707-648-7275.

Community Parks in American Canyon include: Read the rest of this entry »

Napa Valley is home to some unique and popular spas. Many people believe that the geysers in the area could be the draw for younger looking skin. Maybe the Napa Valley is the real place to find “The Fountain of Youth” especially with the help of the awesome of spas that you will find.

The Villagio Inn and Spa is a place for rejuvenating and relaxing. It has 112 guestrooms, swimming pool, Jacuzzi, a bottle of wine to welcome you to the inn, daily champagne breakfast buffet, and afternoon tea or coffee with cookies.

They offer unique body treatments, which include the Wellness Massage. This is a European-style massage using heated, steaming compresses and essential oils from the Napa Valley. Prices for this treatment are $100 for 50 minutes and $200 for 100 minutes. The Deep Tissue Massage applies firm pressure on specific areas of muscular tension, which will renew vitality and restore energy. Prices are $110 for 50, $220 for 100 minutes. The River Stone Massage uses heated river stones in a rhythmic style of massage, which will soothe tired muscles and restore balance to your energy pathways.

Heated river stones used in a rhythmic style of massage soothe tired muscles and restore balance to energy pathways. Price is $220 for 100 minutes The In-Room Massage can be either the Wellness Massage or the Deep Tissue Massage but is given in the comfort of your own guest room. Prices are $220 for 90 minutes. The Green Coffee Wrap is a green coffee concentrate that is a special body contouring gel. It reduces the appearance of cellulite and gives you a slimmer, firmer shape. Price is $210 for 100 minutes. The Aromatic Moor Mud Wrap is of course a mud wrap except it is done with warm aromatic mud. Price is $120 for 50 minutes. The Mineral Rich Clay Wrap is similar to the mud wrap except the clay wrap is created by using vitamin and antioxidant crushed grape seeds and imported French clay. Price is $120 for 50 minutes. The Gardens Wrap is a fragrant botanical essential oil, which is massaged into the skin. Price is $120 for 50 minutes. The Elemental Body Polish is created from organic oatmeal, raw sugar or crushed Carneros grape seeds that nourishes and polishes the skin. Price is $120 for 50 minutes. The Mediterranean Body Scrub is a wonderful scrub created with olive oil, sea salts, and essential oils such as rose, blood orange and lavender. Price is $120 for 50 minutes.
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More and more couples are choosing Napa Valley for their wedding. This area has a magical and lasting effect of visitors and guests that wish to visit every year. Not only is Napa Valley full of gorgeous scenery with vineyards dotting the countryside, but also it has so much to offer visitors in the way of attractions and activities including beaches, parks, sports, sightseeing, and shopping in the quaint unique shops in the area.

Some of the most popular destinations for weddings in Napa Valley include The Yountville Inn. You will not be the only one having a special time during their wedding if you choose Yountville Inn for your wedding party and guests. They will receive elegant winery dinners, custom tours, room gifts, and transportation. You may decide on the “Inn Room” Spa Package for you and your fiancé, which includes accommodations for both of you with a special welcome gift, guestrooms with fireplaces, and either a patio or vaulted ceilings, a California continental breakfast, and two therapeutic massages, Swedish, Esalen and Deep tissue techniques provided.
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Napa Valley is known for its exquisite wineries, succulent wines and the breath-taking scenery of the valley itself. A visit to Napa Valley without taking in a tour of the wineries is like a romantic candlelight dinner without the candles. You can venture off on your own to visit all the unique wineries and partake of the wine tasting events, or you can join with a touring company to visit the most popular ones in the area.

A matter of fact one of the most popular attractions is the Napa Valley Wine Train. They offer their guests a year round 3-hour gourmet-dining event aboard a restored 1915-1950 Pullman Dining and Lounge cars. You can choose from brunch, lunch or dinner while touring wine country. For more information, you can contact them at 707-253-2111 or 800-427-4124.

The list of wineries in Napa Valley is extensive some of the most popular include: Read the rest of this entry »

At one time, the entire Napa Valley was home to Wappo Indians that shared the valley with panthers, elk, grizzly bears, and dear. This valley was their home and where the name Napa is derived. The word napa is of Native American derivation and has been translated as “grizzly bear,” “house,” “motherland” or “fish” according to the person you ask. They lived here undisturbed until 1823 when the first exploration of the valley was recorded. Padre Jose Altamira led the group of explorations into this lush and beautiful valley. He estimated that around 3,000 to 6,000 Wappo Indians called this area home at this time.

Farmers began to settle Napa Valley in the 1830’s, with the enchantment of the rich volcanic soil and the perfect growing season. In 1850, California was granted statehood. Napa Valley was in the Territory of California in the district of Sonoma. Counties were organized in California in 1850 and Napa became one of the original 27 counties of California. Napa City became the county seat for Napa Valley. “In 1848, Napa City was laid out by Nathan Coombs on property he acquired from Nicholas Higurerra’s Rancho Entre-Napa, and 1836 Mexican Land Grant.”

The valley soon became the home of the white man. The white man brought diseases especially small pox into Napa Valley, which wiped out the Wappo Indians by 1870.

Napa became a prosperous county during the late 1850’s into the 1860’s. Quicksilver mines were found throughout the Napa Valley especially on Mt. St. Helena. There was transportation by boat on the Napa River where steamers could make the trip to San Francisco in around three hours. Silver and gold that was mined in the area could be taken to San Francisco and profit made in a much faster time than using trails that could take days with mules or horses loaded down with treasures of silver.

A railroad and stagecoach ran between Vallejo to the south and Calistoga at the northern end of the Valley. Cold weather and severe blizzards brought the miners down from the mountains seeking a warmer climate. There were many jobs available during this time for anyone that wished to work on ranches or in the lumber industry. Sawmills dotted the countryside where the lumber would be hauled by horse teams into Napa City where it would be loaded on boats and sent to Benicia and San Francisco.
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Napa Valley is a breath-taking scenic adventure all by itself. Just traveling throughout the entire Napa Valley area can relax every member of your family however; you may wish to join into some of the great activities that Napa Valley has to offer.

When it comes to touring and sightseeing in Napa Valley you will find many companies that offer unique packages such as Read the rest of this entry »