Napa Valley. A Great Day Trip.

One of the great things about spending time in Sacramento is that it is close to several prime destinations such as Napa Valley. In fact, Napa is only an hour’s drive away. So stock up your picnic basket and head to one of the world’s premier wine regions, the stunning Napa Valley, California.

Napa Valley is well known for its wine country and is composed of several charming towns, Calistoga, St. Helena, Oakville, Rutherford, Yountville and Napa all nestled together in this beautiful valley. The valley stretches for about thirty miles and has over 45,000 acres of vineyards and hundreds of wineries. The valley is only five miles wide near Napa and shrinks down to just one mile wide up in Calistoga, making this region about one eighth of the size of France’s Bordeaux region.

Napa Valley has gained international recognition as one of the world’s greatest wine regions. You’ll find wineries ranging from small family owned, hands-on wineries that produce just a handful of cases to larger commercial operations here churning out wine round the clock. No matter what size winery you find, they all are busy producing wines loved around the globe. Despite its big name, Napa produces just four percent of the total wine in California.

Napa is the largest of the cities in the valley with 85,000 people living within its nineteen square miles. You’ll find several hundred wineries calling Napa home. With so many wineries, it’s impossible to explore them all but it sure is fun trying.

Since this is a day trip, you’ll want to designate a driver if you plan on doing a lot of tasting or sign up for a tour. You might even consider booking a night in a charming inn for a longer getaway. You can choose to focus on any of the lovely hamlets that make up the Napa Valley or you can tour the entire region. Each little town has its own personality. You’ll enjoy walking the streets of Calistoga or driving the narrow, winding roads up to Pritchard Hill in St. Helena.

A fantastic way to tour Napa Valley is on two wheels. Bike tours are available that lead you down quiet country lanes to lovely, family owned wineries that are off the beaten track. These tours usually provide you with a gourmet picnic lunch and are appropriate for all abilities.

One of the more unusual ways to experience Napa is to take to the rails. The Napa Valley Wine Train offers daily gourmet train excursions on historic, restored railcars. You can choose from three different dining experiences and enjoy stunning views, sipping fine wines as you go.

Wine isn’t Napa’s only attraction. You’ll also enjoy fine dining, spas, museums, galleries and shopping too. You’ll find golf, antiques, nightlife, kayaking, bird watching, ballooning, skydiving, performing arts and even a 400 hundred acre wildlife sanctuary.

No matter how you choose to spend your time here, Napa Valley is a romantic getaway any time of the year. Whether you stop by for a day or spend the weekend, you’ll fall in love with this scenic area and yearn to come back again and again.

Also see Sacramento Wineries and Vineyards.