3 Days in Napa: A Journey Through Wine Country

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Advisor - Chanda Daly
Curated By

Chanda Daly

  • USA

  • California

  • Napa Valley

  • Birthdays

  • Boutique Travel

  • Couples Travel

  • Domestic Travel

  • Food & Wine

  • Group Travel

  • Wineries

  • Relaxing

  • 3 Days in Napa

woman spending 3 days in napa, riding bike during daytime with vineyards in the background
Curator’s statement

Napa Valley is breathtaking with its rolling green hills, adorable house and land as far as you can see - very different than Southern California. The region is best known for wine tasting and fine dining and it does not disappoint. There are many luxury and boutique resort properties to choose from, over 400 wineries to satisfy everyone's preferences and opportunities to stay active while consuming all of the great wine and food. 3 days in Napa is never enough, but learn how to fit it all in with this 3-day itinerary.

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Day 1: Arrive in Napa

man holding wine glass standing on patio overlooking vineyards

There are several airports to choose from to get to Napa. Major airports with less expensive flights and more flight options are SJC, SFO, OAK and SAC. Smaller and closer airports are APC and STS. Enjoy the scenic drive from the airport to your resort. After hotel check-in, head to the hotel restaurant for lunch and a glass of local wine. Roam the property as you unwind from your travels. Head to Bear at Stanly Ranch for dinner. This new, farm-to-table restaurant is located in the Stanly Ranch, Auberge Resort. It offers peaceful views of the vineyards, farm fresh ingredients, a fun cocktail and local wine list.

Day 2: Ride a bike and visit wineries along the Napa Vine Trail

bottle of wine on table in patio during daytime

You can attend a guided bike tour or just rent the bikes and do your own wine tour from Napa Valley Bike Tours. I prefer to do my own tour so I can decide how long I want to be at each winery. It takes a little research to decide which wineries to visit but it is nice to make your own schedule for the day. This is an all-day event. You can take your time riding along the trail, taking in the beautiful scenery and stopping at as many wineries as you can handle. I highly suggest wearing a helmet, just in case! Some wineries I suggest stopping at are: Materra, Laird Family Estate and Bell Winery.

Day 3: Private, chauffeured wine tasting through the Napa Valley

stone path next to vineyard during daytime

On the final day of my 3 days in Napa, I took a private tour through Beau Wine Tours and loved every minute of it. I was able to curate my own tour by picking a variety of wineries I wanted to visit. They are great at suggesting wineries based on preferences as well. I wanted to see a cave winery, a castle winery and a smaller family-run winery. The town car will pick your party up at your hotel, drive you to each location and return you safely back to your hotel at the end of the day. It was such a relaxing way to visit multiple wineries spread out throughout Napa Valley. Our driver also educated us on the region and pointed out many interesting and beautiful places along the drive.

Advisor - Chanda Daly

Travel Advisor

Chanda Daly

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This itinerary is part of our ongoing series on travel to California, and our continuing series on food & wine travel. After planning 3 fun-filled days in Napa, check out Best Beaches and Hotels on The Big Island, Hawai'i.