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NAPA VACATION RENTALS, CALIFORNIA |
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Sights and Attractions in Napa |
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| With over 300 wineries in the Napa Valley, most offering wine tasting tours, there is not any lack of opportunity to enjoy your stay in the valley. However, wine tours and tastings are not the only things you can do in Napa. A wide range of activities, like hot air ballooning, skydiving, museum visits, spa visits, bicycle tours and safaris, make Napa a great vacation destination for people of all ages. |
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Wine Country Tours
COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts
Wine Country Train
Wine Country Plane
Six Flags Marine World
Robert Louis Stevenson State Park and the Silverado Museum
Mud-Baths and Spas
Old Faithful Geyser
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| Wine Country Tours |
| Napa is home to nearly 300 wineries and is ranked as one of the finest wine-growing regions of the world. Nearby Sonoma has over 40 wineries. It is well worth the effort to take a wine tour or drive to one of the wineries for wine tasting and a tour of the premises. Go to the smaller wineries if you are keen on interacting with the owners or managers. |
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| COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts |
COPIA offers a variety of wine and food tasting programs, fine dining, art exhibitions, films, concerts and shopping events. The center’s hours are from 10 AM to 5 PM all days of the week except Tuesday. COPIA closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Admission to COPIA is $12.50 for adults ages 18-61, $10 for seniors 62 and above, $7.50 for students with a valid ID, $5 for youth ages 13-20, and free for children 12 and under. All minors under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult. |
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| Wine Country Train |
Apart from regular winery hopping, Napa also offers some interesting ways to explore wine country. Tours combining wine tasting with biking are quite popular, but the more interesting way to travel is by the Napa Valley Wine Train or the Wine Plane.
The Napa Valley Wine Train takes you through this beautiful region in style, with gourmet dining and fantastic views. Daily gourmet rail excursions are available year-round. There are 3 dining experiences to choose from, including the Vista Dome, Gourmet Express and the Silverado Grill.
The "glass topped" 1947 Pullman Vista Dome dining car excursion features a 4-course luncheon and a glass of Napa Valley's premier sparkling wine. The lavishly restored 1915-1917 Pullman dining and lounge railcars allow the Gourmet Express passengers to visit the wine tasting car or observe the culinary staff in the 'one of a kind' kitchen car. Menus include a choice of 3-, 4- or 5-course meals. Passengers can choose first or second seating, similar to cruise ship seating. Full cocktail services, as well as over 100 wines, are available. The Silverado Grill is a casual 'open air' railcar. An 'a la carte' menu of grilled cuisine is perfect for families or passengers desiring a lighter fare.
The wine train also has other, special event or holiday, trips available. Call ahead for reservations, but remember that prices and schedules are subject to change without notice and seating is subject to availability.
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| Wine Country Plane |
| The Wine Plane is a 90-minute ride on a Cessna Centurion 210, with plush interiors, over Napa, Sonoma, Point Reyes National Seashore and San Francisco. There is a choice of wines that you can sample onboard, and the ride costs you anywhere from $149-$299. |
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| Six Flags Marine World |
The other attraction for animal lovers is the Six Flags Marine World that combines a wildlife park, an oceanarium and a theme park. It is located in Vallejo, about an hour from Napa. General admission for adults is $49.99 and $29.99 for children 48 inches and under. Children under 2 are free. Parking is an additional $15. Check out the park’s website for available discounts.
Marine World is home to Medusa, the region’s longest and most extreme coaster with 7 inversions. Try ROAR!, Kong and V2: Vertical Velocity, the only spiraling impulse coaster of its kind. In addition to all the fun of the Park's thrill rides, Six Flags Marine World is also home to some of the most exciting family attractions around including White Water Safari, Wave Jumper and Monkey Business. |
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| Robert Louis Stevenson State Park and the Silverado Museum |
The Silverado Museum in St. Helena displays memorabilia connected with the author Robert Louis Stevenson. Stevenson, best known for works like Treasure Island (1883), Kidnapped (1886) and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886), is a well-known author. The museum has over 9,000 items of memorabilia relating to Stevenson’s life and work. The Museum is open to the public from 12 PM to 4:00 P.M. daily, except for Mondays and certain holidays. Arrangements for organized groups to visit the Museum can be arranged during morning hours from 9:30 to 11:45 AM. Admission is free.
Or visit the Robert Louis Stevenson State Park where the famous author spent his honeymoon in 1880. Although nothing remains of Stevenson’s cabin, the site is identified on the trail to the summit. The area features rough terrain, with evergreen forests in the canyons on north-facing slopes and chaparral on the south-facing slopes.
There is a 5-mile hike to the top of Mt. St. Helena, from which one can see much of the Bay Area. Some days the top of Mt. Shasta can be seen, 192 miles in the distance. The best seasons are spring and fall. The winter provides the best vistas, but also the greatest chance of snow and chilling wind. Please note that dogs are not permitted in this park. |
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| Mud-Baths and Spas |
| The town of Calistoga in Napa County, near Napa, was founded in the 1860s as a health resort. The area is known for its volcanic ash, peat-moss mud and mineral baths. There are several natural mineral and hot springs, as well as functioning hot water geysers, all resulting in a range of spas and mud-bath salons for the visitor who needs a little pampering. |
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| Old Faithful Geyser |
| Old Faithful Geyser in Calistoga is 1 of 3 such geysers in the world. Shooting gushes of hot water 60 to 100 feet in the air every 45 minutes, the geyser is a true natural phenomenon. The surrounding grounds feature a gift shop, a geothermal exhibit hall, a snack bar, a picnic area and the famous fainting goats. Hours are from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM daily, year round. Admission fees are $8.00 for adults, $7.00 for seniors age 60 and over and $3.00 for children ages 6 to 12. Children under 6 years are free. |
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