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Get Oriented
The Napa Valley runs from the town of Napa in the south to Calistoga in the north, less than thirty miles. If you're going to do it in a day, it will help if you know the layout. Take a few minutes with a map before you go.Pace Yourself
We've been on enough winery tours and visited enough tasting rooms to tell you with authority that they're all more or less the same. Everyone makes wine the same way, and unless you're a wine connoisseur, it all tastes nice. The most interesting tours and prettiest tasting rooms are off the beaten path, and you're not likely to find them by just driving into Napa Valley and picking a place at random.Furthermore, a visit to Napa is about savoring what it has to offer, not speed-drinking. Rather than packing in a bunch of winery visits in one day, pick one winery tour and one wine tasting from our top Napa Valley wineries list, going to one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Plan ahead. The best will require reservations.
Depending on the wineries you've chosen, drive through Napa Valley on Highway 29 in one direction and on Silverado Trail in the other. Not only is Silverado Trail less busy than the main highway, but it's more scenic, too.
The patio at Domaine Carneros south of the town of Napa on Hwy 121 is a great place to end your day in wine country. They're open a little later than other wineries, and the views from their patio are extraordinary.
Dining
Allow enough time for a leisurely lunch in one of the Napa Valley's many fine restaurants. Centrally located St. Helena may be the most convenient place, and you'll find a nice selection of excellent eateries there.For an easy wine country picnic, buy some goodies from Oakville Grocery (Highway 29 at Oakville Cross Road) or the Sunshine Market on the south side of St. Helena. Our Napa Valley winery guide lists some of the best places to picnic.
Getting to Napa Valley
It will take about an hour to get to the south end of Napa Valley from San Francisco. Take U. S. Hwy 101 north across the Golden Gate Bridge. Exit at CA Hwy 37 East (exit 460A), then follow Hwy 121 north and east, and finally, go north on CA Hwy 29.Race days at the Infineon Raceway at Sears Point can cause slow going through the Hwy 37/121 intersection. An alternative (which is also a good route anytime if you're traveling from the east side of San Francisco) is to take the Bay Bridge to I-80 north, exiting at American Canyon Rd. west, which connect to CA Hwy 29 north.
If you're taking our advice to skip the rental car while staying in San Francisco, you can rent one for the day from Avis or Hertz's city offices near Fisherman's Wharf or Union Square. Or if you want to sample as much wine as you like without worrying about driving, some Napa Valley tour companies will pick you up at San Francisco hotels.
