This March we took our very first trip to Napa Valley and it was magical. Even though the weather wasn’t ideal and we were a little worried about COVID-19, we still made the absolute best of our vacation. I had been wanting to go to wine country for awhile and we planned our trip 6 months in advance so I had very high expectations. We fit as much as we could into our 4 full days in the valley and I already can’t wait to go back. I have compiled a list of recommended things you should do in Napa Valley to get the most out of your trip. Cheers!

1. Stay at a Bed & Breakfast or an Inn

To really get the best wine country experience, you should stay at a bed & breakfast. We stayed at the Setting Inn and it was our favorite place we have ever stayed. We had our own cottage separate from the main building where we got breakfast from a local bakery delivered to our doorstep each morning. The Setting Inn offered bikes, kitchens, robes, slippers, a fireplace, bonfire pit, vineyard views, peloton bike, wine tasting, and many other amenities that went above and beyond. I’m already ready to book my next stay!

2. Snap Some Pictures with the Napa Valley Welcome Sign

This is obvious for any tourist visiting wine country. It’s right on the main road of highway 29 in St. Helena so it’s a quick stop between wineries!

3. Ride in a Hot Air Balloon

Unfortunately, we didn’t ride in a hot air balloon while we were in Napa valley this time but I am so determined to do it someday. I mean what better view than seeing vineyards and mountains from above? We did see one above our inn one morning and I was so jealous! So if you aren’t afraid of heights, add this to your wine country bucket list.

4. Wine Taste at a Winery

So of course this was how we spent a majority of our time in the valley. During our 4 days, we tasted wines at 11 wineries! We made reservations for almost all of them, so I would definitely recommend reserving your spots in advance. If you’re looking to visit quite a few wineries, I would suggest getting the priority wine pass which will get you 2-for-1 wine tastings at some of the wineries. There will be a post coming soon about each winery we visited in more detail.

5. Eat at Gott’s Roadside

This burger joint was founded in 1999 in Saint Helena and has opened a handful of other locations since then. We had heard from many people that this was a must for lunch in Napa Valley. Their classic cheeseburger and garlic fries made for a perfect outdoor lunch in between our wine tasting reservations. Everything on the burger was so fresh, which is something we quickly noticed while dining in California.

6. Visit a Tasting Room Downtown

Many of the wineries also have tasting rooms downtown for more exposure and a different tasting experience. This option is also nice because you can walk from one to the next if you don’t want to drive. We spent most of our time at the wineries out in the country but if we stayed in the downtown area we definitely would have visited more of these.

7. Eat a Charcuterie and Cheese Board

If cheese and charcuterie were a cuisine, it would be my favorite. Some of the wineries we visited offered cheese or charcuterie boards to enjoy during our wine tastings. We also picked up a baguette, salami, cheese, tapenade, and pickles from the deli at V. Sattui Winery to make our own back at our cottage. Cheese and charcuterie marry so well with wine so of course it is a must eat in wine country.

8. Get a Picnic Lunch at Oakville Grocery

Oakville Grocery can easily be underestimated when driving by it on highway 29. It looks and sounds like your typical grocery store but I assure you it is SO much more than that. We wanted to take our picnic lunch to a winery but on our last day, many of the wineries closed down because of COVID-19 so we decided to eat at the store. We shared the caprese and muffuletta sandwiches and a bottle of wine, everything was all delicious and worth every penny. I already know we will be eating at Oakville Grocery whenever we return to Napa Valley.

9. Order a Case of Wine (to look forward to when you get home)

We got sucked into ordering a case at the very first winery we went to. Some of the wineries you can only purchase wine at the winery or online but not in stores anywhere. So if you love the wine you might as well get it while you’re there in case they have any deals going on. Having to leave Napa Valley is bad enough, so why not make it a little easier by having a case of wine waiting for you when you get home!

10. Tour a Wine Cave

I wasn’t sure what to expect with wine caves considering we don’t have wine caves in Minnesota, so we definitely wanted to go on a winery tour that would take us through their wine caves. The caves are very dark and cold so definitely wear layers or bring a jacket with. The caves are a way to better utilize space and also create an ideal environment for wine aging.

10 Things To Do in Napa Valley