NAPA VALLEY

Few getaways enable you to escape like a trip to Napa and Sonoma in California. Easily accessible from San Francisco, the area celebrates the good life with superb wineries and wine, trendy restaurants, intimate resorts, and pampering spas. Gentle hills and vineyard-laced farmland make Napa and Sonoma perfect for back-road driving or cycling—or a picnic. Along with famous chefs and chic shops, there’s plenty of small-town appeal in towns such as St. Helena, Yountville, Sonoma, and Healdsburg. Time may seem to stand still in the iconic countryside, but the luxury and sophistication here are thoroughly modern.

When it comes to wine production in the United States, Napa Valley rules the roost with hundreds of wineries and many of the biggest brands in the business. Vastly diverse soils and microclimates give Napa winemakers the chance to make a tremendous variety of wines. But what’s the area like beyond the glossy advertising and boldface names?

For every blockbuster winery whose name you’ll recognize from the shelves of wine stores and the pages of Wine Spectator—Robert Mondavi, Charles Krug, Beringer, and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, to name a very few—you’ll also find low-frills wineries that will warmly welcome you into their modest tasting rooms. At the other end of the spectrum are Napa’s “cult” cabernet producers—Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estate, Dalla Valle, and Dominus Estate among them—whose doors are closed tight to visitors.

The handful of small towns strung along Highway 29 are where wine industry workers live, and they’re also where you’ll find most of the area lodgings. The up-and-coming city of Napa—the valley’s largest community—is the best place to find (relatively) reasonably priced accommodations. A few miles farther north, compact Yountville is a culinary boomtown, densely packed with top-notch restaurants and hotels, including a few luxury properties. Continuing north, St. Helena is teeming with high-style boutiques and eateries. Mellow Calistoga, known for spas and hot springs, feels a bit like an Old West frontier town, and has a more casual attitude than many others in Wine Country.

Because the Napa Valley attracts everyone from hard-core wine collectors to bachelorette partyers, it’s not necessarily the best place to get away from it all. But there’s a reason why it’s California’s number one Wine Country destination. The local viticulture has inspired a robust passion for food, and several outstanding chefs have sealed Napa’s reputation as one of the country’s best restaurant destinations. You will also get a glimpse of California’s history, from the wine cellars dating back to the late 1800s to the flurry of Steamboat Gothic architecture dressing up Calistoga. Binding all these temptations together is the sheer scenic beauty of the place. Much of Napa Valley’s landscape unspools in orderly, densely planted rows of vines. Even the climate cooperates, as the warm summer days and refreshingly cool evenings that are so favorable for grape growing also make perfect weather for traveling.

Hawthorn Suites By Wyndham Napa Valley

Located in scenic Napa and just minutes from California’s famous world-class wineries, Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Napa Valley hotel is the perfect choice for vacationers, romantic getaways and business travelers. Hawthorn Suites is near the Napa County Airport and on Route 121, offering close proximity to Napa’s historic downtown district as well as premiere shopping and dining.  Start each morning with a free hot breakfast buffet then make a splash in the indoor pool and hot tub. Enjoy free Wi-Fi Internet access, fitness center, in-room refrigerators, microwaves and wet bar, business facilities and free parking. Handicapped-accessible suites are available at this non-smoking Napa hotel.

Fairfield Inn & Suites, Napa Valley

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott is strategically located at the entrance to Napa & Sonoma Wine Country between San Francisco and Sacramento. This hotel’s location is prime for leisure as you will be only minutes from key attractions. This property is near dozens of wineries (Copia, Bounty Hunter, Acacia, Cadenasso, Wooden Valley, and much more), tours (Jelly Belly, Anheuser Busch Brewery), colleges (Solano Community College, University of Phoenix, Chapman, Trinity),  attractions (Scandia Fun Center, Discovering Kingdom), shopping venues (Westfield’s Mall, Napa Premium Outlets, and Nut Tree Prime Outlets), and unique venues (NASCAR @ Infineon Raceways, Cache Creek Casino, Rockville Hills City Park, Center for Creative Arts, Mare Island), and much more.

Sponsoring resort – RiverPoint Resort

Hidden in a quiet neighborhood only two minutes from the bustling Oxbow District, our riverfront resort invites you to slow down in true Napa style. Sip a lively Cabernet Sauvignon on a shaded deck overlooking the garden or stroll the meandering river walk. Reconnect with loved ones while dining alfresco on the deck. Or simply lounge by the heated pool. RiverPointe Resort feels so tranquil you may very well forget that downtown Napa and hundreds of wineries are just a short drive away! RiverPointe Napa Valley’s many amenities are complemented by friendly staff members, who are here to ensure you have everything you need for a comfortable stay.