This little town has oh-so-much to offer. It's a little pricey, but to be honest, everything in…read morethis area has lots of delicious restaurants, beautiful views, the wineries, the tastings, what more would you need? I go there at least four or five times a year, and if you're from out of town, it's definitely worth a trip. You might see me there. Cheers, my friends SYOY 11/19/25

Yountville has delicious and amazing restaurant venues, but the town is a disappointment…read more It's been a destination for a long time but they haven't done a thing to embrace the vibe aside from upscale a few select blocks. They reference their European influences but haven't honored their people centric roots. It's two disconnected but richly manicured blocks like a mini-Scottsdale, and I don't mean that as a compliment. The sidewalks are narrow and won't accommodate people walking next to each other. It's designed so that you drive, park, eat, and leave. There's no ambling, meandering, or discovering. It's hard to ignore the sound of the highway.

Healdsburg: Pricey, Quiet, and Not Worth the Hype…read more I wanted to like Healdsburg, but it fell flat. On a Wednesday morning, the town wasn't "peacefully quiet" -- it was just empty. Barely any foot traffic in shops, restaurants, or on the plaza. Prices were high, yet nothing felt unique enough to justify them. The exception: Quail & Condor bakery, which The New York Times ranked among the best in the U.S.. That part of the hype is real. Healdsburg does have well-reviewed restaurants too, but on a slow weekday they weren't enough to give the town energy. I walked the main strip, grabbed a pastry, and left for Calistoga -- much better call. Unless you're coming specifically for the bakery, I'd skip it.

This is a charming and quaint town that is great to visit for so many reasons. The downtown area is…read morefilled with boutiques, hotels, restaurants, wine tasting rooms, art gallaries, etc. Everything is laid out well with a green space in the center of it all with benches and redwood trees and everything else is surrounding it. For this reason, it's very walkable and is a great place to explore. It also has plenty of parking, which is very convenient. Many people come to Healdsburg for wine tasting since it's in the heart of wine country and has so many amazing options. Outside of the downtown area, you will find wineries in Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley. Many of these wineries have stunning vineyard views in both of these valleys. You will want to spend a few days soaking in the views and all the amazing wine in this area. I love the restaurants in downtown Healdsburg. Due to their popularity, it is recommended to make reservations in advance. It's recommended if you are visiting to spend at least a few days exploring this wine country town because you will fall in love with its charm and all it has to offer!

Oakville's Carmelite Monastery is a historically fascinating spot in the Napa Valley. There were…read moreplans for this mansion to be a Summer White House on the West Coast. It had the same designer as Golden Gate Park- https://noehill.com/napa/poi_carmelite_monastery.asp The South Napa quake of 2014 severely damaged the monastery, yet the chapel remained intact. Miraculously, the chapel is having Masses to this day. They are celebrating Holy Week&Easter. They have a small gift shop- not sure if it's still being restored/renovated. A serene, beautiful oasis for prayer.

Whether you go there to take in the Catholicism or you just want to see the "Great Gatsby" style…read moremansion, the place is something to see. The grand mansion built in the 1920's has a history and I think even a ghost. You know those types of stories, a well-to-do family with a fortune and then a stepmother or father walks into the scene, something like that. The place is well worth the visit on the Napa Valley wine country tour. Take a few minutes to visit the little town of Oakville, which is close to St. Helena. It is among the few small town spots left in Northern California. See the Carmelite's web site for details about retreats and events. And, they also have a gift shop. http://www.oakvillecarmelites.org/

I love Hallberg Butterfly Gardens (see previous review). But while they get five stars for concept…read moreand purpose - butterfly conservation and education - they get one star in execution. In all the times I've been here - and it's many over the years - I have never seen a single employee on the property. There is no one available to answer questions, tell you about butterflies, or even discuss events. We signed up for an event today, and there was not a single person on the property. We wandered around for an hour and found NO ONE. Oddly enough, you can't get in touch with them via phone, either, because no one ever answers. Try for yourself and see. There's no outgoing info when you call, and you cannot leave a message. Amazingly, there aren't even posters displaying the different types of butterflies you might see, or how to identify them. Given that this place focuses on butterfly education, you would think they would offer some education...? Moreover, the place is falling apart - it's run down with poor signage. There's also a massive amount of disorganization: we signed up for one event on 7/2, and got confirmation for an event that already happened weeks ago. There was no info contained in the email beyond the gate code and the time to show up. We didn't know if someone would be leading the event or if we would be meeting people there. (Answer: no and no.) Hiring a part-time assistant to organize public events that attract people here would be a worthwhile investment, one would think...? I am ALL about natural spaces and supporting science education, and have always supposed the Gardens -- but if this place wants to make money and keep fans, they need to prioritize, even minimally, the people and events that support their existence.

What a local gem! I…read moregrew up in Sonoma County and I was just about today years old when I discovered this spot. Louise Hallberg was the original matriarch who created this property and lived to be over 100! In her 60's she began to cultivate and grow this beautiful space. It's truly a labor of love that is still preserved today. Donation based, you can schedule a self guided tour to view the gardens. We scheduled online and brought a picnic which was a wonderful idea and perfectly lovely afternoon in the meadow. We didn't see a lot of butterflies but that's ok. The property is lovingly tended by many volunteers. Truly a hidden gem in West County.

Calistoga is located in the northern part of Napa Valley and is an excellent place to stay or visit…read morefor so many reasons. This city/town in the northernmost part of Napa Valley is known for their geothermal hot springs and mud baths. For this reason, it's an excellent place for a spa getaway with friends or a romantic getaway. It's a great place to pamper yourself with spa treatments, amazing wine, and delicious food. It has a small-town charm to it and the downtown has lots of shops, restaurants, and wine tasting rooms. This town is very walkable, which I love. There are lots of hotels, cottages, and bed and breakfasts within walking distance of downtown area so the town is laid out well in my opinion. They have amazing restaurants. I personally love Lovina restaurant in their downtown area. They have lots of wineries all around you can take the Vine Trail and ride a bike and view the vineyards. If you don't ride a bike, it's a great place to walk and take in the vineyard views. There is lots of hiking. I personally love Oat Hill Mine Trail there and the views are stunning. This trail is open so if you go during the sunny time of year, go early as there is not much shade, bring hiking shoes, and lots of water. There are benches along the way if you want to stop and soak in the views.

This is a cute, old style town in the "cul de sac" of the Napa Valley... at the top, sort of where…read morethe mountains come together. Definitely worth visiting. Plenty of store fronts, eateries, wine tasting, etc to see and do there. Not quite as "upscale" at St Helena, but very nice.

This is the road you want when Highway 29 is jam packed during rush hour and busy tourist season…read more Be warned that Silverado Trail is starting to get very crowded and traffic backups are now more common than they used to be, but this is still a much more pleasant way to get around the valley by bypassing the crazy traffic on 29. If you can catch the trail on a lightly traveled day, you can take a leisurely drive next to gorgeous, sun-soaked vineyards and grapevines. There are tons of picture-perfect photo opportunities along this road. There are lots of very high quality wineries along the route too, most are open to the public (and benefit from less crowds)! A lot of the wineries require appointments to be sure to check before showing up to avoid disappointment.

this is a great trail for drivers, cyclists, and runners! i'd been a passenger in a car along this…read moretrail/road in the past, but last month was my first time as a pedestrian! my friends and i were in town for the weekend, attending another friend's wedding, and decided to run along this trail, very early in the morning, whilst it was still quiet....vineyards were still closed to the public and there weren't many cars. we started in downtown napa and ran along the sidewalks (where they existed) and then primarily in the bike lane as we headed north. even though it wasn't busy, we could still admire each and every vineyard that we ran past, each one a little different, some offering fresh fruits and produce as well. we even ran past a farm and saw some horses and llamas! beware, if the llama raises his ears, it means he's about to spit on you! fortunately, i didn't stick around long enough to watch whether the ears were raised! there are no restrooms or water fountains along this trail, since it was designed for mainly vehicular traffic, so if you do run here, be sure to bathroom up before you start and bring your own hydration, especially if you plan to run longer and during the warmer parts of the day. the trail is predominantly flat, with a few gentle rolling hills. some of them produce blind spots so proceed with caution, especially during heavy traffic hours. for those who want a longer distance, or are training for a marathon or ultra, this trail extends 28 miles from downtown napa to calistoga, so you could potentially run 56 miles roundtrip!

What a perfect day for some exquisite wine tasting at Lewis Cellars. The Yelp Community Event:…read more Spring Soirée at Lewis Cellars did not disappoint. The weather was absolutely beautiful this day and made the wine tasting a truly memorable event. Upon entering the winery you feel like you have been transported to a Great Hall in a Castle to celebrate the day. The high ceilings and stunning architectural design is jaw dropping. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, the ability to have food served here makes this a unique and versatile venue in the area. The staff and hospitality was definitely was on point, the wines were amazing. The outdoor seating area was great with a lot of sofas and chairs to relax in and enjoy the view along with the fabulous wines. This definitely was a hidden gem and we will have to come back on another occasion. A big thank you to Lewis Cellars and Yelp's Commander in Chief for the Bay Area, Steph Y. Truly a spectacular event and a good time had by all. Forgot to mention the great tunes courtesy of David Ronconi. Till the next adventure!

Amazing event!! Im sure we all felt so luxurious for Yelp's private event at the very beautiful…read moreLewis Cellars property. All of the wine was excellent, the views were spectacular, and the food bites were scrumptious. How could they not be, they were prepared by a Michelin starred chef! Met some new friends and got a sweet yelp goodie bag with Lewis Cellar chocolates and a free tasting for 2 coupon to come back for more. Looking forward to our return visit! Thank you so much Yelp and Lewis Cellars!

Cloverdale is a charming, small city in northern Sonoma County, California. It's known as the…read morenorthern gateway to Wine Country and is nice if you are looking to get away from the hustle and bustle and relax and soak in the stunning views. Cloverdale is conveniently located near Alexander Valley AVA, which means that you will have access to hidden gem wineries in this area with amazing wines. It is also not that far from Dry Creek Valley AVA and Russian River AVA if you are looking for some variety. The views in Alexander Valley AVA are stunningly beautiful and I love that it's a little more "off the grid". There is a historic downtown area that is the community hub. They have a seasonal farmers market and a good mix of amazing restaurants, shops, and wine tasting shops. All of the people in the restaurants and shops were so welcoming and friendly. It's an amazing small town to walk around and explore because there you will find some amazing spots along the way! They have events throughout the year such as the Cloverdale Wine Walk and other annual events. I would check out their calendar of events if this is something you would like to do. They also have great races such as the Cloverdale Vineyards Races where you can run through the vineyards for a great cause. Cloverdale is home to the Russian River Railbikes experience. It's a unique and fun outdoor activity where you pedal custom-designed vehicles along a historic railroad track. This guided tour is led by volunteers and takes you on a scenic route along the historic Northwestern Pacific Railroad tracks where you will have views of vineyards, wooded areas, and the Russian River. You will also pass through a tunnel, which is very cool. The experience is run by the Golden Gate Railroad Museum, a non-profit organization, with proceeds supporting their mission of preserving railroad history so you will have fun and know you are supporting a great cause. This is seasonal so if you are wanting to go, research this ahead of time to make sure that they are open at that time of year. If you haven't spent any time in the small and charming town of Cloverdale, I would definitely recommend checking it out!

Music on Friday nights is a lot of fun. 6:30-9:30. Food court vendors and a few other vendors…read morethere as well. Such a great way to spend a Friday night during the summer