How far is Napa from The Sea Ranch?

About two hours by car, heading south on Highway 1 to Highway 101, then east on Highway 37 to Highway 29 into Napa. It's a long day trip from the coast — better as an overnight or a stop on the way home.

Do I need reservations for Napa wineries?

Yes, for most of the well-known ones. Many tasting rooms now require reservations, and the popular estates book out weeks ahead on weekends. Pick two or three, book before you leave home, and leave the afternoon open.

What is the Silverado Trail?

The Silverado Trail runs along the east side of the Napa Valley, parallel to Highway 29. It's quieter, less congested, and lined with some of the valley's best wineries. If you're doing a winery day, start on the Trail and work your way back to 29 for the drive home.

Is Calistoga worth visiting?

Yes. Calistoga is the spa town at the north end of the valley, built on volcanic hot springs. Old Faithful Geyser is just north of town. Indian Springs has been running mineral baths since 1861. The main street has good restaurants and a slower pace than Yountville. It's 25 minutes from Silverado Resort.

How do I get French Laundry reservations?

Reservations open 60 days out at 10 AM Pacific on the restaurant's booking site. They go in minutes on weekends. Set a calendar reminder, have your party size and credit card ready, and be at your keyboard at 10 AM sharp. If you miss it, check for cancellations.

Things to Do in Napa, California

Napa is about 90 minutes from The Sea Ranch and two hours from Guerneville, which makes it a natural day trip or a second stop on a longer wine country loop. The valley runs 30 miles from the city of Napa in the south to Calistoga at the north end, and the Silverado Trail on the east side of the valley is the quieter, less-trafficked alternative to Highway 29 for winery hopping.

Know before you go

Napa moves on reservations. Most tasting rooms require them now, and the popular ones book out weeks ahead on weekends. Pick two or three wineries, book before you leave the house, and leave room in the afternoon for a walk downtown or a long lunch. Trying to wing it on a Saturday in summer is a different trip than the one you planned.

The city of Napa has changed a lot in the past decade. Downtown has real restaurants now, a farmers market on Tuesdays and Saturdays from May through October, and the Oxbow Public Market for a casual lunch or a cheese run. It's worth an hour on foot.

Wineries worth the drive

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Stag's Leap is where the 1976 Paris Tasting Cabernet came from, and the Fay Vineyard tasting is the one to book. It's on the Silverado Trail, which means you skip the Highway 29 traffic getting there. Reserve ahead.

Darioush

Darioush is a Persian-influenced estate on the Silverado Trail with a serious Cabernet program and a tasting room that looks like nothing else in the valley. The wines are expensive and the experience is unhurried. Book the seated tasting.

Schramsberg

Schramsberg makes sparkling wine in caves dug into the hillside above Calistoga in 1862. The cave tour is the reason to go. It runs about 90 minutes and ends with a seated tasting. Book it well ahead, especially on weekends.

Castello di Amorosa

A 13th-century Tuscan castle built from scratch in the Napa hills, which sounds absurd and is, but the wines are good and the cave tour is genuinely impressive. Kids who are old enough to walk the stairs find it memorable. Book ahead.

Calistoga

Calistoga at the north end of the valley is a spa town built on volcanic hot springs. Old Faithful Geyser erupts every 30 minutes or so just north of town. The main street has good restaurants and a slower pace than Yountville or St. Helena. If you're staying at Silverado Resort, Calistoga is about 25 minutes up the valley and worth an afternoon.

Indian Springs Resort

Indian Springs has been running mineral baths since 1861. The Olympic-size geothermal pool is open to day guests, and the mud baths are the classic Calistoga experience. Book ahead for treatments.

Eat in Napa

The French Laundry

Thomas Keller's French Laundry in Yountville is one of the most decorated restaurants in the country. Reservations open 60 days out at 10 AM Pacific and go in minutes. If you want to go, set a calendar reminder and be ready at your keyboard. The tasting menu runs several hours and several hundred dollars per person before wine.

Bouchon Bistro

Also Thomas Keller, also in Yountville, and considerably easier to get into. Classic French bistro food done very well. The onion soup and the roast chicken are the things to order. Reservations recommended but not impossible to get.

Oxbow Public Market

The Oxbow Public Market in downtown Napa is a covered market hall with a dozen vendors: oysters, tacos, charcuterie, coffee, and a good wine bar. It's the right lunch stop before or after a morning of tasting, and it doesn't require a reservation.

Torc

Torc on Main Street in Napa is a neighborhood restaurant that punches above its weight. The menu changes with the season, the room is comfortable, and it's easier to get into than the Yountville spots. Book ahead for dinner.

From our team

The Silverado Trail is the better drive. Same wineries, half the traffic, and you can see the vineyards instead of the back of a tour bus.
Book tasting rooms before you leave home. The good ones fill up, especially on weekends from May through October.
Calistoga is worth the extra 20 minutes up the valley. The pace is different and the mud baths are the real Napa experience that most visitors skip.
If you're combining Napa with Sea Ranch or the Russian River, plan the Napa leg first and drive back toward the coast. The light is better in the afternoon going west.

Getting there from our properties

From Silverado Resort, you're already in Napa. From Healdsburg, the valley is about 45 minutes east over the Mayacamas range on Highway 128. From Guerneville or the Russian River, plan on 90 minutes. From The Sea Ranch, it's a two-hour drive inland, best done as an overnight rather than a day trip.