Weekend Itinerary: Enjoying the Best of Napa Valley

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of visiting Napa Valley for the first time. It was one of those trips that I’ve always felt like was out of reach and exclusively for the rich. Fortunately, I made my little way on up there and had a wonderful time. It wasn’t nearly as expensive as I assumed it would be.

In Napa, I stayed at the Westin, my favorite hotel brand of all time. The Napa Valley location was of course wine themed and the vibe matched the local area. I was upgraded to a suite, which made the beginning of the trip somewhat bittersweet because I was traveling alone. I enjoy sharing my fancy experiences with loved ones. On the upside, the Westin is directly across from the Napa Valley Wine Train, which meant I could drink several glasses of wine and be able to walk safetly back to my room.

Unfortunately, that did not happen as the wine train ticket didn’t really include wine. It was all separate. But you can read more about my experience here.

My next days in Napa included visiting three wineries and eating at some amazing local restaurants.

The first winery that I went to was Domaine Chandon in Yountville. There are several smaller towns that make up wine valley. Chandon was at the top of my list, because of my love for Moet et Chandon. It was my first champagne as young girl in nightclubs, oh the memories. I went to this one on my first day there immediately after the wine train, with some ladies I met on the train. We arrived there a little bit before closing, so we weren’t able to get the full experience. I was able to sample four sparkling wines and purchased a bottle of the Red Demi Sec to take home. Compared to Moet prices, the bottles were very inexpensive.

Later that evening, I had food and even more drinks at The Waterfront Seafood Grille. I had a lobster sandwich, fries and carrot cake.

The following morning, I tried out Boon Fly Cafe. The restaurant is one of the highest rated breakfast spots in Napa and I was worried about the possible crowds. I got there right at opening and luckily it wasn’t full. Boon Fly’s mini doughnuts are very popular and the waitress insisted that I tried them. I asked for one and she gave me two, they were delicious as well as the rest of my meal.

The second winery and my favorite was Domaine Carneros in Napa. Here I was able to get a full tasting of sparkling wine, a mini charcuterie board and macaroons! The wine paired nicely with the cheese and the views and ambiance was amazing. I spent a few hours around here and the winding road behind it taking photos of the landscape.

That afternoon for lunch, I went to this cute restaurant I spotted on the wine train that was super crowded. The burger and the fries were pretty good, but nothing to go crazy about.

The next day I went Chateau Montelena, a winery most famous for winning the white wine section of the historic “Judgment of Paris” wine competition. It’s also a gorgeous property with a replica castle and pond with an angry swan. Of course the white wine was amazing as I’m not the biggest fan of dry red wine. But, surprisingly the red was very good and I could taste different flavors in it. My host was amazing as well and very knowledgeable.

For dinner I tried R + D kitchen in Yountville. It was probably my favorite meal in Napa. I had prime rib sliders and my favorite baby shower snack, deviled eggs. It was there that I finally came across some grapes! For some odd reason, I wanted to see grapes growing on a vine and taste one. It was a first for me, so I was glad to finally run across some.

I planned on visiting more wineries, but it started raining pretty bad during my last days there. Drinking and driving already don’t mix, but drinking and driving and the rain its a total no go. I was very surprised at how fast the alcohol affected me as well. At home I can drink almost a whole bottle and be fine. Is it because I’m use to low quality wine? And speaking of..

I really wanted to visit the Sutter Home Winery, but they were closed. I probably wasn’t missing much anyhow, but you never know! Overall my experience in Napa Valley was amazing. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it so much! I would definitely return one day..most likely in warmer months, even though it’s beautiful in the fall.