St. Helena

By the time pioneer winemaker Charles Krug planted grapes in St. Helena around 1860, quite a few vineyards already existed in the area. Today the town greets you with its abundant selection of wineries, many of which lie along the route from Yountville to St. Helena, and its wonderful restaurants, including Greystone, on the West Coast campus of the Culinary Institute of America. Many Victorian and false-front buildings dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries distinguish the downtown area. Arching sycamore trees bow across Main Street (Route 29) to create a pleasant, shady drive.