we are going to have 2 nights/3 days in wine country during peak season (but midweek)...what would a good itinerary be? is there one town very centrally located that we should stay at, or should we split our time between two inns to avoid backtracking? if so, which two towns would be best?

we want a moderately priced inn or B&B (less than 200) very centrally located. we are in our early 30's and this is our layover for our honeymoon in hawaii.

That's easy - there are two primary Napa wine routes - Rte. 12, which is the main route with most of the bigger wineries, and the Silverado Trail runs parallel, with the more exclusive, high quality wineries. I would do one daytrip of each.

I actually prefer Sonoma, but with only 3 days, it might be better to stick with Napa. FYI, the best wineries are not the most well known. Mondavi and Neibaum Coppola are good for tours, but for great wine try Merryvale and maybe (which happens to be close to a great restaurant - Tra Vigne) and for a beautiful tour go on the gondola trip up the side of Sterling Vineyards. Mumms is nice and has an Ansel Adams exhibit.

For restaurants, Bistro Don Giovanni, Tra Vigne, Bistro Jeanty and the Culinary Institute are all great and easily found on rte. 12.

Have fun and if you have more questions (especially if you decide on Sonoma), email me.

so then what town would i stay in to be centrally-located?

St. Helena, the town of napa, or oakville. any of these put you close to the middle of everything in Napa County.
Highway 29 is the strip thru the whole affair and the Silverado Trail runs parallel to it with crossroads (grades)
at most towns. BV is a good tour in Rutherford, dont miss Mondavi/Copia in Oakville. All the restaurants the other poster left are worth seeing. If you have some $ and a lot of time in advance, DONT miss the French Laundry!!!! Pricy but very worth it. expect $300 to $400 for two with wine.
Check out St. Supery, Peju Province or Dominus Winerys. Dont bother with Opus One.

I would avoid Napa and do the Sonoma County wineries. Particular favorite areas are the Alexander Valley, Dry Creek and Russian River Wineries. I would stay in Healdsburg. Places to consider might be Calderwood Inn and the Inn on the Plaza in Healdsburg. Both are lovely.

Don't miss some of the "big" wineries (much smaller than the previously mentioned ones but still big); Chateau Souveraign (great place for lunch or dinner) and Ferrari Carano. Then sprinkle in some of the small ones which are more fun for tasting; Hop Kiln (nice picnic place), Davis Bynum, Seghesio, and Alexander Valley. Just stop when you see one, go in and talk with the people there. You are likely to meet the winemaker himself.

Also, if you like riding bikes, you can rent bikes right off the plaza in Healdsburg. It's a really fun way to see the area. Head out Eastside Road and enjoy.

Another favorite restaurant is the Madrona Manor. Excellent menu.

You can also drive to the coast from Healdsburg and stop in the redwood forest in Guerneville.

I enjoyed the Glass Mountain Inn http://www.napavalley.com/lodging/st_helena.html. We had the downstairs room that was very nice (though it has been a few years since we were there, but this web site does show some other B&Bs). For a casual meal I have been going to Mustards for years (a good place on your way in to Napa or leaving based on the location - make reservations). Also, for a nice spa (not fancy) try Lavendar Hills in Calistoga http://www.lavenderhillspa.com/ (try the Volcanic Mud Bath and then a massage. Have fun.

Think Tim means Rt. 29 is the main road through Napa. If you want one town, stay in St. Helena. If you want to do both Napa and Sonoma, stay in St. Helena and then move either to Healdsburg or the town of Sonoma. I think Sonoma is as easy to get to as Napa but the wineries are more spread out. It's a prettier area generally. See www.napavalley.com and www.sonomavalley.com In Sonoma look into the El Dorado Hote--historic and fun overlooking the plaza where the mission is. Remember that wineries generally open about 10-=11am and close between 4-5pm so there's lots of time to explore the area/shop/eat etc. The Wine Country Inn would be a good choice in Napa.