annimal

I am taking a family trip (5 adults) to Napa Valley for this 4th of July weekend (I know, we're crazy). We are staying at the Napa Valley Marriott in Napa for that Saturday night. (got it on Priceline for 1/2 off the hotel's asking price) We are planning to leave the Bay Area around 7am, expecting to arrive in Napa by 9 to 10am with traffic. We'd like to hit Gordon's Cafe in Yountville for breakfast to start our day in the valley as we've heard it's a great place. The things we have set up already are:
1) mud baths in Calistoga at 4:30 - 6:00pm, 2) dinner at Bistro Don Giovanni's at 8:00pm when we get back into Napa and 3) wine train for lunch on Sunday from 10:30 to 2:30pm.

With those things in mind, how can we fit in the following wineries:

- Domaine Carneros (Napa)
- Domaine Chandon (Yountville)
- Mondavi (Oakville)
- Cakebread (Rutherford)
- Grgich Hills (Rutherford)
- Sterling (Calistoga)

How long should we set aside for each winery? Is there any on that list that isn't worth it? We're not wine connoisseurs, but we'd like to experience the wine country / process as we've never done so before. We could move the breakfast at Gordon's, the mud baths, dinner at Don Giovanni's and the wine train lunch to either Saturday or Sunday.

What do you recommend would be the best itinerary / schedule for us factoring the holiday traffic? We are only staying overnight on Saturday, but we do have all of Sunday as well and can leave the valley in the evening if need be.

Any help, advice or suggestions would be appreciated!

Austin

I've never been to Napa, but doing a little research here and there. If you only have a short time there, why not pick one large (mondavi?) winery and a smaller one to see the differences?

alg

I would schedule about an hour per winery...this will give you time to get between them, taste, and possibly allow for an organized tour at one location. We visit Napa every couple of months and usually manage 4 wineries per day with a stop for lunch. I would locate each winery on a map so that you can visit them in some sort of order. Because of your other plans, I think you might plan on three for Saturday and one or two on Sunday after the train. I have visited the first 4 on your list and all were nice.

kimamom

Chandon in Yountville is gorgeous, you'll love it here and may want to schedule more time.

Sterling is very nice. Their reserve collection is excellent. The tram ride is beautiful up to the top to the tasting room. Enjoy & Cheers! **kim***

razzledazzle

Skip the wine train-overpriced and mediocre food! Have lunch at Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen in St. Helena
instead-much better way to spend your dollars! Be sure to make reservations as it's a weekend and the 4th. I don't know about an hour at each winery??? Just depends on the
experience at each one-I have spent as little as 20 mins. if the place was crowded and I couldn't get near the pourer
or get any info on the wine. And the ones you have selected will be crowded-
some will handle the crowds and some won't. I think I might re-select to places on the various "Cross" roads and the Silverado Trail vs. Hwy 29-definetly take the Silverado up to Calistoga (where are your mud's BTW?)
on Saturday-29 will be a ZOO-left turns will cause major traffic tie-ups. Also on Sunday-plan your winery visits from the North of the Valley to the South.
(Drive to the furthest winery first).
Another idea-skip Napa on Sunday and head over here to Sonoma if it's crowded-the Russian River area around Healdsburg would be on target! More info at wineroad.com.
R5
R5

annimal

Razzle: Mud baths at the Calistoga Oasis Spa. I've read on the forum the place to go is Indian Spa Resort, but they don't have couples baths... not expecting too much from Oasis Spa. Decided on them as I read more negative things about Dr. Wilkinson's and Golden Haven. Any comments on Oasis Spa? Or do you know of any other place with couples mud baths?

razzledazzle

annimal-cute name-On occassion, we have veered off our usual visit(s) to Indian Springs and have tried both Oasis and
Golden Haven. Oasis was dissapointing and didn't seem very "spa-ey", I had the worst massage of my life (perhaps just out of school?) and there is no pool (which is great after mud's!)
We have been to Golden Haven many times
in our 15 years here and have truly seen it improve-our last trip there was in March (they have fab Sun-
Thurs. discounts late fall to spring)
We did mud/mineral bath/blanket wrap/massage and foot reflexology
then lolled in the pool and jacuzzi. The whole place was pretty immaculate.The staff and spa attendants
were all great. Keep in mind that none of Calistoga's spas are the Fairmont Mission Inn or Canyon Ranch. They are all kinda
"50's taking the waters' funky". No marble or gold filligree here.Very casual. However,We love them and their gigantic pools.
So, to get to the point, based on that recent experience-I would choose GH waaaaaaaayyyyy over the Oasis.
I'd be interested to hear your experience,(and how many tylenol you had to take for the traffic
I think we'll go see Harry Potter that weekend.....LOL!
R5

razzledazzle

One more thing-we have also been to the Village Inn and Spa for muds-they used to have a couples spa and then they went seperate-which led us to GH-you might contact them to inguire if they brought back the couples.
R5

Otis_B_Driftwood

On Sunday, skip the Wine Train. Instead do the Picnic in the Garden at Robert Mondavi. Great tour and lunch. You will always remember it.

http://www.robertmondaviwinery.com/tastings.asp

annimal

Razzle - thanks for the info on the spas! I am bringing my parents so it's important that the spa is decent. Based on your info, I cancelled our appts. at Oasis and made new appts. at Golden Haven. Am hoping it goes well -- traffic too! Thanks again.

Leburta

Domain Chandon is beautiful. We had one of our best meals there. Don't miss it for lunch or dinner.

Also enjoyed Buchon, which is in Yountville and owned by Tom Keller of the French Laundry (would love to go there too, but can't seem to get a reservation). It was very much like a typical French Bistro.

We went up in a hot air balloon. You'll need an early start, but oh what a glorious way to start the day! We went with Balloons Above the Valley (www.balloonrides.com) and had a great time!

PamSF

driving tip while in Napa:travel via the Silverado Trail as much as possible. Hwy 29 can be a parking lot. Look at the maps for cross roads between Hwy 29 and the Trail. I agree..an hour per winery might be a bit much. Also, I think Domaine Carneros is on the outside of Napa but I could be wrong. I don't know where you will be on Sunday..if in Napa I think fireworks will be in Yountville near the Veteran's home...if in Healdsburg, they will be at the high school.

mikemo

Sonoma and Mendocino are way better!
I like Ch St Jean Winery.
The best restaurants in Napa County, should you stay are: Terra, and Bistro Jeanty.
Otra vez, Skip the train!
M

alg

Hmmm...I suppose we may be a little slower than the average visitor. I suggested an hour as we usually taste off the reserve menu (if offered, which can be a little more extensive) and my SO always chats with the individual pouring, so we spend 30-45 minutes at each winery. The additional 15 minutes gets us back in the car and to the next stop. Last week, we got up there around noon, stopped for lunch at the Oakville Grocery, visited 5 wineries, and left a little after 5 pm?a lovely day. I guess we are slow.

gracieb

I agree - skip the train, take the Silverado road if it's a busy time and I can't imagine not stopping at Oakville! I've done different wineries each trip and enjoyed almost all. It's hard to have a bad day in wine country. Someday I'll splurge for the antique convertibles with driver that you can reserve for the day. What a way to see Napa - without worrying about a designated driver!

annimal

Thanks everyone for your input! I tried passing on the wine train, but my parents have gift certificates from 1997(!!!) that they are eager to use. I've shifted our schedule a bit to hopefully get more wineries in...

Saturday -
7:00am Leave the Bay Area
9:00am Check-in for wine train
1:00pm Wine train returns, head to Grgich Hills winery (Rutherford) and do some tasting
2:50pm Leave Grgich and head for Sterling Vineyards (south of Calistoga) and ride tram, comp tasting, etc.
4:30pm Leave Sterling and head to Golden Haven spa in Calistoga
5:00pm Mud baths at GH
6:30pm Head back to Napa to check in at Napa Valley Marriott
8:00pm Reservations at Bistro Don Giovanni for dinner

Sunday -
9:00am Check out of hotel, head to Gordon's Cafe (Yountville) for breakfast
10:30am Finish breakfast, head to Cakebread (betw. Rutherford & Oakville) and do some tasting
11:45am Leave Cakebread, head to Mondavi (Oakville)
12:00pm Reservations for Vineyard & Winery tour at Mondavi, afterwards do some tasting
1:30pm Leave Mondavi, head to Chandon (Yountville) for comp tour and tasting
4:30pm Leave Chandon, head to Carneros, no time for tour, but will do some tasting and walk the grounds
6:00pm Carneros closes, head back to Bay Area for some fireworks

Of course, I've doubled the drive time for everything on the trip, so if I'm lucky to not hit too much traffic, we can linger at each place a little more. Saturday will be easy taking the Silverado Trail, but Sunday will be harder given our winery stops are so close to each other.