Napa crowds ... when does it ease up?
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Napa crowds ... when does it ease up?
Tentatively planning a trip to Yountville this fall, mainly to dine at French Laundry and Meadowood, maybe Cyrus. Enjoy the area more when there's no bumper-to-bumper traffic and have heard the fall harvest is a very busy time for tourism, so want to avoid the brunt of it.
I'm guessing all of Sept is crowded, how about after mid-Oct? Or should we wait for November?
I'm guessing all of Sept is crowded, how about after mid-Oct? Or should we wait for November?
#5
It's my experience, Bill_H. I work to fit in a day or afternoon every time in the area for work and I've never had more than a few people in a winery at the same time. Sometimes, I'm the only one - even in October. I usually hit a "popular" winery and then wander a bit and just drive into one that sounds interesting. One of my favorite "discoveries" was Clos Pegase and it wasn't until later that I learned it was a Michael Graves design. I just loved being there.
On one weekend trip a co-worker and I went to Jack London State Park and took a walk and visited the museum. We sat and talked on a bench for hours (we live in different parts of the county) and just saw a few other people all morning.
After the busy barrel tasting weekend day, my DF, his daughter and friend and I just drove up to Sonoma Lake - juet because none of us had seen it before. After being in the midst of the crowds a little while ago, we were a world apart.
So, the wineries (and roads) are not crowded on weekdays and I've lucked into getting away from the crowds on busy weekends - in two very lovely locations.
On one weekend trip a co-worker and I went to Jack London State Park and took a walk and visited the museum. We sat and talked on a bench for hours (we live in different parts of the county) and just saw a few other people all morning.
After the busy barrel tasting weekend day, my DF, his daughter and friend and I just drove up to Sonoma Lake - juet because none of us had seen it before. After being in the midst of the crowds a little while ago, we were a world apart.
So, the wineries (and roads) are not crowded on weekdays and I've lucked into getting away from the crowds on busy weekends - in two very lovely locations.