42 Best Sights in Napa, Napa and Sonoma

Guests on this Napa Valley fixture travel the corridor established in 1864 to transport passengers as far north as Calistoga's spas. The rolling stock includes restored Pullman cars and a two-story Vista Dome coach with a curved glass roof. The train travels a leisurely, scenic route between Napa and St. Helena. Patrons on some tours enjoy a multicourse meal and tastings at one or more wineries. Some rides involve no winery stops, and themed trips are occasionally scheduled. It's best to make this trip during the day, when you can enjoy the vineyard views.

Heavyweights like Michel Rolland, Philippe Melka, and Maayan Koschitzky oversee the international collection of wines poured at New Frontier's downtown Napa tasting room. Many guests settling into the leather chairs and sofas in the exposed-brick storefront space opt for a California Flight of wines from largely Napa Valley and Sonoma County grapes, though adventurous sorts should consider a World Flight, which might showcase specimens from Argentina and Australia. You can also order wine by the glass or a two-glass "Side-by-Side" comparison, for example, of Chardonnays from the Russian River Valley and Patagonia. Ownership by Alejandro Bulgheroni, an Argentine-born entrepreneur whose worldwide holdings include an estate vineyard in St. Helena, is the through line on all these labels.

At a contemporary tasting barn with an outdoor patio and cabana seating, father-daughter wine-growing team William "Bill" Hill and Elana Hill showcase the Bordeaux-style reds of their Prime Solum label and the Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs of the Expression brand. Well-known in the Wine Country as a vineyard developer, Bill planted the nearby estate Brokenrock Vineyard, which supplies Cabernet Sauvignon to A-list wineries and Prime Solum, whose labels Elana, an accomplished painter, creates. Unlike many tastings where the wines are a few years old at most, sessions here focus on older vintages, not just of the Bordeaux reds but also the Pinots and even some of the Chardonnays. The Pinots come from as near as Sonoma County (at latitude 38°) and as far as Sta. Rita Hills (Expression 34°) and Oregon (Expression 44°). For guests who prefer lighter wines, the Endless Summer flight consists solely of whites and rosés.

An ambitious beautification project also promoting democracy in art, outdoor wellness, and a few other ideals, RAD Napa commissions artists to paint murals on buildings, fences, and utility boxes along or near downtown Napa's railroad tracks. Sculptures and other installations are also involved. Many of the outdoor artworks can be viewed along the Napa Valley Vine Trail pedestrian and biking path or aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train. Download a walking map on RAD Napa's website.

In 1981, when Saintsbury released its first Pinot Noir, the Carneros District had yet to earn its reputation as a setting where the often finicky varietal could prosper. This pioneer helped disprove the conventional wisdom that only the French could produce great Pinot Noir; with their subtlety and balance Saintsbury's wines continue to please. In recent years the winery has expanded its reach to the Green Valley of the Russian River Valley, the Sonoma Coast, and Mendocino County's Anderson Valley with equally impressive results. Named for the English author and critic George Saintsbury (he wrote Notes on a Cellar-Book), this unpretentious operation also makes Chardonnay. Visits are by appointment only. When the weather cooperates, tastings take place in a rose garden.

Tastings at this women-run "urban winery" and nanobrewery a few blocks north of downtown unfold in a colorful culinary garden. Winemaker Elaine St. Clair, well regarded for stints at Domaine Carneros and Black Stallion, produces elegant wines—crisp yet complex whites and smooth, French-style reds whose stars include Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. While pursuing her wine-making degree, St. Clair also studied brewing; a few of her light-, medium-, and full-bodied brews are always on tap. You can taste the wines or beers solo or enjoy them paired with appetizers that might include a selection of cheeses or addictive almonds roasted with rosemary, lemon zest, and lemon olive oil. The tasting garden, anchored by an intimate, light-filled greenhouse, stays open until 8 pm on Friday and Saturday.

A 1973 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon put this winery and the Napa Valley on the enological map by placing first in the famous Judgment of Paris tasting of 1976. The grapes for that wine came from a vineyard visible from the stone-and-glass Fay Outlook & Visitor Center, which has broad views of a second fabled Cabernet vineyard (Fay) and the promontory that gives both the winery and the Stags Leap District AVA their names. The top-of-the-line Cabernets from these vineyards are poured at appointment-only tastings (call ahead for same-day visits), some of which include perceptive food pairings by the winery's executive chef. When the weather's right, two patios with the same views as the tasting room fill up quickly.

A must for history buffs, this winery in a bowl-shape microvalley at the base of the Stags Leap Palisades dates to 1893. Three years earlier, its original owners erected the Manor House, noteworthy for its castlelike stone facade and redwood-paneled interior. The home, whose open-air porch seems out of a flapper-era movie set, hosts seated appointment-only tastings best booked a day or more ahead. Some tastings take place on the porch, others inside. Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the calling cards, along with the Ne Cede Malis Petite Sirah, from vines planted in 1929. The winery also makes Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier,  Malbec, and Merlot.

Fans of the online Feast it Forward lifestyle network flock to its brick-and-mortar location in downtown Napa to experience food, wine, and entertainment with a philanthropic component—at least 5% of the proceeds goes to charity. On any given day, tastings of impressive boutique selections by Feast it Forward member wineries might be happening downstairs, a sommelier-taught class upstairs, and a musician or other performer mesmerizing millennials in the covered, open-air performance space out back. The upbeat vibe, good intentions, high-quality food and kitchenware products, and well-curated events make this Oxbow District space worth investigating.

Diversity is the name of the game at this family-owned winery on prime acreage amid the Carneros District's rolling hills. High-profile Napa Valley wineries purchase most of the grapes grown here, but some of the best are held back for estate-only wines—the Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs the region is known for, along with Roussanne, Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a few others. You must call ahead to taste, but a casual experience tailored to your interests awaits if you do. The included tour takes in the vineyards and the wine cave. Climb the small hill near the winery for a photo-op view of the pond and pen of Angora goats over the ridge.

Napa design star Richard von Saal's concept for this St. Helena winery's downtown tasting salon oozes cushy luxury with white walls, rich-green and charcoal-gray furniture, and brass trim everywhere. The glam setting suits Vineyard 29's two portfolio tiers: CRU for wines from grapes sourced from the Napa Valley to Oregon and Vineyard 29 for estate-grown wines. The latter label's focus is Cabernet Sauvignon, though the Aida Estate Zinfandel also shines. The introductory tasting of solely CRU wines reveals the wine-making sensibility, but consider a sampling of current Vineyard 29 releases or, for a deeper dive, a Collectors or Library tasting. Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are recommended on weekends. You can also taste by the glass or bottle.

Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Viognier are the specialties of this boutique appointment-only winery with a tasting room inside a 19th-century French-style château. Hamden McIntyre, whose other Napa Valley wineries include the majestic Far Niente in Oakville and Inglenook in Rutherford, designed this less showy yet still princely 1885 structure. Its tree-shaded patio is a civilized spot to enjoy a flight in good weather. The influence of winemaker Jamey Whetstone's mentor Larry Turley, known for velvety Zinfandels, is most evident in the Pinots and the Syrah (there's also a Cabernet Sauvignon), but their élan is Whetstone's alone.