One hour north of San Francisco, all of life’s greatest indulgences—wine, 食物, 放松, adventure—can be experienced all at once in ag体育正规, one of the top Wine Country destinations in the world.

Thirty miles long 和 five miles wide, this small slice of heaven is home to more than 500年酒庄 throughout a collection of six quaint towns: 纳帕, AG体育平台, 奥克维尔, 卢瑟福, St. 海伦娜, Calistoga. Each has its own personality 和 places to discover; from 纳帕’s urban wine trail to AG体育平台’s renowned dining scene to Calistoga’s detoxifying hot springs, there’s something for every kind of traveler, whether you’re a oenophile, 美食家, 冒险主义者, or self-care aficionado.

也有 no bad time to visit ag体育正规. While September 和 October are the busiest 和 warmest months, offering the chance to experience the annual 葡萄收获 in action, the winter months have their own appeal. It’s quiet, uncrowded, not too chilly, with temperatures mostly in the 50s 和 60s. Plus, many hotels offer hard-to-beat off-season rates. Your best chance of rain is in the spring, but the blooming fields of bright, yellow mustard also make it one of the most Instagram-worthy seasons to plan a trip.

Whenever you do decide to pack your bags 和 pay ag体育正规 a visit, we’ve put together the perfect itinerary for the first time visitor, covering all of the “must do’s” over a long weekend trip.

第一天

Visit a Historic Winery

You can’t visit ag体育正规 without a trip to some of the area’s most historic 和 famous wineries where this great wine region began to make its mark on the world. From 纳帕, head north on scenic Highway 128 toward St. 海伦娜, first stopping at 卢瑟福’s 比尤利葡萄园, one of the longest continually operating wineries in ag体育正规, before making your way to 路易斯·米. 马提尼酒庄 to admire the renovated space while you sip.

Other historically-significant winery stops worth considering include 伯吉斯酒窖, 贝灵哲酒庄, 查尔斯·克鲁格 (ag体育正规’s oldest winery), 马卡姆 和 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, where you’ll be able to taste iconic wines while discovering more about 纳帕’s winemaking heritage at each stop.

探索 Downtown 纳帕

After a day of wine tasting, make your way back to 纳帕, where you’ll be able to explore on foot. 漫步到 牛首公开市场, where you can shop from a myriad of local vendors for souvenirs 和 gifts, like locally-made olive oils or spirits. You can also grab a pre-dinner snack—think oysters from Hog Isl和 Oyster Co., a mini Sweet S’mores or Chocolate Velvet cupcake from 卡拉的蛋糕, or housemade sourdough bagels from Loveski熟食店. 渴了? 在 实地考察酝酿 Company.

Next, it’s time for more wine. Stop into one of the many wine tasting rooms, 酒吧, or restaurants for happy hour, such as 拱 & 塔 for incredible river views 和 wine tasting, or 军官学校学生, 及时行乐, or 晚祷 酒吧. Make a reservation for dinner on the 纳帕 Riverfront at the famous 森本晃司 or the romantic French bistro 安吉拉，或前往 中央情报局的格罗夫 to dine on Mediterranean-inspired cuisine under olive trees in the garden.

保持

预定一个 在纳帕的酒店房间 so that you can be within walking distance (or just a short drive) to downtown’s many restaurants, 酒吧, 还有品酒室. 都市时尚 Andaz纳帕 的核心是什么 市中心的纳帕 activity, where loft-style rooms are both stylish 和 inviting, while 米利肯河’s peaceful riverfront location offers guests a quieter escape just a few minutes from the downtown scene.

第二天

Spend your second day exploring the towns that put the “Valley” in “ag体育正规.” The small towns of AG体育平台, 奥克维尔, 卢瑟福, St. 海伦娜, Calistoga are referred to by locals as the “UpValley,” so use that term if you want to blend in.

Breakfast in AG体育平台

为 早餐, head to chef Thomas Keller’s famous 点火机面包店 in AG体育平台 for pastries 和 espresso. Most likely there will be a line out the door, but it moves quickly. If you want to double down, you can head to Mini Model across the street. This is a smaller location of the locally-acclaimed 模型面包店. Get the English muffin. It’s so good that Oprah Winfrey actually has them flown straight to her front door. 为 a more elegant brunch option, head to RH AG体育平台, where dishes like avocado toast on charred sourdough 和 black forest bacon are perfectly paired with their signature RH mimosa.

Visit a Boutique Winery

Because you visited some of the oldest, 最大, most popular wineries on 第一天, make an appointment at a boutique or family-owned winery next 和 compare experiences. A boutique winery can mean several things: a more personalized experience (sometimes with the winemaker or owner), 不那么拥挤, super primo wines (especially Cabernet Sauvignon, which ag体育正规 is best known for). Some of our favorite family-owned 和/or boutique wineries to visit UpValley are Goosecross酒窖, Jessup酒窖, 悬崖导语 Vineyards 在AG体育平台, 克里夫家族酒庄 和 Trinchero 在圣. 海伦娜, Staglin Family Vineyard 在卢瑟福.

Also 在卢瑟福 is the family-owned Sequoia Grove Winery, where a variety of tasting experiences await. Add a seasonal cheese 和 charcuterie plate to your tasting if you need a snack to tide you over until lunch.

在圣吃午餐. 海伦娜

为 lunch, continue to head north 和 pull over at the original 先验哲学的路边 St的位置. 海伦娜. 为merly Taylor’s Automatic Refresher, when Gott’s took over, 他们保留了旧的, 50s-style roadside building, now a ag体育正规 l和mark. There may be a line, but the burgers 和 shakes are a can’t-miss. But, if you simply can’t wait, 克里夫家族酒庄’s Bruschetteria 食物 truck is equally enjoyable, offering a variety of seasonally-driven lunch items that will tide you over until dinner. They’re both located at the gateway of St. 海伦娜’s charming Ma在圣reet, so you can walk your meal off afterwards with some window shopping at the local boutiques.

Relax 和 Recharge in Calistoga

为 the better part of the afternoon, drive the eight miles from St. 海伦娜, Calistoga 去泡个温泉. 这个古怪的, little town is best known for its healing mineral waters from natural hot springs, plus mud baths that’ll make your skin as smooth as a newborn. Make an appointment for a 矿泉疗法 ahead of time; there are so many local spas to choose from, from luxe resorts like 印度的弹簧 和 Solage to hip boutique gems like Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & 矿物温泉 to more intimate 和 classically restorative escapes at Golden Haven Hot Springs.

If you have some time after, take a stroll down Calistoga’s main drag Lincoln Avenue 和 pop into CAMi艺术+葡萄酒 for a tasting while admiring the contemporary art, or grab a pint at the Calistoga Inn Restaurant & 啤酒厂.

Dine at a World-Renowned Restaurant

为 your last supper of the trip, go big 和 make a reservation at one of ag体育正规’s finest dining establishments from an acclaimed chef. St. 海伦娜 is home to Chris Cosentino’s 相思的房子, Christopher Kostow’s 宪章橡树, Colin Rupp’s Harvest Table. In AG体育平台, choose from the late Michael Chiarello’s 宝, or Thomas Keller’s 法国洗衣店 (if you can get in 和 money is no issue) or 特别的. Wherever you end up, you won’t leave hungry or disappointed.

保持

在St .预订酒店. 海伦娜 for the second night of your trip. 为 a true Wine Country getaway among the vines, snag a room at the intimate 葡萄酒乡村客栈 & 小屋 or the luxurious (adults-only) 阿利拉ag体育正规. 为 something more contemporary 和 convenient, check out the Wydown酒店 在圣. 海伦娜的大街.

第三天

Take Flight in a Hot Air Balloon

Schedule your travel plans home later in the day so that you have time for one last hurrah. One of ag体育正规’s most sought-after adventures is a sunrise hot air balloon ride over the vines. We promise that the 6 AM wake up call is worth it. Don’t forget your camera!

看看 ag体育正规高空 to schedule your flight, which often includes a post-flight sparkling wine toast. 然而, if soaring above the valley isn’t your thing 和 you’d prefer to fit in another winery visit, don’t miss exploring the caves 和 distinct wines of Pine Ridge Vineyards, situated in the heart of the Stags Leap District.