1 Napa
The valley’s workaday
hub was once a nothing-
special city of storefronts,
Victorian cottages and
riverfront warehouses,
but booming real-estate
values caused an influx
of new money that has
transformed Napa into a
growing city of arts and
food. Its number-one
attraction, the Oxbow
Public Market (www.
oxbowpublicmarket.com; 610
1st St; h9am-7pm Mon &
Wed-Sat, to 8pm Tue, 10am-6pm
Sun; cv) showcases all
things culinary – from
produce stalls to kitchen
stores to fantastic edibles.
It’s foodie central, with
an emphasis on seasonal
and regional ingredients,
grown sustainably. Graze
your way through this
gourmet market and
plug into the Northern
California food scene.
Standouts include fresh
oysters, Venezuelan
cornbread sandwiches,
excellent Cal-Mexican
and certified-organic
ice cream. Tuesday is
locals night, with many
discounts. On Tuesday and
Saturday mornings, there’s
a farmers market. Friday
nights bring live music.
West of downtown,
scrap-metal sheep graze
Carneros vineyards at
217-acre Di Rosa (%707-
226-5991; http://www.dirosaart.
org; 5200 Carneros Hwy
121; hgallery 9:30am-3pm
Wed-Fri, by appointment Sat),
a stunning collection
of Northern California
art displayed indoors in
galleries and outdoors
in sculpture gardens.
Reservations are
recommended for tours.54 p88
The Drive » From Napa,
Yountville is 9 miles north on
Hwy 29, a divided four-lane road
surrounded by vineyards and
framed by low hills.2 Yountville
This one-time stagecoach
stop is now a major
foodie destination, with
more Michelin stars per
capita than any other
American town. There
are some good inns here,
but it’s deathly boringat night. You stay in
Yountville to drink with
dinner without having
to drive afterward – but
make reservations or you
might not eat!
Ma(i)sonry (%707-944-
0889; http://www.maisonry.com; 6711Washington St; (^) h9am-10pm)
occupies a 1904 stone
house, now transformed
into a rustic-modern
showplace for furniture,
art and wine. The garden
is a swank postdinner
fireside gathering spot
for vino.
Yountville’s modernist
40,000-sq-ft Napa Valley
Museum (%707-944-0500;
http://www.napavalleymuseum.org;
55 Presidents Circle; adult/
child $5/2.50; (^) h10am-5pm
Wed-Mon), off California
Dr, chronicles cultural
history and showcases
local paintings, and has
good picnicking outside.
54 p88
The Drive » Go north to
Oakville via another 4 miles
of vineyard vistas on Hwy 29,
which slims to two lanes just
outside of Yountville. Tracks for
the Napa Valley Wine Train line
the west side of the road.
3 Oakville
But for its famous
grocery, you’d drive
through the tiny
settlement of Oakville
(population 71) and never
know you’d missed it.
This is the middle of
the grapes – vineyards
sprawl in every direction.
The behemoth Robert
Mondavi Winery
TRIP HIGHLIGHT
6
Sonoma Valley
For lower-key
wineries and Sonoma’s
early California historical
sites, Hwy 12/121 is the
main connector between
the Napa and Sonoma
Valleys.
7
Russian
River & the
Bohemian Highway
From Calistoga, continue
west on Hwy 128 for river
dips, rural wineries and
wildlife watching along
rugged undeveloped
coastline.
LINK
YOUR
TRIP
NORTHERN.CALIFORNIA.
5
.NAPA
VALLEY