A weekend away in Napa
*Collaboration note: Thank you Grand Pacific Resorts for collaborating on this travel sponsored blog post! All thoughts and opinions expressed on West Coast Aesthetic are my own and every collaboration is done with absolute integrity.
Sipping wine in the sunshine, with not a care in the world! Sounds like a dream, right? This was our reality two weekends ago during our stay in Napa. I teamed up once again with Grand Pacific Resorts to highlight the best Napa Valley has to offer. Tristan had never visited Napa before, so it was fun to show him one of my favorite places while also visiting some new spots during our stay!
Napa is quite large and spread out, depending on where you are going. So arranging a DD rideshare service is a must. You can also bike through parts of town but be careful when biking on busy and open roads. Although it can seem daunting to visit such a busy and popular place in the summer, planning your trip ahead of time saves you the stress and discomfort of not knowing where to go or how to navigate your way through wine country. Each time I visit Napa, I love to visit old favorites and tack on some new places too, I’m so excited to share my weekend recap of what I consider Napa’s best with you.
Where to stay:
We have loved every stay with Grand Pacific Resorts thus far, no matter the location, we know we can expect the comfort and hospitality you deserve during a vacation. We stayed at the RiverPointe Napa Valley Resort, minutes from downtown Napa and right on the Napa River. The location is perfect! The layout of the resort is like an upscale mobile resort – lodging is setup to look and feel like quaint, cottage-style trailers that are spacious and comfortable inside. We had a living room area, full kitchen, dining area, bathroom and bedroom so it felt like we had plenty of room to lounge in during our stay. Not to mention, upon arrival we were greeted with a bottle of wine to kick off our weekend of wine-tasting – I loved this thoughtful touch from Grand Pacific Resorts.
Where to eat: We wanted variety during our trip to see what Napa had to offer. Napa really does have it all. I highly recommend planning meals into your day of wine tasting to ensure you don’t feel crummy after drinking all day and only having light bites. Here are some of our weekend food highlights.
Breakfast –
Alexis Baking Company: When I researched local Napa brunch restaurants this place was always at the top of the list from locals. We came here before we started wine tasting for the day and we knew it must be popular given the line outside. It didn’t take us long for us to get seated, caffeinated and enjoy our breakfast (I opted for the French toast and highly recommend).
The Girl & The Fig: On our last day we ventured out to Sonoma for brunch since it was close to the last winery we were visiting during our trip. Sonoma’s downtown square is adorable! I loved the location of this restaurant and getting to walk around Sonoma after we ate. The food was delicious but the service was a bit slow – so if you’re in a rush, this might not be the best spot to get in and out.
Lunch –
Gotts: We were starving on our way into Napa after road tripping from San Francisco, so we decided to stop off at Gott’s for burgers, chicken strips, fries and milk shakes. This is a roadside haunt that received rave reviews so we decided to check it out. Highly recommend this spot! Located in downtown Napa next to Oxbow Market, we loved the food and the setting. It makes for a super easy and delicious lunch stop.
Dinner –
Redd Wood: I snagged us reservations at this Italian spot in Yountville – and I think I fell in love with this little town! It is so scenic with lots to do and see (I am planning on staying here next time). We loved our dinner at Redd Wood, the drinks and the food were delicious. Tristan ordered pizza and I got pasta – highly recommend this restaurant for date night.
Bounty Hunter BBQ: This restaurant got rave reviews from locals and always mentioned you’d have to wait in a line – well sure enough, upon arrival, there was a line, but let me tell you, it was worth the wait! Tristan and I love to try new BBQ spots and this has officially been added to our “favorites” list. Tristan ordered the ribs and I went for the pulled pork sandwich and mac and cheese (couldn’t even finish the whole thing, it was so much food!)
Wine tasting: There are so many wineries to choose from in Napa, but before you go, do your research and be sure to make reservations going into your weekend. I forgot to do this for some of the wineries we visited up until the day of or day before and we luckily were able to get in, but sometimes, that’s not the case! Especially on weekends at the popular wineries that tend to fill up fast. You can usually make reservations online in advance for tastings. You won’t regret it!
Ashes & Diamonds: This winery was actually recommended to me right before we left for our trip and I’m SO glad we went! It actually is now one of my favorite wineries in Napa. Ashes & Diamonds feels like you’ve been transported to Palm Springs from its modern and sleek design to its yellow door leading you inside to an array of mid-century furniture. I was in love from the moment we stepped foot on the grounds. Not to mention, their wine was delicious too! Tristan and I tried two different flights so we could share and compare. We also were able to walk the grounds wine wine in hand to capture some photos of the vineyard. I can’t wait for my next visit to Ashes & Diamonds.
Mumm Napa: A popular hot-spot in Napa for sparkling (so make sure you have a reservation)! This is a classic pit stop during your wine tasting weekend. The wine is delicious, the atmosphere is lively and the back deck is where its at. We enjoyed their exclusive sparkling flights to refresh our palette in the middle of the day.
Sterling Vineyards: This winery is a full-blown experience! We grabbed reservations for the tram ride and Silver experience two months before we arrived to Napa. There are several “experience” packages to choose from, but I wanted the one that included the tram, tastings and a self-walking tour as well as a final tasting in their tasting room. I highly recommend getting a reservation in advance because this winery is so popular. Upon arrival you’ll be filtered into lines to check-in and then lines to board the tram, I also recommend ending your day here because it can take a while to actually get up to the winery, so it’s not ideal if you’re in a pinch to make your next stop. While the tram ride and views were stunning, the winery itself was so crowded it made the individual tasting pit stops and self-tour difficult to navigate. I’m glad we had the silver experience to indulge in after the walking tour so we could sit, eat, chat and enjoy views from inside (with A/C). If you’re looking for a unique experience in Napa, this winery is unmatched!
Domaine Carneros: A personal favorite and a Napa classic. Domaine Carneros is renowned for their bubbly and stunning grounds. You’ll recognize this winery due to its booming mansion-like appearance on the hillside surrounded by vineyards. We ended our trip here and I was so excited to bring Tristan to this spot! We were lucky to get in with last-minute reservations and snag a table outside in the sunshine. We ordered sparkling flights and a cheese board to enjoy all while soaking up the last little bit of our trip. Visiting this winery is a must when in Napa!
