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Napa Valley - Napa sans vin
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Napa Valley Home
Schmap Napa Valley guide and map

That's Napa without the wine, a beautiful region chock-full of colorful history.

Starting your tour in downtown Napa, you might want to stop at the Napa Valley Visitors Bureau at 1310 Napa Town Center, off First Street. Downtown, you'll see all around you the infrastructure of a once-thriving river port. Depressed for much of the late 20th century, many buildings, and the riverfront in particular, have undergone recent restoration. Near Veteran's Memorial Park, you'll want to see the Napa Valley Bank at 813 Main Street. Solid and, well, bank-like, it looks like Hollywood's idea of what a bank should be. Nearby, the Napa Valley Roastery is a popular local hangout. At Main and Pearl streets is the Napa Valley Opera House, which was restored recently, although it no longer serves the purpose for which it was built.

In the Goodman Library Building at 1219 First Street is the Napa County Historical Museum, focusing on the pioneer era. Nearby, at the corner of Main and Clinton streets is Andrews Meat Co. and Deli. It may not look like much, but in its day the building gained great renown was a house of ill repute.

If you're a mountain bike enthusiast, you'll like rocky Skyline Wilderness Park on Imola Road on the city's northeast edge. It's famed for the technical trails it offers mountain bikers, hence the Grundig World Cup races that are held here. Be warned that if you don't have a lot of off-road riding experience, Skyline may challenging.

Now get in your car, or hop on your bike, and head north to Yountville. Take either Route 29 (not really so good for bicycles at this stage) or the Silverado Trail on the east side of town. Vintage 1870 is an attractive former winery of red brick, now a themed collection of restaurants and shops. The Napa Valley Museum (55 Presidents Circle) has worthwhile historical and vinicultural exhibits.

Heading north again on Route 29 (and passing the famed Oakville Grocery-definitely worth a stop): St. Helena prides itself on its appearance, and for the most part, looks as it did 90 years ago. The vintage facades on Highway 29, St. Helena's main street, are striking. The shopping here has cachet: you'll roll into town past a satellite of exclusive San Francisco clothier Wilkes Bashford. Downtown St. Helena is bustling. It's crowded summer sidewalks can be a bit of a surprise after the rural quiet of Yountville and Oakville.

The Silverado Museum here hosts an exhibit of Robert Louis Stevenson ephemera: 8,000 manuscripts, photos, and the like. Fans of ghost story writer and misanthrope Ambrose Bierce will want to see the display and perhaps even stay at the Ambrose Bierce House, now a bed and breakfast.

On the way north to Calistoga, you might enjoy stopping at Bale Grist Mill State Park. Here you'll learn that wheat was the area's cash crop before the grapes came. Well, you just learned that here, of course, but you'll learn much more when you see the old mill turning wheat into flour in live demonstrations. On weekends, they take the next step and bake bread. Adjacent to it is Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, a lovely area for hiking, bird watching, and swimming (there's a pool there). There's also a Native American Plant Garden in the park, next to the Visitors Center.

Appealing and un-precious, Calistoga, next stop on Route 29, depends less on the wine industry (although vineyards, as everywhere, are in abundance just outside of town) than through traffic to Lake County and its own, vaunted, highly-touted mud.

Mud baths are the thing here, along with mineral baths, saunas, hot steam treatments, whirlpools and herbal body wraps. Health and healing have been Calistoga's appeal ever since San Francisco entrepreneur Sam Brannan first promoted the benefits of the area's hot springs in the mid-19th century. Dr. Wilkinson's Hot Springs Resort, Nance's Hot Springs and the Lavender Hill Spa are good spots to get hot, muddy, and whole.

If you find hot water more interesting than immediately appealing, take yourself to the Old Faithful Geyser, which every half hour or so erupts in 350-degree columns 60 feet high. Also of natural interest is the Petrified Forest, just outside of town on Petrified Forest Road. There you'll see 6 million-year-old trees turned by volcanic activity into rock. Some of the specimens are more than 100 feet tall.

Back in town, the Sharpsteen Museum divides its exhibits between the work of Disney animator Ben Sharpsteen and his colleagues, and materials relating to Sam Brannan. Brannan, who gave the town its name was a colorful character and pitchman also credited with sparking the 1849 Gold Rush.

The town's restaurants offer inventive, enthusiastically prepared cuisine for end-of-the-ride hunger (bear in mind that if you rented your bikes in Napa, you have to ride them back).

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Ambrose Bierce House

Cozy B&B for misanthropes

1515 Main St
Napa Valley, CA 94574
United States
+1 707 963 3003
http://www.ambrosebiercehouse.com

Ambrose Bierce, author of The Devil's Dictionary, was famed for writing ghost stories, for being a misanthrope and for disappearing mysteriously and permanently in Mexico. This 1872 Victorian is his house, packed with Bierce memorabilia. There's nothing at all spooky about this lovely Saint Helena bed and breakfast. Nor could the proprietors be less misanthropic. The appointments are in the best Victorian taste. There are four guest room: the Ambrose Bierce suite, The Lillie Langtry Room, The Eadweard Muybridge Room and The Mollie Day Room.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: wcities

Bale Grist Mill State Park

Run of the mill 3801 St Helena Hwy
(Hwy 29)
Napa Valley, CA 94515
United States
+1 707 942 4575
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_... This restored mill, built in 1846, still works, and visitors can see its massive millstones in action when millers grind flour out of local wheat. Bale Grist flour, literally the "run of the mill," can be purchased at the mill when demonstrations take place. Check for the sign saying "Milling Today." Mill demonstrations are irregularly scheduled because of staffing difficulties. Demonstrations are more frequent on weekends and in summer months. The smallish, tree-filled park surrounding the mill offers a welcome contrast to the car-interned.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Linda Powell
Photo: nomi
Photo: Susan Petersen

Bothe-Napa Valley State Park

Camping amidst groves of maple 3801 St Helena Highway North
(Highway 29)
Napa Valley, CA 94515
United States
+1 707 942 4575
http://www.parks.ca.gov/defaul... This state park offers the winery-weary 100 acres of pastoral idyll and the only campgrounds in Napa Valley. There's hiking through the stands of maple and oak, picnic grounds in pleasant meadows, a swimming pool and sites of historical interest including the ruins of the valley's first church and a pioneer graveyard with the remains of some of the Donner Party. Park day use is $5 per car. The Ritchey Creek Campground has 40 secluded family campsites at around $15 a site. The restrooms include hot showers. Credit cards not accepted.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: ArrangingMatches.net
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Calistoga

Napa Valley
United States
Calistoga is famous for its. . .mud. Mud baths, along with mineral baths, saunas, hot steam treatments, whirlpools, and herbal body wraps, have all been an attraction of the area ever since San Francisco entrepreneur Sam Brannan first promoted the benefits of the area's hot springs in the mid-19th century. To get a feeling for the thermal springs without getting in one catch Old Faithful geyser. It spouts boiling water 60 feet into the air every half-hour or so.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Dr. Wilkinson's Hot Springs Resort

Calistoga spa 1507 Lincoln Avenue
Napa Valley, CA 94515
United States
+1 707 942 4102
http://www.drwilkinson.com This is one of Calistoga's oldest spas and one of its most popular spa resorts, serving the Napa Valley Wine Country for almost 50 years. It is not only a lodge but a full service spa that offers mud baths, mineral water whirlpools, mineral steam rooms, body wraps, massages, and more. Check in here and let the top-notch staff pamper you as you discover just how therapeutic, not to mention fun, mud can me.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Mike Tice
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Lavender Hill Spa

Spa for couples 1015 Foothill Boulevard
Highway 29
Napa Valley, CA 94515
United States
+1 707 942 4495 / +1 800 528 4772
http://www.lavenderhillspa.com/ The bath houses at this spa contain two-person Jacuzzi tubs, perfect for couples. The pleasant garden setting is casual and relaxing, a peaceful spot to unwind and pamper yourself. All treatments include a one-hour massage, facial scrub, foot massage and blanket wrap. Experience herbal bath wraps, stress-relieving seaweed bath, and volcanic mud baths that are not thick like the mud treatments at some spas but are a lighter therapy designed to detoxify and energize. A new type of massage, La Stone therapy, employs hot and cold polished stones. Gift certificates are available.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: daisysheers

Oakville

Napa Valley
United States
By this point, one has entered the real heart of Napa Valley wine production. Robert Mondavi, one of the titans of California wine, is headquartered in Oakville. Other, smaller wineries can be seen on both sides of the valley, though the premium cellars seem to be on the west side. While tiny Oakville has a post office, it's really an unincorporated part of Napa County, best known for the Oakville Grocery, a legendary roadside delicatessen stocked with a mind-boggling array of gourmet delights from France, Italy, and their own kitchens. As with other spots throughout the valley, one is likely to be greeted in early spring by a waving sea of yellow under sparse vineyards: growers often plant mustard underneath grapevines.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Sharpsteen Museum

Local history and color 1311 Washington St
Napa Valley, CA 94515
United States
+1 707 942 5911
http://www.sharpsteen-museum.org This museum divides its exhibits between the work of Disney animator Ben Sharpsteen and his colleagues and topics of local historical interest. Particular attention is given to Sam Brannan, who gave the town its name (see History City Guide). Brannan, a colorful character and pitchman, is also credited with sparking the 1849 Gold Rush. The Sharpsteen's great strength is its focus. The exhibits are invariably interesting and amusing.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Silverado Museum

For RL Stevenson groupies 1490 Library Ln
Napa Valley, CA 94574
United States
+1 707 963 3757
http://www.silveradomuseum.org... This cozy museum hosts an exhibit of Robert Louis Stevenson ephemera such as 8,000 manuscripts, photos, letters and the like. It is in fact the largest collection of Robert Louis Stevenson's works outside of Scotland and a must-see for fans of his work. Virtually all of his first editions are here. Stevenson spent his honeymoon in the area and wrote The Silverado Squatters.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Silverado Museum photo by wcities
Photo: wcities

Skyline Wilderness Park

Rocky mountain bike paradise 2201 W Imola Ave
(at 4th St)
Napa Valley, CA 94559
United States
+1 707 252 0481
http://www.ncfaa.com/skyline/s... A picnic ground and trailhead at the base of the hill lead to steep trails up to the boulder-strewn valley rim. Hikers and horse riders are greeted with pretty views of the valley and a respite from the wine-soaked tourist crush of the valley floor. Some moderate degree of cardiovascular fitness is advisable before setting off.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Carolyn Sherwood
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Vintage 1870

Charming boutiques within a vintage estate 6525 Washington St
Napa Valley, CA 94599
United States
+1 707 944 2451
http://www.vintage1870.com/ It is one of the most special places to shop in the Napa Valley, and offers an array of boutiques huddled within a 23-acre vintage estate in the quaint village of Yountville. You will find 38 upscale specialty shops that offer things ranging from handmade chocolates and children's toys to fine jewelry, art and sculpture, along with antique surprises around every corner. The complex also features three restaurants, a full service spa and its own inn. Plan to spend the better part of an afternoon.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Emily
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