- Napa Valley, also known as California’s wine country, is made up of several towns and small districts in Napa County.
- The area is north of San Francisco, and while it’s most famous for its wineries, the area has a lot to offer for many types of travelers.
- Business Insider spoke with real estate agent Nicole Needham from the brokerage Compass to get the inside scoop on how to enjoy Napa Valley, town by town.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
For all wine enthusiasts looking to kick back and relax during the final weeks of the fall season, look no further than California’s wine country, Napa Valley.
Napa Valley is north of the San Francisco Bay and roughly 70 miles from Sacramento. It’s located in Napa County and is made up of several towns and small districts.
Along with world-renowned wineries, Napa Valley also boasts delicious dining options and scenic countryside views, making it the perfect spot for a fall getaway. But because it covers such a vast area, it can be hard for first-time visitors or prospective buyers to figure out where, exactly, they should land.
Business Insider spoke with real estate agent Nicole Needham from the brokerage Compass to get the inside scoop on how to enjoy Napa Valley. Needham represents homes all over Napa Valley, including multimillion-dollar spreads in the ritzy town of St. Helena, which was voted the best place to live in Napa County by ranking and review site Niche.
Keep reading for a look at what to do and where to go when you're in California's wine country.
Napa Valley: An intro
Napa Valley is north of San Francisco Bay and is roughly 70 miles from Sacramento. It's located in Napa County and made up of several towns and small districts.
Every year, Napa Valley attracts millions of wine lovers. In 2016, it welcomed 3.5 million visitors. To put that number into perspective, Napa County as a whole has an estimated population of 140,386.
Napa Valley was born in the 1850s.
According to The Wine Cellar Insider, the story of California's Wine Country began with a few planted vines on a 1,800-acre property named Oak Knoll. It has since become home to some of the world's most renowned wineries, including Chateau Montelena in Calistoga and Opus One Winery in Oakville.
Local real estate agent Nicole Needham helped Business Insider identify the best areas in Napa Valley based on what you're looking for, from the best place to dine to best place to party.
Keep reading for a look at what to do and where to go when you're in Napa Valley.
Best dining: For a good meal, head over to Yountville.
Yountville, a town made up of roughly 3,000 residents, is considered the culinary capital of Napa County.
Located in the heart of California's wine country, Yountville is home to the world-renowned French bistro, The French Laundry.
In addition to the award-winning 1,600-square-foot restaurant, the town offers an array of dining options that include everything from wood-fired pizza to Caribbean-inspired dishes.
Needham noted that her favorite place to dine in Yountville is Chef Michael Chiarello's Bottega, an Italian restaurant that serves everything from fresh pasta for dinner to Italian donuts for dessert.
"It has a very northern Italian feel even though you are in the wine country, and I think it melds both of them really well," Needham told Business Insider. "The food is really good and consistent and it has a really great outdoor patio."
The chef and owner of Bottega, Michael Chiarello, has hosted culinary shows on PBS, the Food Network, and the Cooking Channel. In 1985, Food & Wine magazine named him Chef of the Year.
Best nightlife: Enjoy your drink of choice in downtown Napa.
Downtown Napa has everything from breweries to jazz club.
Needham told Business Insider that downtown Napa tends to attract a slightly younger clientele with its bars and event venues.
The Sky & Vine Rooftop Bar at the Archer Hotel, according to Needham, is the best place to spend a night out in downtown Napa. Here, you can enjoy everything from live music to lobster corn dogs for $17 and specialty cocktails from $15 to $18.
Best retreat spot: The best place to kick back and relax is Rutherford.
Rutherford, a small town with a population of just 77, is known for its delicious wine and scenic countryside.
According to Needham, Rutherford is home to the best hotel in all of Napa Valley, Auberge du Soleil, where the cheapest room will still cost you over $1,000 a night.
"Auberge Du Soleil is the French Laundry of hotels in the valley," Needham told Business Insider. "It is the most glamorous with first-class service."
Best investment: If you want to buy a house without breaking the bank, look no further than Calistoga.
Calistoga is often considered the last town in Napa Valley (but depending on which way you enter, it could be the first). This town is home to 5,281 residents and has a median home value of $527,200.
According to Needham, "Calistoga is a good area if you are on a budget."
In Calistoga, it's not unusual to see homes on the market for less than $1 million. And, despite its lower prices, Calistoga is still a great place for Californians to settle down in.
According to ranking and review site Niche, Calistoga is the sixth-best place to live in Napa County.
Best of real estate: Now, if you're just looking to admire some beautiful homes, take a stroll through St. Helena.
"St. Helena is the most developed. It has a wonderful school system, a great grocery store, a movie theater," Needham told Business Insider. "It's a very developed, high-end town to live in."
Here, while the median home value is $839,300, it's not unusual to see homes with listing prices upwards of $20 million.
"The outskirts of St. Helena, with its views and the high-quality vineyards, is the pinnacle of Napa Valley," Needham said.
This 1.16-acre estate is on the market for $4.995 million. Along with its stunning views, this property comes with everything from a pool to an orchard.
Source: Compass
Best-kept secret: Calistoga may not be as developed as the other towns, but it's gaining popularity.
Spanning just 2.5 miles, Calistoga is home to 5,281 residents.
The town is considered, by many, the last point of entry into the valley, Needham explained to Business Insider. Because of this, it's set at a lower price point and often overshadowed by the other towns.
"A lot of people don't realize how much development has gone up in Calistoga," Needham told Business Insider.
There are many things to do in Calistoga, from shopping at boutique stores like Rove Boutique, to relaxing at the Baths and Roman Spa resort.
On top of the various activities the town has to offer, it is also called home by boutique hotels and inns, offering guests an authentic countryside experience.
Best wineries: Sip on a glass of wine while enjoying the views in Rutherford.
According to Needham, the place to go for Napa Valley's best wine is a 280-acre estate called Quintessa. For a 90-minute tour of the estate paired with sit-down tasting, it'll cost $85 per person.
According to the Quintessa website, 160 acres of the estate are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carménère.
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