The state of California definitely has a lot to offer. North of the state’s San Francisco Bay Area is Napa County, which in turn is the home of the now famous Napa Valley. Although originally, this agricultural landscape offered a variety of food crops, grapes harvested for wine production are now its main source of income. Since the 1960’s, Napa Valley has become the center for wine making in all of US. Aside from the actual wines being sold in this region, tourism on a much specified scale (wine tourism) has also contributed to keeping the coffers filled to the brim, so to speak.
Napa Valley, officially titled as Napa Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area. This means that under the federal law, this part of the US is strictly designated to grape growing, for the sole purpose of wine production. This region is particularly selected because of three factors: its natural geography, its geological factors, and its Mediterranean-like climate. In other words, this is one of the most breath-taking places to visit in the US; the regular rows of the man-made plantation set against the background of the clear blue skies is enough to entice about 4.7 million visitors to Napa Valley on a yearly basis. However, some visitors engage in the packaged educational tours within the wineries themselves; or they engage in tours that allow visitors to stay one night among the local homesteads, hostels and villas; while others yet, prefer a Napa Valley-wide tour. All these make Napa Valley the second most popular tourist destination in the Californian state; in first place is Disneyland.
If you are an avid admirer of the Cabaret Sauvignon, the Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir and the Zinfandel, then we highly recommend you visit Napa Valley. Tours are available all year round, but are particularly more interesting during the harvesting periods. If you want a romantic ride towards Napa Valley, there is the Napa Valley Wine Train that runs between the counties of Napa and St. Helena. This is a privately owned excursion train that runs around some of the more picturesque vineyards and wineries of the region.
You could always drop by Napa Valley any day of the year as there are private vineyard and winery and tours that always accommodate travelers. However, we highly recommend that you call ahead. Napa Valley is so vast and so popular that some tours are booked by a group of people for the day, and it may be difficult for you to find another winery nearby that you can actually tour. Calling ahead on one or more vineyards and wineries will make your travels more comfortable. Be prepared for a bit of cover fee, though, especially with wine tasting tours. Some of them cost up to $25 per head.
However, if you intend to spend at least one night in Napa Valley, you really need to book reservations weeks (even months) in advance. Napa Valley is so beautiful that there are many individuals who book villas or resorts for special occasions like weddings and family reunions.
Now, if you think that Napa Valley is only about tours and wines, we recommend you round off your excursion with a hot air balloon ride. For this ride, you really need to book a reservation, at least one day in advance with the company offering the balloon ride. These rides are usually held very early in the morning so you need to be in the field before the break of dawn.
