A Weekend In Napa Valley

Hello everyone,

Just a quick post today, but I had to share with you my weekend in Napa Valley. In October we travelled to San Francisco for the launch of 111SKIN's Celestial Black Diamond Collection at Barneys New York, and while we were there we decided to take a detour to Napa Valley. Napa is a very beautiful and picturesque region in California, a favourite with many travellers and well known for vineyards and wineries. Unfortunately we could only make a quick weekend stop there this time. These are some of my favourite things to do whilst in Napa Valley, and my recommendations on where to stay, what to do and where to eat out.

Hotels

 
If you are looking for the best hotel to explore Napa from, then I recommend Meadowood. There's beautiful scenery and it's a restful and relaxing location. Plus there's an amazing spa and golfing.

Auberge du Soleil is one of my all-time favourite hotels. You can sit on the terrace for dinner or drinks and you get breathtaking views of the Valley. 

Wineries

A trip to Napa Valley would not be complete without visiting at least one of it's wineries. I loved the private tour we had at Opus One

If red wine is your favourite then you should definitely pay a visit to Cakebread Cellars

For the best outdoor wine tasting then I highly recommend a visit to Alpha Omega Winery. It's on the smaller side but they have some fantastic wines.

For panoramic views visit Newton Vineyard. It's located atop Spring Mountain in St Helena, and you get stunning views right across this terrace mountain estate. There are different tours available, including one which begins in the English Gardens, but it's a private vineyard so you'll need to book a tour in advance.

Restaurants

For lunch I highly recommend Mustards Grill, which serves up all-American, wholesome food. Of course they also serve fantastic local wines as well.

In the evening I suggest you try Archetype, the new, hottest place in Napa for dining. Their combination of fresh, local ingredient paired with regional wines and hand-crafted cocktails makes this restaurant a must-visit.