Find the Best Things to Do in Napa
By Brooke Lewy
Napa Valley Local Expert
About Napa
Photo courtesy of content.nileguide.com
While the City of Napa was established during California's gold rush years in the 1850s, it later became a place that tourists passed by on their way to vineyards. Until 2005, downtown was often flooded by the Napa River, making it a risky place to develop. However, in the last six or seven years, downtown has emerged as a destination in itself, with excellent restaurants, the Oxbow Public Market, new hotels and plenty to do.
See & Do
The Napa Valley Wine Train is something of an institution. While it doesn't let you select your wineries, it's a great way to get a taste of the valley without risking a DUI. If you'd rather quaff on your own time, there's always the bastion of modern northern California art at di Rosa and hot air balloon rides courtesy of the Napa Valley Drifters. Moving at a slower speed? Ubuntu offers all kinds of yoga classes in their downtown studio.
Eat
While more and more restaurants are opening up in downtown Napa, Morimoto is this town's classic. If sushi's not your thing, Oenotri and Zuzu offer some wonderful Italian and Spanish fare, respectively. Napa also is home to some of the area's best breakfast spots and coffee shops, including Alexis Baking Company and Soscol Cafe. For lunch be sure to stop by the Hog Island Oyster Company or La Esperanza Taco Truck.
Party
Downtown Napa has some of the best nightlife in the valley. The recently renovated and reopened Uptown Theater draws acts like Cat Power and Willie Nelson, while Bistro Sabor clears its tables and encourages patrons to break it down to the salsa beat. There are also plenty of bars happy to serve you well into the night, including local favorite Henry's Cocktail Lounge and Billco's, where billiards and darts are the names of the game.
Stay
The AVIA Napa, a Hyatt Hotel, is the newest game in town, and it feels sleeker and more urban than many of the other inns and bed and breakfasts in the area. The Westin, 1801 First and the Napa River Inn are also good choices for those who want to be within walking distance of all that downtown has to offer.
Shop
A stroll down Main Street will lead you past a collection of cool art galleries and cute shops like the Cake Plate Boutique for women's clothing and Vineyard Dog for gifts for your pup. However, the Oxbow Public Market gives a bit more bang for your buck--stop in and pick up charcuterie from the Fatted Calf, chocolates from Anette's or a pound or two of Ritual Coffee Roasters beans to take home with you.