3 Perfect Days in Napa Valley

3 perfect days in Napa Valley is the ideal amount of time to budget for your Napa itinerary.

A Napa itinerary of 3 days gives you enough time to explore multiple vineyards and taste a variety of wines without feeling rushed. After all, the whole reason to visit Napa Valley is for the wine. 

3 days in Napa Valley will allow you to explore different regions of Napa Valley, which we will get into more shortly. Spend one day in Napa and Yountville, one day in St. Helena and one day in Calistoga.

A Napa itinerary of 3 days allows time for relaxation and exploration. You’ll have time to enjoy tasty meals, spa treatments and scenic drives on top of multiple wineries.

Maybe you’re looking for a little R&R after hiking in Yosemite. Napa would also make a wonderful destination to celebrate New Years. It makes for an amazing girl’s trip, or a romantic honeymoon. There are literally so many reasons to visit Napa Valley.

Lastly, 3 days is the perfect amount of time in Napa Valley because it can be done over a long weekend. You won’t need to take a long time away from work or feel behind when you return. 3 days is the ideal amount of time to see Napa Valley without feeling like you missed out on something.

In this blog we will go over how to get to Napa Valley, how to get around Napa Valley, a 3 day itinerary including a general guideline each day followed by exactly what we did, and finally where to stay in Napa Valley. So let’s get to it, the Napa itinerary for 3 perfect days in Napa Valley.

How To Get To Napa Valley

Napa Valley is located in beautiful northern California. The easiest way to get there is to fly into one of the nearby airports and rent a car to finish your journey.

The closest airports to Napa Valley are

1. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) – 1 hour and 45 minutes to Napa, CA
2. Oakland International Airport (OAK) – 1 hour and 20 minutes from Napa, CA
3. Sacramento International Airport (SMF) – 1 hour from Napa, CA
4. Sonoma County Airport – 1 hour from Napa, CA and the most expensive airport to fly into.

How To Get Around Napa Valley

Napa Valley is 30 miles long by 5 miles wide. This itinerary focuses on one region each day so driving is minimal, however drinking will most likely be involved so it’s good to have a plan.

This itinerary has 2 wineries a day (at the most) and each tour is rather spread out. You most likely will be able to drive yourself. However, if you are worried about your consumption there are other options that will allow you to let loose and not have to worry about driving.

Your options are rent a car and drive yourself, plan to Uber, or hire a private driver. 

Rent a Car

If you plan on pacing yourself and don’t plan on getting tipsy I’d recommend renting a car from whatever airport you fly in and out of. This is what we did and it worked out great!

Uber

We never used Uber ourselves, however we have a good friend that has been to Napa Valley over a dozen times and always Ubers. We read multiple blogs that states Uber’s are limited, but according to him it is never been an issue.

The only time he struggled to get an Uber was when he visited a more remote vineyard in the mountains. If you plan to Uber, I’d recommend skipping remote wineries and sticking to the areas most visited.

Hire a Private Driver

We nearly went this route, and I must say, it would have added to the fun. A private driver will allow you to really let loose and enjoy the wine. After all, that’s why you’re in Napa Valley!

Book your private driver here!

Reservations

I highly recommend to make reservations for each activity in advance. And at least a month in advance. We booked all our activities about 1 month in advance and reservations were already running low.

Many wineries won’t even allow you in without a reservation. Plan ahead so you’re not disappointed.

3 Perfect Days in Napa Valley

This Napa itinerary will be organized by region of the valley. We will spend day 1 in Napa and Yountville, day 2 in St. Helena and day 3 in Calistoga. This will cut back on drive time and really allow you to explore each area without feeling like you missed out on something.

Day 1 – Napa and Yountville

9:30am – Breakfast in Yountville

We went to Bouchon Bakery in downtown Yountville. No reservation is required but there will be a line out the door so plan extra time. Bouchon Bakery has delicious coffee and pastries baked in house daily for breakfast. Everything has a very French twist and you can easily satisfy your sweet tooth with a delicious macaroon.

11am – Winery Tour in Yountville

We went to Pine Ridge Vineyards and booked the Cellar 47 Tasting. This experience took us through their caves which is where the wine ages. We had many samples throughout the tour and learned all about the aging process and why caves work so well.

Finally we finished with 4 different tastings at a table in the caves. It was a unique wine tasting experience and one I would highly recommend to have on your Napa itinerary.

2pm – Winery Tour + Food in Napa

We went to Shadybrook Estate Winery and we booked the Perfect Pairing Experience. This was the right choice because we had a beautiful and tasty charcuterie board to snack on while we chatted outside with a gorgeous view of the vineyard. The food filled us up and held us over until dinner.

Shadybrook Estate is a small family owned winery and we loved our experience. Their staff is so sweet and truly treated us like family during our visit. Our guide taught us about their wine and told us exactly what food to pair it with for the best tasting experience. She was so knowledgable and friendly! 

Afterwards we spent some time taking photos around the vineyard because it is so so cute!

5pm – Shop and Explore Downtown Napa

Downtown Napa is absolutely darling and there is a ton to explore and see. Spend some time bopping around town and doing a little shopping.

6:30pm – Dinner

For dinner we booked a reservation at Bistro Jeanty and highly recommend it! Wow was it delicious!! We were recommended the tomato soup about 5 times and we are passing that recommendation onto you. Don’t miss out on the tomato soup!

All the food was delicious, I really don’t think you can go wrong!

Day 2 – St. Helena

11am – Brunch

We are sleeping in a little bit on day 2 as day 1 was jammed packed and tons of fun.

We went to Gillwoods Cafe and it was a delicious spot that had a variety of breakfast and lunch options. So you’ll be able to find something to enjoy no matter what you’re in the mood for.

You can opt for a boozy brunch if your heart desires, or stick with a tasty espresso drink to start your day with a bang. No reservation was required.

1pm – Winery Tour in St. Helena

We started day 2 of our 3 perfect days in Napa Valley at Rombauer Vineyards and booked the Wine by the Glass Experience. This was a great start to day 2 as it was casual and low key. We had an amazing view while we sipped our wine and chatted. 

There was no tour guide. This was self guided. As we finished one glass, we simply walked back to the counter for our next pour.

3:30pm – Winery Tour in St. Helena + Snack

Our second winery tour on day 2 was at Beringer where we booked the Taste of Beringer Tour. This tour was probably our favorite one throughout our 3 perfect days in Napa Valley.

We started with a walk throughout the vineyard where we tasted different grapes. We then went to the herb garden and smelled different herbs that inspire the wines and pairings. All this while sipping on wine of course.

The grand finale was a sit down guided tour with wine and perfect pairings. Our tour guide talked us through the exact steps for the ultimate experience. It was so fun to see how the wines tasted with certain foods. 

6pm – Check out Downtown St. Helena

If time allows before dinner, spend some time wandering downtown St. Helena. There isn’t much so you won’t need a lot of time but it is beautiful and worth exploring.

6:30pm – Dinner

For dinner we made reservations at Long Meadow Ranch. The food was good, however the service was not. If I’m being honest I wouldn’t go back.

It was unfortunate because I love a farm to table experience. But the service just ruined the experience for me. 

Day 3 – Calistoga

10am – Breakfast and Coffee

We went to La Palmeraie Lounge and it was an adorable little coffee shop in an Airstream trailer with a cute outdoor area to enjoy your breakfast and coffee while surrounded by palm trees. 

Since our wine tasting included food today we had a lighter breakfast in mind and this was the perfect place for it.

12pm – Drive Around Calistoga

The area of Calistoga is absolutely stunning. You’re more in the mountains and it’s fun just to go on a little drive and enjoy the scenery.

1pm – Winery Tour in Calistoga

We went to Davis Estates and booked the Estate Wine and Food Pairing. The location of this winery is what we loved about it so much. The surrounding scenery was absolutely gorgeous and offered stunning views of the nearby vineyards and mountains. 

This vineyard also had impressive architecture and design. Overall, this winery was just beautiful.

4pm – Spa

We are wrapping up our 3 perfect days in Napa Valley with a trip to the Spa. We booked massages at the Spa at Solage and it was the cherry on top of our trip.

At this point we had had enough wine and were looking to just relax on our last day of vacation. This was exactly what we needed.

Other Napa Valley Activities

If you are looking for less time with wine and other things to do, here are a few other activities. Or maybe you have a few more days on your Napa itinerary. We didn’t personally do them, but they sound like a blast! 

The Classic Trolley Tour through Napa – Make your day in Napa Valley memorable on a fun tour aboard the Napa Valley Wine Trolley. The open-air cable car offers gorgeous views of the vineyards as you travel to three wineries to sample the local blends.

Napa Valley Kayak Tour – Experience wine country’s natural beauty and interesting history on a fun and memorable kayak tour. With an informative local guide leading the way, hop in a beginner-friendly kayak, and paddle down the valley’s waterways.

Wine Country Hot Air Balloon Ride – See the verdant wineries and vineyards of Napa Valley and Sonoma from a new perspective with this unique hot air balloon ride. Drift high in the sky as you fly over hundreds of vineyards in this renowned wine region. After you touch down, toast to a successful flight with a complimentary glass of champagne as you are regaled with stories from the pilot.

Napa Valley Wine Train – The Napa Valley Wine Train distills the essence of the wine country into a single day of wining, dining, and riding through the countryside on an antique train.

Where to Stay

Budget Friendly – Napa Winery Inn – breakfast included, pool and hot tub, highly rated.

Great for Big Group – Spacious Home Near Downtown Napa – sleeps 10, 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, hot tub

Pet Friendly – Hilton Garden Inn Napa – pool, hot tub, highly rated

Luxury – Auberge Du Soleil – High end, beautiful views, pool, hot tub, spa

In Calistoga – UpValley Inn and Hot Springs or Dr. Wilkenson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Spa

In St. Helena – Harvest Inn or Alila Napa Valley

Conclusion

That concludes your Napa itinerary for 3 perfect days in Napa Valley. We hope you have a wonderful trip to Napa and enjoy everything this region has to offer from wine, beautiful scenery, shopping, delicious food and relaxation.

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