Visit Napa Valley, Calif., one of three ways: on a budget, spending a bit more, or when the getaway calls for a splurge.
Trip tips: As you head north out of Napa, the towns of Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena and Calistoga lie to the north. The distance between Napa and Calistoga is 26 miles, or about a 40-minute nonstop drive. Consider car-free transportation options for getting around Napa Valley, www.napavalleycarfree.info. VINE Bus Route 10 serves local Napa routes and north to Calistoga, www.511.org.
Getting there: The drive time to Napa Valley is approximately a 90-minute drive from airports in San Francisco, Oakland or Sacramento. AirTran and Delta offer nonstop service to San Francisco at one-way rates from $120 and from $99 during frequent sale periods.
BUDGET
Stay: The AAA Four Diamond-rated Harvest Inn offers the "Colorful Cabernet Season" package with two nights' accommodation with a wood or gas fireplace (some with private hot tub and vineyard views); a welcome bottle of local wine and truffles; two one-hour massages; country breakfast; concierge assistance; wine and cheese tastings on weekends; parking, Wi-Fi and turndown service from $464. Also included is Passport St. Helena to enjoy wine and olive oil tastings and food pairings at six wineries all within walking distance from the inn; 1 Main St., St. Helena. 707-963-9463.
Eat: Authentic Neapolitan-style pies baked in a brick oven are served up at Tra Vigne Pizzeria (under $20). It's OK to BYOB (no cork fee); 1016 Main St., St. Helena. 707-967-9999. Enjoy a vineyard picnic with the freshest items at the CalMart deli; 1491 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga. 707-942-6271, www.calmartnv.com. Throughout January, enjoy specially priced menus and dining offers during Napa Valley Restaurant Month (the Napa Valley area earned 12 Michelin Stars for 2013); www.visitnapavalley.com/napa_valley_restaurant_month.htm.
Experience: Make a trip to one of the peaceful spots in Napa Valley, Chateau Montelena. Wine tastings are offered on the top floor of this stone castle carved into a hillside for $20 per person. This winery's chardonnay beat out France's best at the 1976 Paris Tasting and put Napa Valley on the worldwide wine map; 1429 Tubbs Lane, Calistoga. 707-942-5105, www.montelena.com. Discover Calistoga's finest wineries with tours and tastings at 15 local wineries with the "Winter in the Wineries" Passport, valid through Feb. 10, 2013. The $50 passport can be used once at each participating winery at any time and on any day. 707-942-6333, www.calistogavisitors.com.
MODERATE
Stay: Solage Calistoga is an easy bike ride into the downtown on a complimentary cruiser bike. Resort amenities include a yoga studio, gym, an adult pool and hot tub, bocce ball courts, a lounge, the Michelin-starred Solbar restaurant and Spa Solage, voted the No. 1 spa in the Americas and Caribbean by Conde Nast Traveler. On stays through March 31, 2013, enjoy a fourth night free. Nightly rates on a four-night stay average $270 (excluding taxes) in the 515-square-foot Vega Suite; 755 Silverado Trail. 1-866-942-7442, www.solagecalistoga.com.
Eat: Chef Perry Hoffman, voted the People's Best New Chef 2012 in Food & Wine, creates superb wine country cuisine with the freshest seasonal ingredients at Étoile inside the Domaine Chandon Winery. A three-course meal with wine pairings is $40 per person, including a guided winery tour and a glass of Chandon bubbly. Winery tour only is $15; 1 California Drive, Yountville. 1-888-242-6366.
Experience: Platypus Sonoma and Napa Wine Tours offers a daily tour (10:30 a.m.-5 p.m.) with a winery picnic lunch. The guide/driver points out landmarks and wineries along the way and shares local history and wine-making tales. Tours visit four wineries that are historic or off the beaten path; $99 per person (tasting fees not included); www.platypustours.com.
SPLURGE
Stay: A "Winterscape" special for two at the Tuscan-inspired Villagio Inn & Spa includes a two-night stay (Sunday-Thursday arrivals through March 31, 2013); welcome bottle of wine; daily champagne breakfast; afternoon tea; two 50-minute massages; a champagne sabering session (includes a bottle of champagne and how-to instructions); VIP wine tasting of five wines; a $50 credit at V Marketplace specialty shops and a nine-piece box of artisan gourmet chocolates for $775 per couple. This 23-acre family-owned estate features flowing water fountain pathways through Mediterranean-style gardens; tennis and bocce courts; a secluded 24-hour pool area with chaise lounges and patio tables; fitness center and signature restaurant; 6481 Washington St., Yountville. 707-944-8877, www.villagio.com.
Eat: Enjoy a multiple-course lunch from an elegant 1952 Pullman rail car while riding through the heart of the Napa Valley (three-hour trip). The refurbished elevated observation car offers an intimate setting for a meal freshly prepared on board; $139 per person; 1275 McKinstry St., Napa. 1-800-427-4124, www.winetrain.com.
Experience: The Classic Napa Valley Bike Tour was "designed for the tourist, not the cyclist." Between winery visits, expect to pedal from 2-5 miles along flat to gently rolling terrain. During this full day tour, visit three to four boutique and family-owned wineries with a local guide who will educate the vineyard-to-bottle process. The $139-per-person fee includes a catered picnic lunch overlooking vineyards (not included are winery tasting fees averaging $15-$25); www.napavalleybiketours.com. Check out Mother Nature's show every 30 minutes at the Old Faithful Geyser of California (a good spot for a picnic). On the geyser's grounds are llamas, four-horn sheep and famous Tennessee Fainting Goats; $10; 1299 Tubbs Lane, Calistoga. 707-942-6463.
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