On the West Coast people tend to think about food and wine all day long.  It’s no secret that we’ve got a palate for relaxation.

So this summer—if only for a few days—why not settle in to the California mindset, savor life and take a trip to Wine Country?  Napa Valley offers a picaresque escape, a chic quaintness, and the main draw—more than enough tasting rooms, to please every traveler. It’s like a grown-up version of a candy store. 

Here are a few suggestions that tread a little bit off the beaten path:

Where to Stay:

We like to be green on the West Coast. Eco-minded hotel, BARDESSONO is a LEED certified, luxurious and peaceful complex of eco-friendly wood, stone and concrete buildings.  Their building materials are salvaged or recycled, but you won’t sacrifice comfort or luxury. Feel good about riding one of the hotels Carbon fiber bicycles and munching on greens from the on-site gardens.

Private Tour:

There are so many wine estates to choose from and many offer private tours that typically include food and wine pairings.  If you want to venture outside of a tasting room, the SCHRAMSBERG VINEYARDS, the belle of America’s sparkling wine estates travels into mile-deep caves that were hand-dug in the 1870s.  

Where to Eat:

There are plenty of high-end restaurants, but the FATTED CALF in the Oxbow Public Market is an artisanal charcuterie producing a wide range of hand-crafted products. Pick up some dry-cured sausage, grab that bottle of sparkling wine you picked up from your tour of the Schramsberg estates, and lounge the day away.  There’s nothing quite as savory as a wine and food induced afternoon siesta in the sun.

No matter how you choose to do Napa, you will have a grand ole time.

-Arianna Schioldager