There Are Other Things to Do in Napa Valley Apart From Taste Wine. These Are Our Favorites.

Although Napa Valley is best known for its wine, tastings aren’t the only thing to do in this part of California. Here, in no particular order, are several other ways to take in the iconic wine region.

Take a gondola along the river

The Napa River runs through most of the valley, and its southern section is navigable by small watercraft. You can rent kayaks or stand-up paddleboards to check it out, but another way to see the sights is aboard a long canal boat. Napa Valley Gondola tours started in 2018 and have become hugely popular. The trips leave from the Main Street Public Dock in downtown Napa and meander up and down the river, depending on the tides. Gondoliers dress in classic Venetian garb, and if you ask (or tip) nicely, they’ll even sing an aria or two. Standard tours last 55 minutes.

Explore the Napa Valley Vine Trail

The region is partway through the completion of the Napa Valley Vine Trail, a multiuse bike and pedestrian trail. When finished, it will span 47 miles, connecting the entire valley from Vallejo to Calistoga. Currently, it runs from the town of Napa to Yountville, covering roughly 12 miles, and from St. Helena to Calistoga, an 8-mile segment completed in August 2024.

Although a gap between St. Helena and Yountville remains, requiring cyclists to ride on the road between these towns, the completed portions are already a welcome addition. Whether you’re interested in a casual, fairly flat ride or want to ditch the car and bike to Napa’s wineries, the Vine Trail offers an enjoyable way to get around this scenic region. While several hotels, such as Alila Napa Valley, have bikes guests can use, those who need a rental can head to Napa Valley Bike Tours at the Yountville or Napa locations.

Navigate the vineyards by tuk-tuk

Courtesy of Laces and Limos

In Thailand and other popular tourist destinations across Asia, the three-wheeled electric tuk-tuk has become a staple of urban transportation. Here in Napa, the tuk-tuk experience has been fancified by an outfitter named Laces and Limos. The chariot: a tricked-out white vehicle with a waterproof roof. Tours consist of half- and full-day excursions to lesser-known parts of the region—including the Coombsville appellation just east of Napa proper. Tours for Fall 2024 include a half-day private food and wine tour titled “What’s For Lunch?,” a six-hour Napa “wine safari,” and a six-course “culinary journey” with a private chef.

Try new restaurants in St. Helena

Photo By Jessie Beck

With Michelin-starred restaurants such as The French Laundry and Bouchon, it’s no secret that Napa Valley is a foodie destination. While we’ll never say no to a dinner date at any of Napa’s most well-known eateries, several exciting new food and drink options have recently opened in St. Helena that are worth checking out as well.

NO|MA House

In the heart of the city is a new, health-centric cafe and shop, NO|MA House. Open for both breakfast and lunch, it’s a welcome, fresh addition to the Napa food scene, thanks to colorful, produce-filled dishes such as its house-made smoothie bowls, frittatas packed with seasonal veggies, or Southeast Asian–inspired lettuce cups. But while you may come here for the food, the breezy patio and light-filled interior will make you want to linger awhile: Owner Ann Backen created an inviting and design-forward space. Visitors pass through an impressive, arched entryway into a plant-filled patio with a large indoor-outdoor bar. Inside, curated home goods—from bowls and linen napkins to high-quality pantry essentials—line the walls for visitors to shop or admire as they sit in oversize leather sofas and French bistro chairs with a cappuccino in hand.

Charlie’s

While you’re here, grab at least one meal or drink at Charlie’s. Opened in October 2023 by owner-chef and French Laundry alum Elliot Bell, it’s a bright and convivial spot for happy hour, dinner, or even a “late-night” drink (its 11 p.m. close time is late by Napa standards). The food is a delightful mix of modern Californian fare that is both comforting and fancy: flatbread with seasonal dips like summer squash and whipped ricotta; a seafood platter with crustaceans and clams; caviar with potato skins; and some of the best fried chicken this side of the Mississippi. The atmosphere is lively and social; it feels like you’re surrounded by friends. In short: Come for great food, great drinks, and an even better time.

Violetto

St. Helena hotel Alila is one of our favorite hotels in Napa Valley, and now travelers have one more reason to visit. This past summer, their on-site restaurant totally transformed, reopening as Violetto, an Italian-French–inspired eatery helmed by executive chef Thomas Lents. Whether you go for their four-course prix fixe menu, seven-course tasting menu, or order à la carte, expect elevated Cal-Italian dishes such as homemade rigatoni or fresh tuna crudo with cherry succo. Sustainability is key here as well: Ingredients are sourced locally, and the kitchen takes a thoughtful approach, ensuring that every part of each ingredient is utilized to its fullest. The property also added an outdoor poolside bar perfect for lounging—glass of wine in hand—before dinner.

Marvel at the marshland wildlife

There’s one part of the Napa Valley that doesn’t receive many visitors: the Napa-Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Area where Napa and Sonoma counties converge at the northern edge of San Francisco Bay. Small-boat tours with Captain “Aussie” Bob at Wombat Charters offer intimate opportunities to explore this region that features more than 15,000 acres of bay lands, tidal sloughs, and wetland habitats.

Most Wombat tours run about three hours. Trips are offered in the daytime, when there are more reliable sightings of birds, seals, and otters, and at sunset, when the sky explodes with pink and orange and purple. The outfitter runs two boats on each of these routes—both with capacity for four passengers. Riders are welcome to bring wine and snacks aboard the boats.

Learn about sustainable winemaking on an eco-tour and tasting

Photo by Devin Cruz

With dual commitments to solar power and sustainable farming (as well as special dogs that can sniff out pests and obviate the need for pesticides), Rutherford’s Honig Winery is one of the greenest properties in the Napa Valley. A guided tour through the estate vineyard is an ideal way to learn about the winery’s environmentally friendly practices.

The Eco-Tour & Tasting begins every day at 10 a.m. in the tasting room. Visitors start by sampling the winery’s award-winning sauvignon blanc; then they board a six-passenger golf cart and head out into the vineyard. As the cart weaves between the vines, the guides point out initiatives such as managing water use, providing wildlife habitats, and restoring the Rutherford Reach of the Napa River. The tour also swings by the apiary—one of the most sophisticated winery bee programs in the entire valley, and honeybees signal a thriving ecosystem. The eco-tour concludes in the tasting room, where you can try some current-release wines.

Grab great food at a gas station. Yes really.

Napa has a lot of great food, but not many casual options. Gott’s Roadside, a small, local burger chain with outposts throughout Northern California, has long been one of the more popular options for a quick-and-casual lunch between tastings. But now, owner Joel Gott has added one more casual eatery to the roster—and it’s in a gas station. Although, yes, there are working pumps, the Station is primarily an upscale coffee shop, pizzeria, and grab-and-go market, complete with a shady picnic area. Open from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., it’s an excellent place to swing by for a fresh smoothie and hot coffee at breakfast, or pizza by the slice or pie at lunch. Naturally, wine and beer are available, as are a selection of very large, and very delicious, cookies.

This article was originally published in 2018 and most recently updated on September 11, 2024 with new information.