New in Napa

When people hear “Napa, California,” it brings up visions of wineries spread out along rolling hills. However, some of the best of what Napa has to offer resides in downtown Napa and not in the numerous wineries in the countryside. Downtown Napa offers a variety of activities that will meet the interests and desires for a vacation for anyone, young and old alike. I got to experience just a tasting, figuratively and literally, of some of the most iconic and enjoyable places and activities that make downtown Napa so inviting. Before I dive into the places to see and eat at, I feel I must give a foreword to anyone thinking about visiting or vacationing in Napa. The people in Napa will make you feel at home during your stay and are more than excited about sharing their experiences and their stories as well as their love for Napa, so much so that they might convince you to stay a lot longer than you expected! Their passion and genuine sincerity is so refreshing and inviting that conversations and interactions with them truly makes the trip that much more memorable.

The passion and dedication of the locals is exemplified by Mayor Jill Techel, who is very proud of Napa and its peoples, as well as how far Napa has come in even just the past 10 years. Mayor Techel described and presented on the major work that has been done on the riverfront including dams and bridges that have sculpted downtown Napa into what it is today. In order to prevent seasonal flooding of the Napa River, the city made adjustments which has allowed Napa to not only develop an impressive and active downtown district, but also still protect and preserve the natural beauty and wildlife of the area. One of the best ways to see the mixture of new and nature is to take a kayak down the Napa River. It allows for a unique perspective as well as a calm and relaxing way to spend an afternoon because you can make it as leisurely or as energetic as you want, exploring the wildlife along the riverbank, and if you time it right, watching the sunset along the Napa River.

Your first stop in Napa should be to the Napa Valley Welcome Center on Main Street. With about 80 volunteers that donate their time and passion to share knowledge about their beloved city, you can find all the information you need about Napa, it’s activities, places to eat and stay, and their events such as the Culinary Crawl. Napa was recently declared the happiest city in the US according to a study of 10 million tweets. With over 17 art galleries, 20 wine tasting rooms, 70 restaurants, and the famous 40,000 square foot Oxbow Market, there is something for everyone to fill up a vacation of any length.

If you are a foodie, or just enjoy tantalizing meals that will never be replicated, downtown Napa is the perfect place to eat your way through a vacation. I started my trip out with lunch at Napa Valley Bistro. The creativity in the menu made it very hard to decide what to eat, but some of my favorites were the Vegetarian Rolls wrapped in rice paper and the Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese Flatbread with Truffle Oil. The Vegetarian Rolls were delicate but satisfying with papaya, avocado, asparagus, and watercress with a cucumber sauce. The Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese Flatbread was irresistible with the truffle oil, watercress, caramelized onions, and fresh herbs. Their brunch and lunch menus come highly recommended and applauded by locals, and I must agree with them.
For the perfect start to your day, there are two places I would choose from: the General Store right on the riverfront, or Grace’s Table. The General Store, right next to the Napa River Inn, offers a beautiful view of the Napa River while you dine, and they have options for all palates. The General Store has just started hosting events such as smaller weddings, and their location and views, as well as the unique and local artisan gifts in the gift shop, provides a one of a kind experience for the typical diner or dinner guest alike. More inland from the river is Grace’s Table, a restaurant that was opened as a way to show thanks for blessings given to the owner, and the blessings are “graced” upon each meal. The local produce used in and used to inspire the dishes are unique and refreshing. The mix of flavors and talent of the staff will make you want to never leave, or stop eating.

For another fantastic place for lunch, check out the Oenotri Restaurant, where food fresh from their own gardens is combined the creativity of the chefs. My personal favorites were the Pink Lady Apples with Roasted Persimmons, Fennel, and Almond Salad paired with the Wild Nettle Radiatore with Braised Beef Shortrib and Pecorino. Pair your meal with a drink from their extensive drink menu and enjoy the ever changing menu, allowing this to be one restaurant that will never be the same twice. My final recommendation for lunch is the infamous Zuzu Restaurant across the street from the waterfront. With a Mediterranean cuisine and sangria that is rated the best by locals (I have to agree), this was a perfect lunch for my final day. They start you out with olives to whet your palate while you order, and I could not get enough of the avocado ceviche. The various paella you can choose from are all tied in my book, especially the seafood paella with rice colored with squid ink. ZuZu’s is so different from what you may normally get to eat, and absolutely worth the try.

With over 70 restaurants in walking distance, you will not go hungry, or be bored with the options. However, I do have some suggestions for dinner. The Bounty Hunter, which initially started as a fine wine distributor, has an interesting story. After taking over a historic building, the Bounty Hunter tried to figure out how to feed people as they provided some of the finest wines. They now are known as the best barbeque in Napa, with quite the reputation on the ribs and Beer Can Chicken. They also have a secret ingredient cole slaw that will make even a slaw hater change their tune. They have a Wine Club that offers the best wines shipped right to your door each month, and I am currently enjoying their 2010 Pursuit Pinot Noir, thoroughly enjoying at that! Carpe Diem is another favorite of locals and visitors alike. While you are debating over the menu, do yourself a favor and order the truffle fries to snack on. You will never eat a regular French fry again without fantasizing about their truffle fries. Just make sure whatever you order, that you save room for dessert. Their homemade twist on a Twix bar with ice cream is out of this world, and as you can see from the picture, a dessert you can share, although you may not want to.

Napa is well known wine, but you have to also take some time to go for an olive oil tasting at either Square 1 Olive Oil or the Lucero Olive Oil Store. Both places offer some incredible flavors of olive oils and balsamic vinegars that even amateur cooks will enjoy tasting and using in recipes they can recommend. My favorite is the crushed lemon olive oil at Lucero, and gift boxes are available to ship to loved ones so they too can taste the flavor of Napa. Ask the knowledgeable staff at Lucero for some advice on utilizing their different oils and vinegars in meals and even desserts, as they let us try our choice of oil and vinegar flavors over vanilla ice cream and strawberries. A disbeliever in the past of balsamic vinegar and olive oil being good on ice cream, they certainly changed my mind, and tastebuds.

Whether you are a wine or football fanatic, you will be excited to step into Vermeil Wines for a wine tasting. In case you’re not up on football legends, Dick Vermeil is one of the best loved coaches in NFL, and he was portrayed by Greg Kinnear in the movie “Invincible.” Vermeil Wines has an impressive display of sports memorabilia from Vermeil’s life and has all the games playing on big screen TV’s around the facility. Vermeil’s wines are just as impressive as his coaching career and they offer a variety of 10 different wines ranging in price from $18-125.

As if all that is not enough and you are looking for a bit of relaxation, head to the Spa at the Napa River Inn. Housed in what used to the Napa Police Headquarters, the feel is very inviting, and the sign in the entry room sums it up: “Happily Ever After Begins Here.” All of their products are natural and specially designed to be calming and appealing to people with even the most sensitive of skins. I went for an hour long massage, and the treatment by the staff was above and beyond what one normally expects from a massage. They took care to focus on some problem areas and offer some advice on maintaining the serenity and healing they are able to infuse into you.

When looking for a place to lay your head during your stay, I recommend 3 places. I stayed at the Andaz Hotel, and the staff made my stay so relaxing and treated me as if I was their only guest, truly making me feel welcome and important. They greet you with a complimentary drink when you check in and sit you down to check you in on their iPads. With 7 different style rooms to choose from, there is a room to suit any need. My room had a view of downtown, and it was nice spending a relaxing evening in the tub in front of a fire place. The amount of amenities (all included) that they offer is the most that I have ever seen at a hotel. If a B&B is more your speed, please stay at the Inn on Randolph and enjoy one of their rooms in the main house, or one of the small private cottages out back. Each room comes with a complimentary bottle of wine, and the most unique aspect of the Inn on Randolph is that all their food/meals are gluten free. With so many people having dietary needs, this is a perfect appeal for family members or friends who don’t want to be left out on vacation. If you would prefer a stay on the riverfront, then the Napa River Inn is for you. The Napa River Inn spans three buildings, each offering a different décor and theme. If you stay in the main building, you will wake up to the tantalizing aromas from the bakery on the first floor. Be careful though, there have been ghost sightings in the River Inn, although I can’t imagine the ghosts being anything but friendly in Napa.

There is so much more in downtown Napa than is in this article, and after just a few days in Napa, I am already looking forward to planning a return trip. After all the food, wine, adventure, relaxation, and personal connections that I experienced in only 3 days, I can understand why Napa is the happiest city in the U.S. For more information about Napa and to schedule and plan a trip, visit www.donapa.com.