Visitor's Guide to Napa Valley (with the kids!)
Part 1: Kid-Friendly Wineries & Where to Eat!
Who needs a little Napa wine fix? I know we sure do! While in
quarantine, we’ve been sipping on some of our favorite wines from some of our
favorite wineries in Napa. Although the tasting rooms haven't quite
opened yet, it’s exciting to think about them opening up and enjoying the
gorgeous scenic views all while sipping on our favorite reds and whites.
Living only about an hour away from Napa, we’re lucky enough to be able to
visit the Napa Valley several times throughout the year.
Often times I hear people tell me they want to visit Napa, but they
have kids and don’t think it’s kid friendly. Well, let me tell you…this
is a major misconception! And I talk from experience having taken on our
kids with us on most all of our Napa Valley trips.
The Napa Valley includes the wine regions of Carneros, Yountville, St. Helena,
and Calistoga to name a few and a little pre-planning on where to go will make
your Napa wine experience even easier than you think. I can honestly say that
our kids love the Napa region as much as we do!
Kid-Friendly Wineries
Having been to several wineries (with and without kids), we’ve narrowed down
our top five kid friendly wineries worth checking out in the Napa Valley.
V. Sattui Winery
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V. Sattui Winery, located in the heart of Napa Valley, is the most
popular and most visited winery in all of Napa and for good
reason! From its old-world charm, picnic grounds, deli and cheese
marketplace and award-winning wines; there are a lot of great reasons
why you need to add this family-friendly winery to your list of places
to visit in the Napa Valley.
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The picnic experience at V. Sattui is unmatched by any other property in
the area and features:
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More than 200 types of cheese and a wide array of salads, sandwiches
and desserts available in the marketplace deli.
- BBQ on the weekends (big hit with our kids!)
- Dozens of highly rated and award-winning wines sold on site.
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Sprawling picnic grounds that include two dozen tables nestled beneath
ancient Valley Oak trees and tri-level terraces that overlook
beautifully manicured gardens and vineyards.
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Kids can sample grape juice and enjoy BBQ on the weekends or grab food
from the deli and cheese marketplace and enjoy it on the picnic
grounds. After enjoying some wine and a picnic, be sure to grab
some gelato and continue touring the grounds of the winery.
Castello di Amorosa
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Castello di Amorosa is a must see castle and a winery located near
Calistoga. Just the word castle is enough to have our kids jumping
up for joy! This winery not only allows children, but welcomes
well-behaved and well-supervised kids and offers grape juice tasting in
a friendly Knights Hall tasting room with a table for coloring.
Now how cool is that?
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And to top it off, there are also farm animals and birds just outside
the castle that kids will love checking out.
- A fun fact: this castle took 14 years to build!!
Sterling Vineyards
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Sterling Vineyards is a perfect wine tasting adventure with the
kids. One of the highlights that our kids still talk about is the
one-of-its-kind gondola ride up the hill to the winery.
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Once up to the top, the winery offers terraces where you can sip on a
glass of wine (and grape juice for the kids) and enjoy great panoramic
views of the valley.
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One of the major perks with this winery that was a plus for us is it
offers food and wine pairings that are kid friendly! On our
most recent visit, we did the Platinum Experience and were blown away by
the food and wine pairings - it is the perfect splurge for a special
occasion such as a birthday or anniversary. The kids got a snack
and juice box, while we enjoyed the food and wine pairings; I’d call
that a win-win for everyone.
Chateau Montelena
- UPDATED March 2022 - Chateau Montelena is only open for tasting experiences by reservation. To partake in any experience on the Estate, you must have a reservation or pickup confirmation, and all members of your party must be aged 21 years of age or older.
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Chateau Montelena boasts one of the most peaceful settings in the Napa
Valley, with a stone castle carved into a hillside overlooking a Chinese
garden, lake and vineyards reaching out to the base of Mount Saint
Helena.
It’s a great family-friendly experience with entry level
tasting and gorgeous grounds for the whole family to explore. The
lake and gardens will be a big hit with kids and the variety of wine
tasting experiences offers something for everyone.
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Fun fact: The winery is famous for winning the white wine section of the
historic "Judgment of Paris" wine competition back in 1976. This
wine competition helped put Napa Valley on the map and was famously
portrayed in the 2008 movie Bottle Shock.
Beringer Vineyards
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Beringer Vineyards is the oldest continuously operating winery in the
Napa Valley and is listed under both the National Register of Historical
Places and as a California Historical Landmark.
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There are two tasting rooms and plenty of space for kids to enjoy a
snack with patio seating.
Where to Eat
So with all this wine tasting, you’re bound to get hungry and will be
looking for a great place to eat.
Here is a list of fun family-friendly places we love to stop off at that the
kids will enjoy too:
Gott’s Roadside
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Napa’s most famous burger spot that has about eleven burger
variations. But aside from the burgers, there’s several other
options such as tacos, soups, fish, salads etc.
Oxbow Market
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Oxbow Market is a large indoor market that has a little everything from
several restaurants, bakery, cupcakes, candies, ice cream, cheeses, and
wine tastings are just to name a few.
Mustard’s Grill
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Mustard’s Grill is an outstanding culinary experience for adults, but it
also has a great kid’s menu with a variety of options including fried
chicken, pastas, burgers, ribs, tostada, and much more!
Boxcar Chicken
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Although this gem of a place is located halfway between Napa and Sonoma,
it’s definitely worth a visit. Indulge in some of the best fried
chicken and waffles you’ve ever had! This place was a huge hit with our
kids with a large outdoor bench-style seating perfect for the whole
family to enjoy.
Yountville
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Although this isn't an actual restaurant, but a small town located just
outside of Napa (only about 10 minutes away from Napa!), it has several
small bakeries and eateries that you can check out while walking through
this quaint French inspired town.
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Our favorite spot here that the kids love to grab some fresh pastries
and chocolate milk is Bouchon Bakery. And if you ever visit
without the kids, there are world-class Michelin Star restaurants,
including The French Laundry!
Part 2 of our Visitor's Guide to Napa Valley (with the kids!) includes
the best places to stay from family-friendly hotels and resorts to the best
splurge-worthy hotels that the Napa Valley has to offer!
Visitor's Guide to Napa Valley (with the kids!)
Part 2: Where to Stay - Coming Soon!
Travel Note:
Given all of the worldwide travel advisories amidst the Covid-19
pandemic, now is not the time for non-essential travel. I
personally don't advise booking any trips until at least later this
Summer until there is some sense of normalcy and knowing where we will
be domestically/globally in terms of Covid-19, but at the end of the day
it comes down to your own personal risk assessments.
There are serious health concerns and a lot of risks involved at this
time, in my opinion, but while the world today is clouded in
uncertainty, we still continue to believe in the allure of (future)
travel. It's still okay to dream - travel provides the joy of
dreaming, the excitement of the experience, and a lifetime of memories
that grow more valuable each day. So keep dreaming and when the
time is right and when you are ready we'll be here to help.
