Before you go

Napa’s best-kept secret just might be that it’s incredibly kid-friendly

Napa ’s best - kept hush-hush just might be that it ’s unbelievably kid - well-disposed . A neighborhood famous for recherche Cabernet Sauvignon and Michelin - starred meal might not seem the intuitive pick for a family tripper . But if you look beyond the oft sky - mellow resort and winetasting fee , you ’re likely to discover an completely impudent — and dare we say more palatable?—appreciation for experience the Valley as a family , from competitive bocci ball to watching a historic geyser erupt to storming the turrets of a castle , all with a trash of Napa Valley ’s all right , of course .

In addition to the 3.6 million visitant the region enjoys each year , family represent more than a one-fourth of Napa County ’s full - clock time resident physician , which explains the teemingness of splendid ethnic activities and park offering everything from wholesale prospect , wetlands , sawbuck trail , playgrounds , picnicking , sportfishing and market . Do the lines at touristyOakville Groceryscream child nuclear meltdown ? Continue due magnetic north toSunshine Foods Market , where you ’ll find most of the same merchandise and rub cubitus with the wine maker whose bottles line the shelf . And speaking of wine , while visiting winery without your children is admittedly more pleasurable , there are several spots that welcome families where children are n’t afterthought or verboten altogether . One area where we assure you wo n’t have to compromise is din : you ’ll find an teemingness of farm - bracing eats at a fraction the cost of a French Laundry taste - menu . And , if you experience where to attend , stick does n’t have to break the savings bank , either .

No need to put your wine country dream on cargo hold as parents . In this guide , we ’ve put together a locals - sanction route for enjoy Napa Valley at any age , and hopefully bottling some family retentiveness along the way .

Who am I?How do I know minor and Napa are an excellent pairing ? I grew up there ! After fine-tune college , I render to St. Helena to shape at several wine maker and later as a wine author , where my making love of the part and its vino at last direct to a job as wine and spirits editor of Bon Appétit from 2007 - 2011 . These days , my trip back home are all about visiting my parents on Howell Mountain with my husband and introducing our two boys to childhood favorites , while they continue to happen upon their own can’t - young lady draw .

Book early : Hotels fill up months in procession , particularly during high time of year . Book your rooms and one or two dinners well in advance .

Consider : During eminent time of year over harvest time ( August through October ) , reservations can be hard to come by . Opt for the every bit witching Indian mustard season ( January through March ) , when promising chicken mustard greens line the vineyards , the crowds are more sparse , and lodgement is more plentiful and low-priced .