1. 1. Napa Wine Tours Planning Guide by Summer Wildewines-vineyardtours.comThe Napa Valley is the premier wine region in the U.S., and receives over 5 million visitors every year. Napa wine tours are by far the most popular tasting tours. Visitors come to sample the award-winning wines, and also to taste the award-wining meals at one of the many famed restaurants in the area.When you are planning your visit, you want to take both the wineries and the restaurants into account. In fact, most people plan their trip around what they want to eat, and what they want to drink. But you'll also want to keep in mind that there are other activities you can do as well. If you like to golf, or want a luxurious day at the spa, or even float over the valley in a hot-air balloon, you can do it in Napa.So where is Napa valley, anyway? It's a small area tucked away in the countryside about an hour north of San Fransisco. The entire area is only 30 miles long, but boasts over 200 wineries. As such, it is fairly simple to plan your tasting route.There are two main routes to get to Napa. Highway 29 is a good choice for your journey there, while the Silverado Trail is better for your drive back. If you're a little more adventurous, arm yourself with a good map and make your way to and fro via the picturesque backroads.The most direct route is Highway 29, which will take you to the most famous wineries and eateries. Because of this, though, it is usually pretty crowded during the high season. If you go during the week, or plan your trip for late spring or fall, you'll experience much less traffic.Silverado Trail doesn't go through every area, so is usually less crowded... and there are several wineries along the trail as well, so if you do go in the high season you may want to stick to this route.Of course, you can ditch the traffic altogether and rent bikes instead. You can take an organized tour, or head out on your own up the backroads. You can also hop on the Napa wine train for a relaxing three-hour tour complete with a meal and wine tastings.Napa Wine Tours Planning Guide by Summer Wilde wines-vineyardtours.com
2. 2. Napa wine tours aren't complete without a few major stops. Head to Yountville for a meal at the world-renowned French Laundry, take a mineral bath at the natural spa in Calistoga, and watch the world go by under the redwoods at Bothe-Napa State Park. Just don't forget to bring your wine! Napa Wine Tours Planning Guide by Summer Wilde wines-vineyardtours.com