Best Things to do in Downtown Napa, CA
The first thing that comes to mind when you think of Napa, CA is wine, and while there is plenty of that, there is also so much more to do and see in this quaint little city! I had been once before while visiting San Francisco a couple of years ago, but I only visited a few wineries so it didn’t really count. I didn’t even realize there was a “downtown” to Napa!
Some trips I genuinely enjoy adventure and the constant go, go, go, but other times, I really enjoy just getting away and taking it easy. If you’re looking for the latter, downtown Napa, California is a great option. There are so many tasting rooms within walking distance of any hotel (I stayed at the River Inn and loved it), which takes the hassle of arranging a car or designating a sober driver to go out to the vineyards that are a bit further away. The food is also fantastic!
I was invited by the City of Napa to stay and explore the downtown area for 3 days and 2 nights, and it was a fantastic trip! These were my 8 favorite things to do:
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Downtown Napa Art Walk
The city has this wonderful program in place that helps support artists and encourages/requires more art in the community! The Napa Art Walk changes every couple of years and has a self-guided audio tour you can take! As a gal from Austin, TX which is known for their street art, I really appreciated this!
This was one of my favorite wine tasting venues that we visited! Dick Vermeil, the owner, is a former NFL coach. I’m typically a white wine kinda girl, but their red blend was my absolute favorite wine of the whole trip! I’m also a football fan so it was cool that they have the XXXIV Superbowl Trophy in the wine tasting room (OK it might be a replica but still cool).
Kayaking on the Napa River
This was one of my favorite parts of the trip! It was amazing to hear just how much the Napa River has changed and grown over the last 50 years. Most people don’t even realize that A, Napa has a river, and B, that you can kayak on it!
The guide was very knowledgeable, and it was a great way to learn about the city’s history outside of wine. Read more about Kayaking on the Napa River HERE.
Napa General Store
We had lunch one day at the Napa General Store, and it was lovely out on their patio! The food was delicious too.
They do wine tastings, but what’s fun about doing it here, is that you have the option to do a “blind tasting”! They blindfold you and then you have to try guess what it is you’re tasting. I didn’t get any right… oops!
Culinary Institute of America at Copia
During my trip, I took a cooking class at the Culinary Institute of America at Copia where all the recipes were inspired by wine, of course!
Our chef/instructor was fantastic, she taught us some really helpful techniques for cooking in general. If you’d like to book a class, visit their website.
Sky and Vine at the Archer Hotel
This rooftop bar in the new Archer Hotel has an unparalleled sunset view! The food was good, nothing too noteworthy (they do have lobster corndogs which were good!). However, I would absolutely recommend this place for drinks at sunset — I mean, look at that view!
Oxbow Public Market in Napa
The Oxbow Public Market is a 40,000-square-foot marketplace (like those you see in Madrid!) that includes many different cafes, food vendors, shops, and produce from local farms. It’s a great place to get breakfast and browse around in the shops.
Some favorites are Anette’s Chocolates (her chocolates are legendary), Five Dot Ranch, Kara’s Cupcakes, Model Bakery, Whole Spice, and Napa Valley Distillery. The market is located at 610 and 644 First Street along the river.
Gordon Huether Downtown Napa Art Gallery
If you walk down any street in downtown Napa, chances are you’ll run across a piece of art by Gordon Huether. He is an incredible artist, his pieces can be found all over the country!
Even cooler? He’s extremely down to earth and chill in person as well. We were lucky enough to get a personal tour of his studio which was really amazing to see. We even got a signed copy of his newest book! I would absolutely recommend taking some time to go out to his studio, I believe you can set it up by contacting him on his website.
Planning a trip to Napa, California and have additional questions? Let me know in the comments or DM me on Instagram!
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xx Chels
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Just checked out this list. Lots of good ideas! I especially like the mix of food, wine, and little local spots; downtown Napa can feel a bit touristy, but these picks seem like a nice balance.
I actually used Lucid Travel https://www.pissedconsumer.com/company/lucid-travel/customer-service.html last time I was in Napa, and their guides made it super easy to hit a few hidden gems while still hitting the classics. Definitely worth checking out if you want a more curated experience rather than just wandering Main Street.
Not to nitpick, but Napa has around 900 wineries. A few more than 300 you referenced. I could spend hours playing Sandbox Games. It’s great to be able to freely build my own world.
This is such a fantastic guide for exploring Downtown Napa! I love your recommendations, especially the Oxbow Public Market and the Napa Art Walk, which give the perfect vibe of the city beyond just the wine tastings. Since I love researching travel spots and discovering hidden local secrets visually, I always look up travel stories on http://theinstaviewer.com/ to check out what people are sharing on their Instagram stories completely anonymously. Thanks for sharing these amazing travel tips—I will definitely keep them in mind for my next trip planning!
This is a really helpful Downtown Napa guide. I like that you included more than just wineries, because the Napa Art Walk, kayaking on the Napa River, Oxbow Public Market, rooftop views, and local food spots make the trip feel much more complete.
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Thanks for sharing these Downtown Napa recommendations. This list makes the city feel much easier to explore on foot.
This is a great guide for anyone visiting Napa for the first time. Most people immediately think about wineries, but I love that you highlighted experiences like kayaking on the Napa River, the Art Walk, and Oxbow Public Market. Those are the kinds of activities that help visitors experience the city beyond wine tasting.
The rooftop view from Sky & Vine looks incredible, especially around sunset. I also didn’t realize there were so many art-focused attractions in downtown Napa.
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Thanks for sharing these recommendations—adding a few of these spots to my travel list!
This is a really helpful guide for exploring Downtown Napa beyond just wine tasting. I liked the mix of places like Oxbow Public Market, Napa Art Walk, kayaking on the Napa River, and rooftop views at sunset. For travelers planning their budget before a Napa trip, tools like https://financcalculator.ru/ can also be useful for estimating travel costs and keeping expenses organized.
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