AboutWilliam Conde Expertise I wish to serve as a sort of guide to the North Bay area, with extensive experience in Sonoma County proper, and abilities to help with more general questions regarding the Marin and Napa County areas. For questions regarding what the area is like, what to bring, where to stay, etc., I'm eager and capable to help bring forth solutions to your regional queries.
Please note that while I can suggest many wineries to visit in the area, there are so many to choose from that I wouldn't be able to answer questions about each and every one. I can also suggest non-winery-related sights to see and locales to visit, depending on whatever sort of vacation, business trip, or other excursion you may have in mind.
Also, I am not a wine expert (I don't drink alcohol), so please don't ask me specific questions about such-and-such labels of wine.
Experience I have lived in the Sonoma County region for 10 years and wish to help others understand and appreciate the unique experience that is being part of this area. I am goal-oriented and love to help "fill in the gaps," so to speak, of the plans and ideas of those who are considering visiting this beautiful region.
Education/Credentials Licensed Pharmacy Technician; B.S. degree in Chemistry (Biochemistry Emphasis).
Expert: William Conde Date: 3/21/2007 Subject: Napa Valley
Question I'm 25, and my boyfriend and I are going to California for wedding in May. We're staying in Carmelita for a few days, but then venturing out! We plan one day for Los Angeles/surrounding area, and then plan to drive to Napa Valley and Monterey. Do you know about how long the drive is, and would you recommended driving/flying between cities? We also have free place to stay in Monterey, do you know how far the distance is between Monterey and Napa? We're big wine goers, and love to check that stuff out too. Anyway, any ideas/advice/suggestions you have would be great! We're from the Midwest, so we're clueless when it comes to California:)
Answer Hello there,
I'm glad to hear you're coming to visit! California's a pretty big state, so it might surprise you to hear that the drive from LA to the Monterey region is about 7 hours or more. I'd definitely recommend flying between LA and Monterey (there's really not much to see on the way--mostly just fields and orchards and wide-open nothing); however, the drive between Monterey and the Napa region is pretty interesting, so you may want to drive that leg of the trip to save on expenses. I'd say it's somewhere between 2 and 3.5 hours of driving, though I haven't been that way in a while, so it could be a touch longer than that, in addition to potential issues with traffic (we have a -lot- of traffic in California).
In Napa, you'll find that there are literally wineries every five minutes of driving or so. As such, I can't really say "go see this one" or "you have to check out that one over there," particularly because I don't know what kind of winery you like to visit most. However, your options for that are extremely plentiful.
If you want to stay in a town that's suburb-ish, Napa is your best choice. There are plenty of regular commercial opportunities (including a factory outlet mall) if that lights up your board. If you're looking for something more town-like, however, a quick 20 minute drive north to St. Helena will suit you well. St. Helena is loaded with boutique shopping and exquisite restaurants--if you're looking for seriously luxuriant food, try the Culinary Academy's restaurant at "Greystone" on the north end of the town. St. Helena also houses some small hotels and homey bed-and-breakfasts that are great for travels on a leisurely trip.
Alternatively, another 20 minutes or so of northward driving will take you to the small town of Calistoga, which is even more quiet and secluded, and houses a number of bed-and-breakfasts situated immediately next to pleasant green scenery. Calistoga's restaurants tend to be a bit more inexpensive than those in St. Helena, but are still quite tasty. Calistoga is also home to some famous mineral springs, which have given rise to a number of pleasant spas that you may enjoy as a refreshment from your travels. Almost everything in Calistoga is within easy walking distance.
One singular experience in the Napa Valley is the Wine Train, which is something of a tour of the region on a richly-appointed train, including the option of meal service. I'd recommend you give it a try if you want to take a preliminary looksee around the St. Helena area before you decide what exactly you'd like to do in the area.
I hope that helps with your plans! If you have further questions, feel free to submit follow-ups, and I'll do my best to answer them. Enjoy your trip!
