• An "Innsider's" View of Napa Valley

Picnics — A Taste of Napa Valley

Picture yourself lounging in the vineyards feeling the sun warm your skin, the breeze play through your hair and the calming sounds of nature surrounding you while you enjoy a gourmet lunch and a glass of chilled white wine…sounds delightful, doesn’t it?

A picnic lunch is without doubt one of the most enjoyable things to indulge in when you visit Napa Valley, a soothing and pleasurable al fresco activity to enjoy with your loved ones, whatever the weather! There are plenty of offerings available for visitors who want to enjoy the natural wonders of the area and what better way to enjoy the outdoors than with a delicious picnic? Here’s our top tips for enjoying picnics in Napa Valley…

WINE TOURS & WINERIES

Taste of Napa Valley A couple enjoying a picnic in the vineyards.

Napa Valley is famous for its seemingly endless vineyards and wineries and many of them include beautiful picnic areas for visitors to enjoy and to while away some time. Many will also provide boxed lunches or charcuterie plates loaded with delectable fare allowing you to dine with your wine. If you do choose to picnic at a winery, remember to adhere to etiquette: we suggest you purchase a couple of bottles of their wine and never partake in another winery’s wine on the host’s property and of course, clean up and leave the spot as you found it ready for the next visitors. Remember to ask your Concierge team and we can make reservations on your behalf, as many wineries and their picnic spaces are limited and some require appointments. Oakville Ranch has an exclusive members club for returning visitors and V. Sattui Winery has extremely popular picnic grounds where locals and visitors love to lounge.

For the full Napa Valley experience why not try a Wine Tour? There are many excellent tours available for you to choose from and many of them will organize and arrange a delectable gourmet lunch for you to graze on while you complete your tour. You can explore our wonderful Napa Valley, sample some of the best wines in the world and enjoy some amazing picnic cuisine. PF Tours are well known for their attention to detail within their custom tours and Vino Valley Tours also offers a unique outdoor dining experience designed to stimulate all your senses. Knight Tours will also arrange romantic lunches to have while on their tour.  Again, your Concierge team can arrange all of this for you so please do inquire for more details.

PARKS, PICNIC AREAS & DELI’S

With our amazing vineyards, wineries and the reliable tours available to you, it makes perfect sense to picnic within these places and those choosing to do so will not be disappointed. However, for people who prefer to make their own lunch, there are many delis with truly delicious food: sandwiches, salads, pasta, paninis, fruit, cheeses, charcuterie and a whole host of other snacks perfect for your picnic. To name a few establishments that offer seriously tasty fare there’s W. F. Guigni and Son’s in St. Helena, Yountville’s Atelier and Yountville’s Ranch Market as well as Napa’s Genova Deli, St. Helena’s Dean & DeLuca and plenty more to try.

To enjoy your packed picnic you can try Fuller Park or Veterans Park in Napa, Yountville Park or Lyman Park in St. Helena. All have awe-inspiring scenes and beautiful spots where you can relax, refresh and recharge in the splendor of Napa Valley nature.

THINGS TO REMEMBER…

Please do remember to clean up after you’ve finished.  We are extremely proud of our natural areas and want to ensure our glorious Valley remains as pristine as it can be.

Don’t forget to ask your dedicated Concierge team for tips, advice and recommendations on Napa Valley picnics, we will be more than happy to arrange everything for you down to the last detail.

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