In a couple of weeks, we will be visiting the Napa Valley for a few days and once again we will be making the town of Yountville our destination locale. We also like Calistoga, but we have to give Yountville the edge for a number of reasons.
For starters, Yountville has a great choice of restaurants and most within walking distance of all the B&B’s. The famous Thomas Keller has the French Laundry, Bouchon, and Ad Hoc in Yountville. There are also Redd’s, Bistro Jaunty, and Michael Chiarello is about to open a new restaurant in the V Marketplace, Bottega Restaurante. We are very fond of Mustard’s but you have to hop in your car or take a cab. It is just too far to walk from Yountville’s main area of Washington Street. Fortunately, the cab service is quite reliable.
There is plenty to do in Yountville besides wine tasting. You can visit the Napa Valley Museum, located on the grounds of the Yountville Veterans Home. On Washington Street you can rent bikes and visit Bell Winery and Hopper Creek on Washington Street or cruise over to Domain Chandon across the freeway. If you like boutique shopping, V Marketplace at Vintage 1870 has it all including Michael chiarello’s NapaStyle store of home furnishings, cooking tools, and gourmet items.
As for lodging. there are plenty of choices. The Villagio Inn is the most luxurious of the B&B’s and a good choice for a very special occasion. We like to stay at the Yountville Inn. The price is right for us and they always give their guests a $50 return coupon. Their breakfast, which is included, is terrific. The pastries come directly from the Bouchon bakery. We enjoy taking our breakfast outside and feasting poolside.
One of the nice things to do between breakfast and the start of a wine tasting day is to take a brisk walk. You can walk Washington Street in both directions or better yet take a hike on Yount Mill Road. This road is lined with Vineyards.
Finally, Yountville is just off Highway 29 so you don’t have the noise or congestion of all the traffic.