| Top Attractions | | The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone | | This magnificent estate on Main Street/Highway 29 is home to a campus of the Culinary Institute of America as well as its restaurant. This is a perfect place to start or end a trip: beautiful campus, great views of Napa Valley, and good food and wine. Reviews and comments. | | French Laundry | | What many have called the best restaurant in America is in tiny Yountville, just south of Oakville. Thomas Keller combines farm fresh ingredients and amazing creativity to produce an unforgettable prix-fixe meal. Reservations are taken months before, so be sure to plan accordingly; rarely can they accomodate walk-ins due to last minute cancellations. They have a comprehensive wine list that represents the area. Reviews and comments. | | Wineries | | Not only do wineries take pride in their wine, but they also take pride in their building architecture and design. Design philosophy ranges from Opus One's white 60s sci-fi semi-domes to Beringer's more traditional chateau built in 1883. Survey the beauty of these estates while sampling their fine wines in tasting rooms. Some larger wineries, like Beringer, conduct tours where they show you how their wine is made and stored. | |  |  Take the Napa Valley Wine Train and soak up the beauty of the valley while sampling its wine. Get picked up and dropped off at your San Francisco hotel. | | | | Silverado Resort and Golf Course | | How about 18 holes of golf before kicking off a wine tasting sojourn? Silverado is also the largest private resort spa in Napa Valley. Reviews/Comments. | | COPIA - American Center for Wine, Food and Arts | | Past exhibition titles include 'The Art of Rice', 'The Birth of Coffee', 'True to Form: Antique Chocolate Molds', and 'Chew on This' (bubblegum). Besides interesting cultural displays, visitors can also dine at Julia's Cafe, named after Julia Child, who was a supporter of COPIA since 1996. The American Market Cafe and the Wine Spectator Tasting Table are a few steps away from Julia's. Reviews/Comments. | | Hot Springs at Calistoga | | Famous for its many spas, mineral baths, and hot springs, Calistoga is the farthest north of Napa Valley towns and a perfect place to rest for the night after a full day. |  | | Leave the visits to us when you take the whole day Wine Country Tour | | | | Napa Premium Outlets | | There's a very good selection of shops in this factory outlet shopping center off Highway 29 in Napa. The factory outlet list includes: Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Barney's New York, J. Crew, Kenneth Cole, Maidenform and Timberland. Reviews/Comments. | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Books we recommend | Soul of a Chef | | Editor's note: a must for any food enthusiast and a page-turner. The book is written about three different subjects with a common theme: the quest for excellence in preparing food. The author chronicles a food critic's visit to Lola, a bistro in Cleveland (that we'd love to try), Thomas Keller's French Laundry, and chefs taking the grueling week-long Certified Master Chef exam at the Culinary Institute of America. | | | | The Man Who Ate Everything | | Ed: Jeffrey Steingarten, former lawyer turned Vogue magazine food critic, wrote this often hilarious book about his culinary experimentation from the mundane to the exotic. He tackles everything from barbeque and ketchup to kobe beef. Another good read. |
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