Enjoy wine country without going bust
By Paul Franson
Bayinsider Contributor
Enjoying wine country without going bust doesn’t mean you have to slum. While some inexpensive places are simply cheap, others offer pleasant experiences that would please anyone who’s not trying to impress someone.
Nice places on the cheap
Unless you're just visiting for the day, which eliminates much of the joy of being in the valley, or you're camping, which is an attractive, cost-saving option, you'll need a room.
The best advice in any case: Plan ahead. Picking $100 as the cutoff, there are many acceptable motels, a few inns — and some places definitely on the rustic side for the adventuresome or those with kids.
One secret is to stay in the city of Napa, a pleasant small town often overlooked by visitors whizzing north on the freeway. Another alternative is the many spas in Calistoga, most of which offer basic but spotless motel-type rooms at low prices hoping that you might also use their other facilities.
The best deal in the valley is the John Muir Inn in north Napa just off highway 29. It’s a delightful small hotel with rooms starting at $80 (The rates are generally the lowest available for week days or even in winter. You may find them higher).
The Wine Valley Lodge in south Napa is a real find. An old-fashioned motel with rooms enclosing the parking lot and pool like an old Calvary fort, its remodeled rooms cost as little as $54.
Then there’s funky. The White Sulphur Springs Resort a short bike ride from St. Helena is the oldest resort in California, dating from 1852. Its basic cabins or rooms are adequate to enjoy the peaceful setting with various pools including one fed by a warm and smelly sulfur spring.
Even more rustic are the Triple S Ranch near Calistoga with eight tiny cowboy cabins for $85, and Mountain Home Ranch nearby that’s like one of those summer camps featured in slasher movies. Cabins labeled Peace and Love start at $40, and you expect to see gray and balding flower children catching cool vibes. It has great hiking trails.
There are also a few cottages in the vineyards, and many B&Bs. Most offer little privacy like their expensive brethren, but some are delightful. The Hillcrest B&B on Mount St. Helena has a pool and spa overlooking Calistoga and the northern Napa Valley, for example. Most B&Bs are small, and the best way to find a room is often a free reservation service.
Good eats on the cheap Picnics are always fun, but there are some nice but inexpensive restaurants in the Napa Valley, too.
Some offer better food and ambience than places with big reputations and bigger checks.
The best deals are generally in Napa. Excluding the obvious fast food and pizza, Mexican and Asian food can be the biggest bargains. For good California/Italian food and nice atmosphere, some of the best bets are Bosko’s in Calistoga, Green Valley Trattoria in St. Helena, and Frankie, Johnny and Luigi Too in Yountville, plus Pasta Prego, Picolino's, Misto's, Uva and a few others in Napa.
Things to do on the cheap
Wine tasting, of course, is the entertainment of choice. Though many Napa wineries now charge a nominal fee for tasting, many, including some of the biggest, offer free tours and tasting. You should be prepared to buy a bottle if you taste for free, however, though no one expects you to buy something you don’t like.
The best fun is still wandering the quaint streets and shops of Calistoga and St. Helena. If you can resist spending money, the kitchenware store at the Culinary Institute of America, Dean & Deluca Deli, the Napa Valley Olive Oil Company and Premium Outlets in St. Helena, the Oakville Grocery and Palisades Market in Calistoga are fascinating.
Otherwise, there’s great free art at the Hess Collection, Clos Pegase and the new Auberge du Soleil sculpture garden (supposedly for guests and buyers), excellent free (or inexpensive) museums (Napa Valley in Yountville, Robert L. Stevenson in St. Helena and Sharpsteen in Calistoga), hiking, biking and just lounging around the pool at your bargain accommodations thinking that others are paying $400 for the same fun.
One secret is to stay in the city of Napa, a pleasant small town often overlooked by visitors whizzing north on the freeway. Another alternative is the many spas in Calistoga, most of which offer basic but spotless motel-type rooms at low prices hoping that you might also use their other facilities.
Even more rustic are the Triple S Ranch near Calistoga with eight tiny cowboy cabins for $85, and Mountain Home Ranch nearby that’s like one of those summer camps featured in slasher movies. Cabins labeled Peace and Love start at $40, and you expect to see gray and balding flower children catching cool vibes. It has great hiking trails.
Picnics are always fun, but there are some nice but inexpensive restaurants in the Napa Valley, too.