December in the Napa Valley — Best Time to Visit?

In December everything in wine country comes to a slow crawl. People are busy with holiday shopping and activities, the vines are brown and looking dreary, and the weather is not always the best for a getaway in the beautiful Napa Valley. Despite all this, we think there are many reasons why December is a great time to visit wine country.

First and foremost, you will have the Valley to yourselves. You won’t have traffic jams on the roads or crowds in restaurants. Lodging deals abound this time of the year; either check our lodging widget or call the inn and ask for the best price or an upgrade. Many of these lodging establishments are desperate for visitors. Best of all, there will be hardly any other visitors to contend with in the tasting rooms.

In many a tasting room, especially at the small wineries, the room is on winter staffing so you are more likely to find the owner(s) or the winemaker ready to serve you. With less foot traffic in a tasting room you are likely to get quality time and probably a few extra tastes of some of the winery’s specialty wines.

Don’t limit yourself to just touring the wineries. There are many wonderful attractions in the Napa Valley not to be missed and here are a few to consider. In the town of Napa, the Oxbow Public Market on First Street is worth a look at and several vendors offer lunch or small plates that will delight you. The Model Bakery has a great takeout if you would like to picnic at a winery. December always has a few warm days that are picnic worthy. In Yountville be sure to visit V Marketplace for boutique shopping. Stroll up Washington Street and visit the vegetable garden of the famous French Laundry restaurant. It is spectacular. Midway between St. Helena are two state parks. One is the Old Bale Grist Mill and the other is Bothe-Napa Valley. At the Bale Grist State Park you can see the water-powered mill that was built in 1846 and used to grind wheat into flour. At Bothe-Napa Valley there are several good hiking trails that are invigorating on a clear crisp day.

In the historic town of Calistoga, which never seems to change, you can experience how Napa was 60 years ago with a walk along Lincoln Avenue. The Calistoga Inn and Restaurant is a throwback to another era. If you happen to be there on December 16th, it is the Calistoga Inn’s traditional Pauper’s Night. Prices are greatlly reduced and the locals come out in droves to celebrate the holidays. Be sure to call well in advance to reserve your table.

As far as wineries, there are 400 wineries in the Napa Valley. We have made it easy for you to decide which ones are worthy of a visit. Use our handy Trip Planner or choose one of our carefully-designed Napa Wine Trails. Everyone is sure to have fun in the Napa Valley in December.

Lincoln Avenue in Calistoga