History · Napa Valley · United States
6 historic sites to see in Napa Valley
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Calistoga mud baths and hot springs, Napa Valley · Photo: Oleg Alexandrov, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Quick answer
Start with Beringer Vineyards, Inglenook and Chateau Montelena. Together the 6 picks below take roughly 8–9 hours across 3 areas; all charge for entry.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 6
- Free entry
- 0
- Time to see them all
- 8–9 hours
- Areas
- St Helena, Oakville and Rutherford and Calistoga
Plan a trip to Napa Valley
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Historic sites in Napa Valley
Historic site · St Helena
1.Beringer Vineyards
The 1884 Rhine House, a half-timbered mansion, and the hand-dug tunnels behind it are the highlights.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- History
- Architecture
- Food
Historic site · Oakville and Rutherford
2.Inglenook
Film director Francis Ford Coppola reunited the historic estate, and it offers tastings, tours and a small museum on its history.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- History
- Architecture
- Food
- Couples
Historic site · Calistoga
3.Chateau Montelena
Its 1973 Chardonnay won the white-wine category at the 1976 Judgment of Paris, a blind tasting that put Napa on the international wine map.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- History
- Couples
- Food
Historic site · Calistoga
4.Schramsberg Vineyards
Robert Louis Stevenson visited and wrote about the estate.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- History
- Couples
- Food
Architecture · St Helena
5.Culinary Institute of America at Greystone
Visitors can browse the shop, see the corkscrew collection and book cooking demonstrations and classes.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Food
- Rainy day
- History
Historic site · St Helena
6.Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park
A short trail connects it with Bothe-Napa Valley State Park and its redwood groves.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| St Helena | Beringer Vineyards, Culinary Institute of America at Greystone and Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park | 1.5 hours + 1 hour + 1 hour |
| Oakville and Rutherford | Inglenook | 1.5–2 hours |
| Calistoga | Chateau Montelena and Schramsberg Vineyards | 1.5 hours + 1.5 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 6, 2 low cost, 4 expensive. Book ahead for Inglenook, Chateau Montelena and Schramsberg Vineyards. The longest visit is Inglenook; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Inglenook: Tastings are by reservation.
- Chateau Montelena: Tastings are by reservation.
- Schramsberg Vineyards: Tours are by reservation and often fill up well in advance.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (St Helena): Beringer Vineyards → Culinary Institute of America at Greystone → Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Oakville and Rutherford and Calistoga): Inglenook → Chateau Montelena, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Calistoga): Schramsberg Vineyards, at least 2 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- January: highs of 14°C (57°F), about 10 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Cool and rainy, with the year's lowest prices and quiet tasting rooms.
- March: highs of 19°C (66°F), about 8 rainy days, quiet crowds. Spring bud break begins, with green hills and showers.
- February: highs of 17°C (63°F), about 9 rainy days, quiet crowds. Mustard flowers paint the vineyards yellow, and winter rates still apply.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- St Helena — Historic Main Street in the middle of the valley's most famous vineyards
- Calistoga — Laid-back hot-springs town at the top of the valley
- Oakville and Rutherford — The valley's famed Cabernet heartland along Highway 29
More of Napa Valley
All things to do in Napa Valley · Where to stay · When to go.
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Napa Valley?
Beringer Vineyards. Founded in 1876 by German immigrants Jacob and Frederick Beringer, Beringer is often cited as the oldest continuously operating winery in the Napa Valley.